It was crucial for managers to ensure employees felt cared for and supported by their employers during the pandemic, when many businesses started working remotely. For businesses coming out of the pandemic and the lockdowns that went with it, showing staff gratitude for their contribution at work is more vital than ever.

With some businesses returning gradually to normality, it may even mean staff will be required to leave their house, shut down Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and go into the office in person. Staff members should not now enter the workplace feeling a sense of dread; they should instead feel motivated and appreciated by their employer.

Here, we have outlined some things that managers can do in 2021 to show thanks to staff members and make them feel valued at work.

Show Your Staff Members Gratitude

It’s crucial that staff feel their contribution and effort at work are valued by the business. A great way for managers to ensure that staff members feel their work has been recognised by their employer is by going the extra mile to show them gratitude. 

Why not send staff members thank-you gifts for all their hard work at home during the lockdown periods? Check out Boxlocal, which provides tasty Bristol Hampers and a range of exciting local gift boxes made from recyclable packaging.

A good opportunity for managers to show gratitude towards staff members is by giving gifts and organising fun work social events to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas. Everybody enjoys feeling a little bit special for one day on their birthday. What better way to show a staff member they are appreciated at work than by offering congratulations and providing them with a treat on their birthday? 

Make Sure Staff Members are Properly Listened to

Staff members must believe that those in positions of authority in the company will listen to and respect their voices and opinions in order to ensure a positive working relationship between them and their managers. Maintaining good levels of communication is important to sustaining a healthy working relationship between staff and managers. 

Are there places where staff can anonymously give feedback or lodge complaints? What proactive measures does the business take when informed about staff concerns? Are there protocols in place to listen to staff and consider their views? These are some of the essential things managers must consider when assessing how well they, and the business as a whole, communicate with members of staff.

Any concerns whatsoever about issues of workplace discrimination, pay, working conditions, etc., should be taken seriously. Employees should be made aware that, if need be, they can take the employer to an employment tribunal to make a complaint about unfair treatment at work.

If employees have made a complaint about discrimination but feel no action has been taken and that their rights are being ignored, or perhaps their employer is trying to deter them from speaking out or lodging a complaint, they are within their rights to contact workplace retaliation lawyers. Lawyers like those at Dhillon Law (more here) are experienced in defending employees against workplace retaliation to ensure their rights are upheld.

Businesses today must provide staff with well-being and support services.

It’s commonplace for employers in 2021 to provide support services for staff members such as counsellors and therapists, as well as essential medical equipment like Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) as discussed on https://www.aedleader.com/best-aed-for-small-business/. This allows staff members to feel reassured that they can go for help should they require it and instills a sense of safety and security among employees.

The health and well-being of all staff members should be a top priority for managers. The pandemic and its impact on the way businesses work highlighted the important role of support services and monitoring the well-being of staff members. 

So, it’s essential for managers in businesses in 2021 to do enough to make sure that staff members truly feel supported and valued at work.