How To Show Your Team And Employees Some Love This Valentine’s Day

Employees and management teams are really the heart and soul of any company, and showing your appreciation for your team and your staff is always a terrific way to highlight the important role they play. 

Research shows that employees and teams that feel valued, appreciated, and genuinely liked by their boss are more productive, creating, and more involved in the overall success and performance of the business, department, team, or organization. 

Most employers, leaders, and managers show some level of appreciation to employees over the holiday season, but there is no need to limit it to just Thanksgiving and Christmas. Valentine’s Day is another time to treat your employees and team members to a little something special. 

As a way to connect with employees and members of your team, you can reach out and make everyone feel special on this often-overlooked special day of the year. 

• Choose a fun gift – most people that work together talk about what they love to do in their time off. Perhaps they enjoy their dog, love going to the park with their kids, or maybe they like fishing, painting, watching sports or training for a marathon. Keep track of what people enjoy, and find a special gift that is personally meaningful and shows you listen and care about what they value. It is not the cost that counts; it is the recognition that their boss listens, remembers, and cares about them for more than their contributions at work. 
• Plan a special event – Valentine’s Day is often about chocolates and roses, but it can also be about cake, cookies, a lunch prepared by the management group, or any other type of special type of event. Food is always appreciated, just be sure to keep any dietary considerations in focus or offer a variety of foods or choices to ensure everyone is included. 
• Write a personalized card – choosing to write a personalized Valentine’s Day card that expresses your appreciation for each member of the team or each employee is a gesture that is sure to be noticed. Do not opt for an email or a text, but instead take the time to actually write the cards yourself, and speak to the specifics of what the individual brings to the company or the business. 
• Make it a year long mission – committing to yourself to recognize employees on a regular basis and not just leaving it to the holidays throughout the year is perhaps the best leadership gift you can provide. Take the time to write a note, speak to the individual, or provide them with a token of recognition throughout the year when they do something that is above and beyond what they are expected to do.