by Jonathan Jones
The new year is a time when nearly everyone makes resolutions. How about using the New Year’s resolution season to offer up a company benefit that may make your employees not only happier but maybe even healthier?
Everyone loves a gift or a special extra surprise. If your employees want to improve their fitness, offer gym memberships for your staff or budget for yoga, Pilates or some other exercise program at the office. It could help them stick to their resolutions and result in healthier and more vibrant employees. A millennial I recently spoke with said gifts like this – or a membership to Netflix for $10 a month – means far more than a gift certificate for a turkey or some lame corporate gift certificate.
Think about how you can tap into a creative yet affordable gift that tells your employees you care. Nothing tells employees you care more than something unusual and/or thoughtful. Some exceptional CEOs of small organizations make the time (or find a way) to know what their employees are passionate about. It might be hunting, camping, quilting or volunteer work. If the corporate culture is in place, they find ways to reinforce their employees’ passion with individualized gifts.
Last, I’ll share one of the best pieces of advice one of my mentors gave me. Take the time to write each and every employee a handwritten thank-you card and send it to their home address. This could be for each employee’s birthday or company anniversary. Not only will your employee be surprised and grateful for your thoughtfulness, but odds are, the employee’s family will notice too. What a gift.
Jonathan Jones (Jonathan.jones@vistagechair.com or 314-608-0783) is a CEO peer group chair/coach for Vistage International.
Submitted 7 years 337 days ago