Ensuring that staff members felt supported and looked after by their employer in the unpredictable working world during the pandemic period where many businesses began working remotely was essential for managers. 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 is valued by the business. A great way for managers to ensure that members of staff feel their work has been recognised by their employer is by going that extra mile to show them gratitude. 

Why not send members of staff 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 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

To ensure a healthy relationship between an employee and a manager, staff members must feel that their voice and opinion is listened to and will be heard by those higher up in the business. Maintaining good levels of communication is important to sustaining a healthy working relationship between staff and managers. 

Are their places where staff can anonymously give feedback or lodge complaints? What proactive measures does the business take when informed about staff concerns? Are their protocols in place to listen to staff and take their views into account? 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 on workplace discrimination, pay, working conditions etc should be taken seriously. Employees should be made aware that if needs 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 Wellbeing and Support Services 

It’s commonplace for employers in 2021 to provide support services for staff members such as counsellors and therapists.  This allows staff members to feel reassured that they can go for help should they require it. 

The health and wellbeing 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 wellbeing of staff members. 

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