SHOW YOUR EMPLOYEES APPRECIATION AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

AS THE year comes to a close, the practice is busy with patients using up their benefits, and staff is having fun decorating the office for the holidays. It’s also time to think about your employees and find ways to show them how much you appreciate their hard work.

Do you throw a great holiday party? Give extra time off? A year-end bonus or holiday gift? What’s the best answer? What do staff actually want? According to a Glassdoor survey, employees wish for the following:

• 73% want a cash bonus
• 60% want a pay raise
• 36% want time off that is not considered vacation days

You may not find that surprising…but what was surprising is that only 5% of employees actually want the holiday party.

Here are five suggestions to be the best boss ever for the holidays:

1 GIVE PERSONAL GIFTS

Ask each staff member to submit what they would like for a holiday gift up to a maximum dollar value (example $50 to $100), and take the time to tailor the gifts to what each individual really wants. It shows you care and are in tune with your staff.

2 STOP THE PARTY TRAIN

Taking the team out for a lavish dinner or for an off-site party might be your idea of fun and excitement, but is it really what your staff members want? Try something different by having an office potluck, and then surprise them with a bigger gift, such as an equivalent cash bonus, since you decided to forgo the party.

3 GIVE MONEY

The holidays can be a stressful and expensive time of year for most people. Helping them take the edge off the financial situation with a token of your appreciation can go a long way in employee gratitude and engagement.

4 GIVE TIME

Depending on the way Christmas Day falls, it may be feasible give an extra day off for employees to get a real vacation and time to relax with family and friends. For some, time is way more important to them than money.

5 GIVE PRAISE AND RECOGNITION

Pen a personal note in a holiday card that tells the staff member how much you appreciate him or her, including specific skills and attributes you are grateful for. Not only will this set a positive tone for the employee to come back to, but it makes him or her want to give more when recognized.

LAST THOUGHTS

Sit down, pour yourself an eggnog, and plan a truly spectacular Christmas for your staff. I promise when you treat them well, they will pay you back in kind. Your business and customers will love you for it. OM

MS. CHAREST is the co-founder of 4ECPs, a business resource company for eyecare professionals. 4ECPs has six divisions, including marketing, training, social media, eyecare jobsites, payments and events. Trudi can be reached at www.4ecps.com or at trudi@4ecps.com.