Managers and leaders spend a lot of time obsessing about their employee recognition programs. In many organizations, a percentage of the company's budget is set aside for this specific purpose. Employees definitely appreciate the year-​end bonuses and awards banquets. However, those perks do not motivate employees to come to work every day. Your team members are far more likely to engage when the culture of appreciation is alive and well. Sales team appreciation is the key to keeping your employees happy and loyal.

Practicing random acts of kindness, which improve culture, does not come naturally to all managers. If you are stressed out and aggravated on a daily basis, you probably do not think about ways to praise your team. During this season of gratitude, promise yourself to make a change for your employees' sakes. At lollydaskal​.com, a recent post contained great ideas on ways to show gratitude and benefit the employee at the same time.

Giving Thanks in all Circumstances Using Sales Team Appreciation Programs

Employee-​Centered Appreciation

Not every employee requires the limelight and applause to feel appreciated. In fact, being the center of attention may actually stress some of your employees out and feel more like a punishment than a reward. You should know who these people are. Using the data in the behavioral profiles available from TeamTrait™, you will understand who appreciates quiet recognition.

You can never go wrong by visiting an employee’s workstation and asking how they are doing. You can do the same with a remote employee by touching base randomly through video chat. Don’t have a hidden agenda for this contact. Just keep it casual. The personal contact will help your team member feel valued.

Professional Development Opportunities

Professional development does not always have to be a formal process involving paperwork, conference fees or tuition remission. Bosses can communicate their appreciation for an employee by inviting them to a meeting they wouldn’t normally attend. They can also ask the employee to represent them at meetings for a short-​term project. These assignments signal that the manager has confidence in the employee and believes that they can handle the task.

Public Recognition

When it is time to recognize your employees who love attention, don’t skimp. These folks, especially your rainmakers, work hard to bring in contracts. They put up with rejection day after day. Let them know that you appreciate them with social media posts. And don’t forget to highlight their achievements on the company chat system. Sure, you will probably be giving these folks an award with some kind of monetary value. But they enjoy public recognition too. Their enthusiasm about being celebrated in this way easily spreads to the rest of the team and highlights the importance of giving thanks in all circumstances.

To keep sales team appreciation front and center in the coming year, make notes on your calendar. Take five minutes out of every day to connect with one person on your team. They will reward you with loyalty and hard work.