Token of Appreciation: How to Show Your Employee Recognition

Showing your staff members that you appreciate and care about them is vital if you want your employees to be engaged with your business and its goals. The good news is that doing so doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. All that is needed is a token of appreciation.

The term “token of appreciation” is thrown around a lot, but not so much in the workplace. This is likely because bosses are busy and often of the general thought that employees are already paid and don’t need any extra kudos.

But that’s the wrong way of thinking. By using a token of appreciation—in the form of a small gift, a card, or something more creative—you can show your staff that you truly care, which can go a long way in the end.

So what are these tokens of appreciation, and how can you implement them to boost your employee engagement and bottom line in the process? In this article, we’ll explore the meaning and value of these employee rewards and provide examples for implementing them in your workplace.

A token of appreciation is a small act of kindness that shows gratitude. In our everyday lives, receiving a thank-you card from a friend for attending a wedding or helping them move is a small token of appreciation that shows your friend is truly thankful.

In the workplace, a token of appreciation is slightly different, but carries the same general thought. Instead of the gesture highlighting one act—such as moving or attending an event—workplace appreciation gifts can be more general. For instance, helping to meet a long-term goal, supporting a team, or simply being a fun and wonderful person to work with.

What you need to understand about giving a token of appreciation is that it isn’t the actual gift that is important. It’s the thought that counts. It might sound cliché, and maybe it is, but it’s true.

Workers typically do not expect small tokens of appreciation. So when they get one—especially one that has heart in it—they pay attention and feel more valued. This boosts engagement and employee satisfaction. That said, showing gratitude without heart can often feel hollow.

A token of appreciation doesn’t have to be a huge bonus or an all-expenses-paid retreat. It can be a very simple appreciation gift, like a handwritten note with the employee in mind.

That last part is the most important: personalization. Sending an email out to all staff members saying thank you is an okay start, but it will never beat sending a handwritten note to one specific person. The former rings hollow and impersonal, while the latter does the opposite.

Randomness can also make the token of appreciation feel more special. Employees typically expect a pat on the back after closing a big deal or meeting a hard-to-reach milestone. What they don’t expect is to receive praise randomly just because they are doing a good job.

Here’s a quick example to send this home: Imagine that an employee works hard at their job, meets their goals, and has a great time with their team. They may know that they’re doing well, but it can be hard to tell if management—especially upper management—fully understands the tasks they complete every day.

Then, out of the blue, a letter arrives in the mail. It’s a handwritten card with a nice thank-you note from a manager saying how much they appreciate all of the employee’s hard work every day. Inside, they also find a gift card for a coffee or a free meal at a restaurant they know the employee likes.

This is an impactful token of appreciation. This small employee recognition, which only took a few minutes to craft and mail, can seriously boost your employees’ morale. It came from the heart, handwritten, and seemingly out of nowhere.

Compare that example to this one: Imagine that the employee works super hard to complete a company goal. They work long hours without complaint. Then, once the goal is complete, their boss sends them an email that reads like a standard form letter, saying thank you for the hard work.

This makes it seem as if the boss thinks their employees should feel honored just getting a response from them, and that should be enough to validate their hard work. However, people generally don’t feel that way about their managers or CEOs.  The truth is that any l token of appreciation can have this effect if there’s heart and personalization involved. You can go as big or small as you want, as long as you follow this simple rule.

The real takeaway is that you should use tokens of appreciation to delight your workers. The more genuinely and frequently you do this, the prouder your workers will become. When employees are happy to work at an organization, they become more productive and engaged, which is great for the bottom line and retention in the future.

Now, what small tokens of appreciation can you use at your organization? Remember, whatever appreciation gifts you go with must be from the heart. That’s the only measure for a great gift. The rest falls on how your organizational culture operates.

That said, we do have a few ideas for appreciation gifts and employee rewards. It’s best to couple these with a handwritten, personalized message. As we’ve mentioned, a handwritten note goes a long way.

You can also use Pinterest to find some fun, work-safe gift ideas. You can see various crafts people have come up with, and guides on how to make them yourself. You’ll find that some are way more complicated than others, but don’t feel pressured into making anything crazy.

Here are some ideas for smaller appreciation gifts:

• Candy with a note: Pretty much everyone likes candy. You can even get a customized card to go with it that has the employee’s name on it.

Gift cards: These are probably the easiest things to use as a token of appreciation because who doesn’t like free coffee or food? Find a gift card for a place that you know the employee likes. For example, most people drink coffee. Or maybe you know that they like Chipotle or another restaurant for lunch.

• Scratch-off lottery tickets: These or something similar could be a fun option, and could even be worth a lot of cash (if the employee is incredibly lucky).

Now, let’s move on to some ideas for bigger appreciation gifts:

Time away from the office: This one may seem counterintuitive, but work-life balance is crucial in today’s world. So, giving a Friday afternoon off or extending a lunch break can be one of the best employee rewards you can give.

• Travel to a conference or retreat: There are conferences for everything these days, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one that your employee will love. These conferences can also help give your employees an edge by allowing them to connect with and learn from other professionals in the space. Make sure that this is something your worker is interested in before giving them a ticket, though. Some people might view this as merely giving them more work to do.
• Organizational activities: Hold a Happy Hour every so often and pick up the tab. Have an in-office movie afternoon where everyone hangs out and chats. Not only do things like these work as a great token of appreciation, but they also foster team building. It’s a win-win.

As you can see, there are many ways to give a token of appreciation to express your staff gratitude. It all depends on your business, your budget, and your goals. Just remember to make sure that everything is personal and from the heart. People can see through empty gestures, which will turn the whole thing sour.

Giving a token of appreciation to your staff members is a great way to show support and praise for a job well done. To get the most out of the move, make sure to personalize each appreciation gift so that your employee knows that you truly care.

The best token of appreciation is one from the heart. It can be as simple as sending a nice, handwritten letter or note to your employee, or something bigger, like a gift card, an afternoon off, or a paid trip.

Showing staff gratitude can go a long way in boosting workforce engagement and retention. Multiple surveys show that workplaces that provide frequent employee recognition have workers who are more loyal to their bosses and more satisfied with their work.

At Careerminds, our leadership coaching programs can help your management elevate employee engagement and empower everyone in your workforce to achieve their goals. Click below to speak with one of our experts and see if we are the right partner for your organization.