Employee Post Summer Recognition Ideas

Employee Post Summer Recognition Ideas: Summer is over and for most, this means that vacations have run their course and the sprint to the holidays is on. With all of your staff back in the office, productivity is sure to increase and depending upon your industry, this could mean the difference between hitting and missing your Q3 and Q4 results.

An employee coming back from vacation disengaged or stressed could have a real negative affect on your bottom line. According to Gallup’s 2013 State of the American Workplace Report, 70% of employees are disengaged in the workplace. This causes U.S. business upwards of $550 billion in lost productivity annually.

Many employers choose to provide additional non-monetary employee incentives during the summer months, such as employee picnics or trips to a neighboring amusement park, but those employees who take vacation, they might miss out on some of those grand events.

Here are a few employee recognition ideas to keep your employees motivated at work, during the cooler Fall months.

1. Sponsor a Walk-a-Thon. For many parts of the country, one of the best parts of the Fall months is the changing of the leaves. The beauty that comes with Fall colors is the perfect backdrop for a Walk-A-Thon to support a company charity of your choice. This allows your employees to get up and exercise, be involved in a charitable endeavor, as well as taking in the beauty of autumn.
2. Seasonal Scents Make You Feel Warm. The cool down of Fall is enough to make some ‘Summer Birds’ depressed and anxiously awaiting the new year. But with Fall comes some of the most unique and warming scents of the year. You have the pumpkin scents of October, the smell of sweet Apple Cider, the tartness of cranberries, as well as the approaching holiday scents. So for the avid candle lover on your staff, giving them a Yankee Candle Gift Card for a job well done, will keep their home full of the warming scents of autumn.
3. Reduce Stress.Returning from vacation can offer a great deal of stress. Many people return from vacation and are instantly drowning in e-mails requiring immediate action. Add in the impending holiday season right around the corner, hiring a massage therapist to come into your office helps alleviate stress.
4. Fall is Time for a Change. With the seasons changing, many people look at this time of year as a catalyst to make a change in their appearance. Offering a health and beauty gift card allows your employees to splurge on changing their look without taking money out of the holiday fund, or paying bills from vacation.

The sprint to the holiday season and impending budget crunches add another level of stress for your employees. Help your employees ease into the holidays and allow them to maintain their motivation with some non-monetary gift ideas.