This week marks National Employee Appreciation Week in the United States, a time for employers to stop and say “thank you” to all of their employees. In speaking with human resource professionals all day, every day, I hear of many companies that feel as though they are running on empty, with no resources left with which to build up staff morale. The truth is, we can all show appreciation regardless of whether times are good or bad. And in doing so, we will be making our employees feel appreciated, inspiring them to be more productive and, ultimately, more loyal. Here are some ideas for demonstrating your gratitude, building morale among your staff, and improving employee retention:

1. Be generous with praise — Try sending handwritten notes to employees homes – Anyone can send an email, but it goes a long way when you come home to find a handwritten note from your CEO or President thanking you for your hard work.
2. Give a “shout-out” Tweet – A great way to recognize an employee who is doing a great job is by setting up a Twitter account and tweeting out individual accomplishments and promotions to all your workers. A great tool to use is “hashtag FF” or “Follow Friday” – which in laymen’s terms means putting out a thank you or props to those whom you feel have performed exceptionally well that week. Having such an account is also a good idea for recruitment, when that again becomes a challenge in the future.
3. Write articles about a successful team project – Email them around the office and post them on your Facebook page, with pictures, so that everyone can appreciate the team’s hard work!
4. Webinars – Can’t afford to send your overachievers to a seminar? Try getting your staff together as a group to watch a webinar that may enhance their skills and improve morale. Provide breakfast or refreshments as an added bonus.
5. Party! — In almost every month you’ll find a day worth celebrating… the first day of Spring, Valentine’s Day, etc. Many companies set up a sign up list and encourage employees to sign up to bring in something good to celebrate the day. It can be donuts, cupcakes, fruit salad, brownies… just about anything that will contribute to the festive feeling… and it’s at no cost to the company. Commemorate the day by taking photos of the event and uploading them on your company Facebook page.
6. Be Flexible – Show employees that you value their contributions by demonstrating how much you value their busy personal lives. If an employee needs to attend a school function for their child – let them stagger hours that day. It makes the person feel truly valued when you show that you respect their life and responsibilities outside the job.
7. Awards – Don’t stop at Employee of the Month. You may want to add Attendance Awards, MVP, etc. It’s fun and you may even want to involve the employees themselves in the voting process.
8. Volunteer Events – Allow employees one paid day off each year to pursue a legitimate philanthropic cause, whether it be a walk-a-thon or golf outing. It’s a great way to show you respect the causes closest to their hearts, and that yours is a company ready and willing to promote good karma. Make sure the employees bring back photos that you can upload to your Facebook page, and tweet their involvement out to the world! It’s a great way to motivate others.

It doesn’t take much to recognize your staff, even during hard times, and a small amount of gratitude can pave the way for a stronger team with a more positive attitude.