As the year draws to a close, many employers are keen to show their gratitude to their teams for hard work, results, and team spirit. However, knowing what is appropriate to do as a thank you can be hard to work out, especially if you are an executive at a life science firm. Read out tips to make your festive thanks run smoothly.
Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness
Buying gifts for all your team members is not only difficult but can be an expensive undertaking. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t buy gifts but buying them should not be essential to the wellbeing of your firm. If you feel that it is important to share a holiday gift, take the time to work out the finances first and opt for a selection of gifts to suit individual tastes – remember that not everyone wants a turkey or a bottle of wine!
Take the Time to Listen
What employees want most is to be recognized by a good employer so that they feel they are doing valuable work. The best way to share this recognition is in person and taking the time to share your appreciation during the festive season will leave everyone feeling positive. Share the load with your executive team by splitting your employee list up and arranging informal catch ups. To get the best from the process, you should always start by expressing your gratitude and then take the time to listen to feedback from each person, collating useful ideas and information that can help to inform the new business year.
Celebrate with Honesty
Once you have completed your festive thank you’s, it is time to share an annual summary about your firm, highlighting the things that have gone well and the focus for the year ahead. Many employers pass this information on in meetings, but it is also a good idea to issue a memo or email so that every employee gets to access your valuable feedback. Employers that are grateful for the hard work of their teams but who are also honest about the state of play are more likely to develop confident teams who are loyal even in tough times – time for you to get writing!
Know Your Boundaries
Finally, the holiday season is a time where many people look forward to celebrating with their work peers and putting things that have caused them stress to rest. Rather than being an employer that joins in with every event and stays to the bitter end, remember that giving your teams space to decompress is just as powerful. The best way to handle these situations is to make an appearance at the events, but then leave before the night gets into full swing so that others can enjoy time with their colleagues.
Festive Thanks from GeneCoda®
At GeneCoda®, we feel honored to have so many valuable clients and would like to wish every one of them a happy and relaxing festive break. Should you need any help with recruitment in the New Year and beyond then our team would love to hear from you so don’t hesitate to get in touch today!