How to say thank you at Christmas to temporary staff
Last Christmas (2020) was a bit of a let-down for the whole country. Another lockdown imposed, family visits cancelled, shop closures and social distancing had a disheartening affect that most likely impacted employee engagement and productivity at work.
So, this year, let’s make it something special! Find a unique way to say thank you to all your staff who have adapted to huge amounts of change and shown tremendous resilience in the face of yet another difficult year.
For many, the pandemic has altered our perspective on the way we live. The positive outcomes include a world where kindness, mindfulness, self-care, supporting others, and charitable acts are becoming the norm. So why not follow this trend and be more thoughtful and considerate with your festive celebrations, making gestures and giving gifts that will help your staff to feel appreciated and valued. Showing your appreciation in this way will positively impact your permanent staff and temporary workers alike.
The impact of gratitude
Throughout this 2021 series of articles titled ‘The Happiness Project’, we have written extensively on the impact of happy employees in the workplace being more engaged in their work and delivering superior productivity.
A study into the science of gratitude reported that if an employer or manager showed their employees gratitude, 81% of people said they would work harder and 70% said they would feel better about themselves. Showing gratitude at work clearly impacts productivity levels and how team members feel about themselves, which will feed into their general happiness.
Being recognised for their good work helps employees to feel appreciated, so they achieve more. This in turn should lead to increased job satisfaction and therefore, employees remaining with the company for longer.
When a company depends heavily on the performance of its employees to be successful, saying thank you is a very simple way to improve your productivity. By showing your gratitude for a job well done, you are essentially boosting moral, and improving your worker’s mental health. Employees who are mentally healthy are more likely to engage in physical activity, and those who are physically healthy are less likely to take time off work.
The domino effect of gratitude in the workplace will not only improve your employee’s wellbeing and engagement, but it will most likely make you and your team leaders feel good too. Whether you are on the giving or receiving end, the effect can be just as profound.
Gratitude has been described as the “social glue” that fortifies relationships and serves as the backbone of our society. Therefore, establishing a culture of gratitude can create a positive working environment where your teams feel bonded together and appreciative of each other.
How to say thank you at Christmas
The traditional way to say “thank you” to your employees is an annual Christmas party. However, these types of gatherings are not permitted with the new COVID-19 prevention rules. Instead of a party, help your employees to feel uplifted and show your gratitude by giving well thought out thank you gifts.
Everyone is different when it comes to gifts, try to think of everyone as an individual instead of one-size-fits-all. You could give staff an extra day of paid leave, book a team building away-day when COVID-19 permits, give gift vouchers or hold a virtual wine tasting or cocktail making class.
You could break the tradition of sending wasteful Christmas cards and be more eco-friendly by making a charitable donation to a cause your team is passionate about. Alternatively, ask the management team to make a thank you video for all the staff. Try translating your message into multiple languages, so that everyone feels included
Saying thank you in a personal and thoughtful way will help your temporary workers to feel they are valued and appreciated, helping them to be engaged and work with purpose, which in turn will increase their productivity and happiness at work.
In this series, we are looking to unlock the secrets behind empowering, engaging and motivating your entire workforce with the power of happiness. Although they are often under-represented within existing productivity and business development guidance, Blue Arrow believes that temporary workers are an integral part of the wider workforce driving your business. To find out more about how you can use happiness to improve productivity throughout your entire organisation, click here.
References
- Panagopoulos, Costas (2011). Character Virtue Development, Gratitude. [Internet] Accessed December 2021. https://www.templeton.org/discoveries/science-of-gratitude
