Low-cost Ideas for Employee Motivation During the Holidays

With so much going on in employees’ personal lives during the holiday season, it can be tough keeping employees engaged and motivated at work. Cutting back on end of the year holiday festivities could be sending the wrong message to employees and could hurt employees’ morale and motivation.

Motivating employees doesn’t have to involve lavish and expensive gifts, even the smallest sign of recognition can let an employee know they’re valued. With a little creativity and cooperation your company can still recognize employees during the holidays without draining your budget.

Here are some low-cost ideas for motivating employees during the holidays:

Throw a holiday party. Holding a company holiday party is a traditional way to boost morale and bring a little laughter back into your workforce. Look for a less-expensive venue that you could dress up with decorations instead of the pricy banquet hall you’ve used in the past. Save money on entertainment by asking employees if they have DJ or musical experience.

Cancel the holiday party. Do like the media giant Viacom did this year and cancel your holiday party all together. Instead, give your employees a couple extra holiday vacation days to relax and recharge for the coming year. It will show employees that the company values the time employees have given away from their family, by giving a little back.

Hold a special in-office event. Save money on an office party this year by keeping it in-house. Instead of having the party catered, ask employees to bake their favorite holiday dishes and sweets. In lieu of expensive employee awards, have managers create homemade and humorous awards for outstanding members of their team.

Organize a gift exchange. Sometimes called a “Secret Santa,” a voluntary gift exchange is a low-cost way for employees to show their appreciation for each other. Divide employees by department or team and have them secretly exchange gifts with each other. Remember to establish rules beforehand, regarding how much each participant should spend and keeping gifts work appropriate.

Send holiday cards. Holiday and Christmas cards are a simple way for everyone to show their appreciation for each other at the end of the year. A thoughtful business holiday card can spread a little holiday cheer while boosting morale. 

Volunteer. Participate in the spirit of giving by allowing employees to take a day off of work and volunteer for a special non-profit organization. Not only will it show your company’s goodwill toward the community, but will allow employees to give back to a cause they believe in.

Keep it easy, keep it fun and do what you can to show employees how much they’re appreciated during the holiday season. A simple sign of employee recognition during the holidays can help spark some end of the year motivation and productivity that will get your business off to a great start in the coming year.