When job hunting, prospective employees have a list of things they’re searching for. As well as a good salary and a fulfilling role, they’re looking at the culture of a company and how management show appreciation for their team.

While benefits and perks have been around for a while – just look at the likes of Google – things have ramped up in the last few years. We’ve embraced hybrid working and we’re looking at what opportunities are available.

As an employer, you’ll know that it’s important to have an attractive offering in place to secure the best talent. It’s also important to show your appreciation for your team – after all, you need your employees in order to thrive. If you’re looking for some ways to let your workforce know how important they are, we’ve rounded up some ideas to help you.

Celebrate birthdays

If your team are based in the workplace, why not introduce some birthday celebrations? With a bit of effort, spending your birthday at work can be fun.

One way to celebrate is with food. You could arrange a birthday lunch or get the team to bring in cupcakes or doughnuts. Alternatively, you could set aside some time to play music in the office – maybe you could introduce an office birthday song? You could also get everyone to finish early so that you can play a birthday game. If you do this online, people who work from home can join in.

Look at mental wellbeing

While focusing on mental health and wellbeing is more than a company benefit or a means of showing your appreciation for your team, it can be of real value to your employees. Work and the pressure around making money in particular can be hard for many people, especially at the moment, and this can have an impact on your employees’ emotional wellbeing.

Therefore, it’s worth looking at ways to introduce mental health awareness at work. There are different ways to do this, from offering breakout spaces where your team can take a moment if they’re feeling overwhelmed to giving them a day with their pet as a perk. Away days and socials can also help to give everyone a mental boost.

You could also investigate partnerships with therapists, providing your team with resources if they need professional help. An in-house counsellor who comes in to talk to your staff is another possibility. There are many benefits to an in-house counsellor and reasons why employers would make use of this including: improved performance and productivity, aiding employers in understanding themselves in a work-life balance, and developing character-building skills. Knowing they are speaking to a professional with an appropriate level of counsellors insurance will provide your employees with peace of mind.

Enrichment time

Why not give your employees the opportunity to learn new skills? Giving them access to training in something that’s not connected to their day job can be fulfilling and give them transferrable skills that could be useful for their role.

You could set aside some of your budget for ‘enrichment days’ or courses and allocate this to team members who want to try something new. By investing in hobbies and learning, you’re showing your team that you see them as more than mere employees.

What will you introduce to show you appreciate your team?