The Importance of Employee Appreciation: How to Keep Your Team Happy and Motivated

Julie Starr • September 26, 2022



Employee appreciation is a critical part of any business. Happy and motivated employees are more productive and efficient, which leads to better results for the company. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t take the time to appreciate their employees adequately. This can lead to high turnover rates, unhappy team members, and a lack of motivation. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of employee appreciation and how you can keep your team happy and motivated!

Why is Employee Appreciation Important?

Employee appreciation is important for a number of reasons. First, it helps to build a positive work environment . When employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to be happy and satisfied with their job. This leads to increased productivity and efficiency, which is great for the bottom line. Additionally, employees who feel appreciated are more likely to stay with the company, saving the business money in the long run. Finally, employees who feel appreciated are more likely to go above and beyond their job duties, leading to better results for the company.

How Can You Show Your Employees That You Appreciate Them?

There are many ways to show your employees that you appreciate them. One of the best ways is simply to say “thank you.” A simple “thank you” can go a long way in making an employee feel appreciated. You can also show your appreciation by giving employees recognition for their hard work. This can be in the form of verbal praise, written recognition, or awards and bonuses. For example, you can give thanksgiving vouchers for your employees if they have done a great job. Whatever method you choose, be sure to be genuine in your appreciation. Employees can tell when you’re being insincere, and it will do more harm than good.

 

Additionally, you can show your appreciation by providing employees with opportunities for career growth and development. This can include training, mentorship, and advancement opportunities. Finally, you can show your appreciation by offering employees a competitive benefits package. This can include health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

Don’t forget by offering your staff the best tools and software, it makes their jobs easier as a result - which improves productivity. Make sure to use some of the best plm software for hardware engineers to boost appreciation in the workplace.


 

What Are Some Common Appreciation Mistakes?

There are a few common mistakes that businesses make when it comes to employee appreciation. First, they fail to show appreciation on a regular basis. Employees need to feel appreciated on a daily basis, not just once in a while. Second, businesses often show their appreciation in the wrong way. For example, they may give employees gifts that they don’t really want or need. Third, businesses may fail to connect employee appreciation with company goals . Employees need to understand how their hard work is contributing to the success of the business. Finally, businesses may show their appreciation in a way that makes employees feel uncomfortable. For example, they may give public praise that embarrasses the employee.

How Can You Avoid These Mistakes?

There are a few ways to avoid these mistakes. First, make sure that you show your appreciation on a regular basis. Second, be thoughtful about the way you show your appreciation. Giving employees gifts that they will actually use and appreciate is always a good idea. Third, connect employee appreciation with company goals. Explain to employees how their hard work is helping the business achieve its goals. Finally, be sensitive to the way you show your appreciation. Make sure that you are not embarrassing or making employees feel uncomfortable .

Employee appreciation is important for a number of reasons. It helps to build a positive work environment, increased productivity, better retention rates, and more. There are many ways to show your appreciation, but it’s important to be genuine and thoughtful in your approach. Avoid common mistakes by showing your appreciation on a regular basis, being thoughtful about gifts, connecting appreciation to company goals, and being sensitive to employees’ needs. By following these tips, you can make sure that your employees feel appreciated and valued.

 

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.