4 Easy Ways To Show Your Employees Some Love this Valentine’s Day

Do you and your coworkers and staff members plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day at work this week? If not, now is the time to consider some last minute plans that will really help to share the love in the office! So many people focus on the romantic aspects of Valentine’s Day that we often forget the many other types of love and appreciation that exist in our life, including at our jobs. And it’s definitely worth encouraging and cultivating those feelings at work, no matter what industry you work in. Just consider this quote from ehstoday.com: “People will never admit it, but money is not the thing they desire most from their work. Instead, showing appreciation, respect and yes, even love, are the three most important ways to make your people feel great about their work,” said Todd Patkin, author of Finding Happiness: One Man’s Quest to Beat Depression and Anxiety and – Finally – Let the Sunshine In. “And happy, engaged employees are the single best way to impact your company’s bottom line.” There you go: a sense of appreciation is the best thing you can do for your staff and coworkers. Even better, there are lots of simple, easy ways to show appreciation for them and bring the spirit of the holiday into the office – minus the romance, of course. Don’t believe us? Give some of these ideas a go this week and see what happens: 1. Write notes and thank-you cards to give out on Friday. Rather than writing a Valentine for your coworkers or staff, just write out a thank you note, a card, or even an email (although we prefer the handwritten touch ourselves) thanking them for their hard work. A few little words can go a long way! 2. Put together a few treats for coworkers or staff. Cards are nice, but let’s be honest: we all like getting gifts more! Don’t worry about getting a giant gift for all of the people at work, though. A goodie bag or small gift card is all you need in this case.  3. Decorate. Imagine walking around at work all day and seeing flyers or notes thanking you for your hard work…doesn’t that sound great? We’re sure the people at your work site would love that, too – why not print a few of these up right now? 3. Celebrate! Happy staff members are harder workers, so why not do one more thing to boost the mood at work this Friday and put together a little lunch party? Even a simple Valentine’s Day luncheon or happy hour event after work will go a long way to boost the mood. 4. Plan on making this a part of your work routine. Ultimately, Valentine’s Day is just a single day out of the year. But the attitude and morale levels at work absolutely impacts the productivity and awareness levels of the staff, and does so all year long. So why not give the ultimate gift of appreciation and do something to address the office’s morale long-term? Announce that you have plans to introduce things like happy hours, weekly themed events, and potlucks – and those are just a few ideas you could try. It may sound like a hassle, but remember: a happier staff gets more done and is more likely to pay attention to potential dangers at work. All of these tips require very little effort but have a large payoff. After all, people who feel appreciated are not only likely to put more effort into their work – they’re more likely to stay at their current job for a longer period of time! So this Valentine’s Day, go ahead and let your employees or coworkers know that you really do appreciate all of their hard work – and then reward them for it! Does your worksite have plans for Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments!