Employee appreciation

[punkypower]

I'm part of the admin team at work and we're thinking of a nice, cool thing to do for our staff to show our appreciation for their hard work. We can't give raises (we're a flat-funded grant program), so we're trying to think of something else that would be appreciated. One idea is that we cook and serve breakfast to our staff one morning. What would you guys want?

[BouncingCockatoo]

Hrmmm for breakfast I like scrambled eggs, bacon/sausage, pancakes or waffles.. In any combo would be great. Or all the above....

Troy

[punkypower]

LOL - no, I didn't mean what do you want for breakfast. I meant what kind of employee appreciation would you like to receive from your employer (other than a raise)?

[whistledog]

Have a pot luck. A free haklf hour or so where you all gather together and eat.

Where I work, every so often they give us potlucks where we each bring something in, and the bosses barbeque hot dogs and hamburgers that they provide

[punkypower]

We're looking for something nice to do FOR them. We have potlucks on other occasions, but I don't think we should say "we want to show our appreciation to you, so slave over a hot stove, would ya?"

it doesn't have to be a meal, BTW. An event, fun activity...something like that.

[Diabolique]

You could organize a company party at some amusement park (or a place with go-karts, paddle boats, etc) with food and free admission to the park. Then have prizes such as movie tickets, gift certificates to stores, restaurants, etc.

[Nakor]

Personally I prefer barbecues. It depends on the group you've got there—best thing to do's find out their preferences.

My method of employee appreciation was rigging up a long pully system made of leftover xmas gift wrapping ribbon, and clipped to a post and signboard via office supplies, then attaching a portfolio to it stuffed with a load of paper folded stars that bored agents had been making over the past several days, and just as it reached over top of the appreciated agent's head, pulling the rip cord and raining stars on them.

[Frong]

My method of employee appreciation was rigging up a long pully system made of leftover xmas gift wrapping ribbon, and clipped to a post and signboard via office supplies, then attaching a portfolio to it stuffed with a load of paper folded stars that bored agents had been making over the past several days, and just as it reached over top of the appreciated agent's head, pulling the rip cord and raining stars on them.

That's not employee appreciation, that's employee "appreciation." You gotta specify.

So anyway, what does the staff where you work do? I'd either try and come up with something that'd give them a break from their normal duties or else just hold an event that people of that age group would like. Either way, the whole point is to have them relax and not do any additional work in the process, so if you did hold something like a barbecue, you could tell them to just sit back and enjoy the food while the admin staff does all the cooking.

[bookworm]

You could hire a masseuase (however you spell it) to come in and give neck and shoulder rubs, or if some people don't like that, they can get a manicure. Heck there are beauty schools that do that kind of thing as practice for their students. I don't know if you could get them to come to the office for a fee.

[punkypower]

You could hire a masseuase (however you spell it) to come in and give neck and shoulder rubs, or if some people don't like that, they can get a manicure. Heck there are beauty schools that do that kind of thing as practice for their students. I don't know if you could get them to come to the office for a fee.

That's something that I suggested last year. My mom's office does that. There's no cost to the employees because the lady who does it donates her time. Our nurse thinks it's not a good idea because she thinks someone could get injured. I suggested setting up a mini-spa at each site with nice music, refreshments, maybe the shoulder massage thing.

By the way, these are preschool teachers and support staff.

[punkypower]

You could organize a company party at some amusement park (or a place with go-karts, paddle boats, etc) with food and free admission to the park. Then have prizes such as movie tickets, gift certificates to stores, restaurants, etc.

that would be nice if there was a big budget, but there's not. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Nakor]

That's not employee appreciation, that's employee "appreciation." You gotta specify.

Hmm, no, specifying gives away what kind of appreciation they're getting. Really though, from how bored we were, and the large number of office supplies involved, it should've been relatively easy to determine that whatever it was, it was evil.

So anyway, what does the staff where you work do? I'd either try and come up with something that'd give them a break from their normal duties or else just hold an event that people of that age group would like. Either way, the whole point is to have them relax and not do any additional work in the process, so if you did hold something like a barbecue, you could tell them to just sit back and enjoy the food while the admin staff does all the cooking.

Usually barbecue; the company owns a barbecue so they generally make use of that.

[Frong]

Usually barbecue; the company owns a barbecue so they generally make use of that.

I didn't mean you, 5p00n3j. You're not the one trying to come up with an idea for an office event.

[Diofan]

We haven't really done anything at work to show appreciation except my daily "Great job guys" line! (I'm a supervisor there) or the occasional Pizza lunch that the company supplies. Most of the people where I work are hard-working and dedicated workers. I have made mention of an "Appreciation event" on a few occasions to the management but nothing has come of it lately. The Big Boss at the site where I work agrees with me that something needs to be done to really show our appreciation for these people. I wouldn't call morale at work "low", anything but! We got some upbeat guys and gals, but I don't think they really know how appreciated they truly are.

[Southern Image]

Well I'll suggest a few:

Bowling Happy hour.

Bingo Lunch . ( And that's NOT for OLD people)

Appreciation picnic at a nice park , or if you can't get to a park , bring the park to your office.

Make carnival type games and let them win prizes. You can use stuff around your office to create games. For example, when me and my co-workers were bored, we would line up a few empty water bottles and try to get a paper ball into the holes.

Get $10.00 gift cards from several places like the movies, Starbucks, Barnes and Nobles, etc... and give them out.

See if places like Hometown Buffet will give a company discount and take them out to buffet style breakfast or lunch.

If you have a big room in your office to do a themed lunch, try that.

Find out what type of activities are going on around your work area at the time. Like music in the park, Farmers Market, Town carnival, and incorporate into the event. You can make lunches or a simple dinner, and pack mock wines, and enjoy music.

Like Patty suggested with the students learning at local colleges. They can get massages, manicures, even a facial or head massage. ( BTW-your nurse is crazy. I don't see how shoulder massages would harm anyone)

or

Make a cute suggestion box and have the employee's suggest what they like.