Employee Appreciation Year-Round

Welcome Back😊

How do you make your employees feel? Do they want to come back to work each day because they feel valued and appreciated?

Let’s talk employee appreciation— We must celebrate our employees (and not just one week a year)!

There is nothing more motivating than giving your all to a task or project and knowing the work, time, and effort you have given is being noticed and appreciated even when the outcome is not perfect.

We are in the business of people! Little people (the children) and big people (our employees) and we need to appreciate each them in a memorable and meaningful way🫶

Each interaction we have with our employees can either strengthen or weaken our connection with them. Through our day at work, our actions and behaviors as leaders should make them feel like a valued and treasured part of the team!

Teacher appreciation week is May 6-10th this year. Have you thought about how you are going to celebrate your teachers, and other staff that help make your early childhood program successful?

Have you really thought about what Employee Appreciation is?

Appreciation: acknowledges the value that a person embodies, usually done in the moment, and builds trust and connection among employees and leaders.

Why do we only celebrate teachers this one week, when we should be recognizing, noticing, and appreciating the effort and contributions many times throughout the year, even everyday?

Genuine Appreciation is extremely important because:

➡️It builds employee moral

➡️Employees naturally want to contribute more

➡️Improves employee engagement

➡️Employees want to come to work

➡️Employees feel valued

How do you show employee’s appreciation in meaningful ways all year long:

🗼Build it into your center culture- create open, honest communication and an environment where each person can feel valued.

👋Though greetings – take the time to say hello and goodbye!

💡Invite the sharing of ideas and feedback – bring attention to a new idea someone may have shared, or set-up a feedback box.

Here are 2 of my favorite group appreciation activities😊 to use during teacher appreciation week:

Whoot Whoot Wagon- I fill a wagon of classroom supplies and fun treats, walk up and down the hallway blowing a train whistle (yes you can laugh at that image) throughout the week and let teachers, cooks, and other staff members pick an item!

Room service – At the beginning of the week I have each employee fill out a room service request for their favorite drink and snack. During the week I deliver their room service order.

As leaders, we are empowered to implement changes and create new strategies that keep great employees front of mind and appreciated.

Don’t forget, your employees are your most important asset to having a successful early childhood program; take the time to notice and let them know you see them, that they are valued, and they are an important part of the success of your center😊

I will leave you with this quote:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

Till Next Time,

Jen

P.S Check out my Top 5 Appreciation Go-To’s for throughout the year!

P.P.S If you would like to find out what the difference is between recognition and appreciation, click here⬅️