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There is a way to create long enduring relationships with an indulging new hire orientation. Read on to know more!

New hire orientation is a process of welcoming a new employee to your office. It helps to introduce new employees to their job tasks, team members, company culture, processes, etc. The orientation program makes it easier for the new employee to get familiar with the new job and workspace.

It is also the beginning of a relationship between employer and employee. Effective employee orientation program handles paperwork formalities and answers any questions or concerns employees have before starting their respective jobs. New employee orientation is necessary as it provides employees a smooth transition into their new jobs.

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What is orientation?

What is orientation? Orientation definition explains it as a process that is designed to bring the new employee all the information they would need. According to the dictionary, orientation meaning is the act or process of being oriented. Let us define oriented, to be oriented means to adapt yourself according to specified circumstances.

Orientation definition in traditional workplaces

Let us define orientation in traditional workplaces. Employee orientation as part of the new hire orientation has been defined as the process of introducing new employees to their new job roles, work environment, and workplace.

Work orientations provide a platform for employers to showcase their work policies and the value that they follow. The base definition of orientation has not changed much since the years but the methods keep on evolving as time continues to pass.

Orientation meaning in the new remote work culture

What does orientation mean when it is applied to remote work culture? Orientation for remote joiners can be done through video conferencing software. Effective job orientation as part of the new hire orientation is essential for remote employees to integrate them with the company’s process. 

When a worker joins remotely, managers or leaders must ensure that they feel part of the team. Employment orientation is a great way to introduce employees to team members.

What does orientation mean for a new joiner?

What is the meaning of orientation for a new joiner? New job orientation is a great way for employees to get introduced to the new workplace and their team members. A major purpose of the employee orientation program is to make the employee feel welcomed to the new company. A new joiner can take advantage of several benefits of orientation such as understanding the company’s culture, and vision while they attend the new hire orientation programs.

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Significance of job orientation

Why is orientation important? What does orientation mean for a job? Orientation as part of the new hire orientation program is important to help the new employees adapt to the work culture. It helps in making the employees feel more relaxed and fight initial stress and anxiety of starting a new job. A relaxed and happy employee is more likely to be productive which is directly benefitting the organization.

An effective hr orientation asks for feedback from the employees and allows them to ask questions regarding the job. The data collected is helpful for organizations to work on their problems that employees are facing. The new employee orientation agenda is to build relationships between new employees and their team members.

Orientation is the human resources function that aims at making the new hire orientation feel welcomed, comfortable, supported, etc. A positive and impactful orientation ensures that the employee starts their day with pride and feels a sense of loyalty towards the company. Many organizations have great orientation programs that help them in retaining a talented pool of people.

Another significance of job orientation is to help employees with all the information they would need in the course of their work and avoid any confusion.

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Benefits of conducting formal employee orientation for new members

The new employee orientation program is helpful in making an employee feel welcomed in the new company. We will discuss several benefits of conducting formal employee orientation for new employees,

1. Helps in acclimatizing new employees to the organization – The purpose of the orientation process is to help new employees get familiar with the organization and how it functions. 
2. Makes the onboarding process smooth – New staff orientation is beneficial in making the employees feel welcomed and reduces the stress and anxiety of starting a new role.
3. Increases the overall productivity of an organization – An effective orientation process ensures that the new employee is happy, motivated, and excited to start their new role.
4. Establishes relationship between employer and employee – New employees orientation program creates a strong bond between an employer and an employee.
5. Increases employee retention rate – The job orientation process reduces staff turnover rates and increases the chances of retaining employees for a longer period of time.
6. Establishing clear company standards – The new hire orientation process makes employees aware of company standards to avoid future disputes and disagreements. 
7. Clarifies employee’s concerns and queries – Work orientation provides a platform for the employees to place their concerns and queries.

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Key items to be included in new employee orientation

An employee orientation checklist created as part of the new hire orientation would ensure that you are not missing out on anything. Every organization has a core of information that needs to be shared with the employees. Here are some key items to be included in new employee orientation,

The employee-oriented process should start with a welcome note

Employee oriented process in an organization should start with a welcome note to keep the employees happy and excited about their day. A welcome message during company orientation will tell employees that they are a valued part of the team.

It can also include a brief about the company’s vision and mission. Let the new hire orientation come a little late so that they can get adjusted with the routes.

Completing documentation at work orientations

The second and the most important key element that must be included as part of the work orientations is to get all the necessary documents filled and signed.

Employees’ orientation can get tiresome due to all the paperwork hence keep in mind to spread them throughout the day. Keep a bunch of fun activities to initiate new employee introduction. Ensure that they have filled all the paperwork for the human resources department before the new hire orientation is kicked in.

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Background check verification is part of the new employee orientation program

Before hiring or onboarding an employee, it is important to get a background verification done. It helps in ensuring that you are hiring the right kind of person before providing a new hire orientation program.

The new employee orientation program will make sure that all the employees getting oriented have successfully cleared their background verification checks. It is usually done just after an employee accepts the offer letter extended to them.

Get everyone to know each other through new employee introduction activities

New employee introduction is another key element that helps the employee to get to know one another and a must-have in the new hire orientation process.

A big part of orientation for job includes introducing new joiners to their colleagues with whom they will be working. If possible either the manager or a senior member of the team can take the new joiner for lunch and introduce to everyone in the team.

New employees orientation program should include information about critical employer’s policies

New employees orientation program helps employers gain information about the different employer’s policies. A journeys employee handbook is another great way of giving everything a new employee would need in one place, which shall be included in the new hire orientation process.

The organization’s policies regarding office timings, commute, mobile, and data plans, etc. should be conveyed during the people-orientation process. Equip employees with proper tools to be prepared for their new job role.

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Orientation job requires collecting legal employment forms

One important part of the orientation job is to collect legal employment forms such as Form W-4, Form I-9, direct deposit documents, state tax withholding documents, etc. These are the forms required by state or federal law.

Ask if they have any questions regarding these forms and help them fill them out efficiently. These forms should be collected from each and every new employee duly filled and signed during the new hire orientation. 

Work orientation is a great place for sharing information about the company’s core values and culture

Work orientation is a process through which employers inform employees about their company and the work ethics expected from the employees.

Your orientation plan included in the new hire orientation process should include a session where employers share about their company’s vision and what values do they believe in. It is essential for employees to feel connected with these values and be ready to accept the company culture.

Provide necessary work items during the company orientation

Another key element to keep in mind during the company orientation during new hire orientation is to provide necessary work items to the new hires. Essential items may include laptops, desktops, access cards, meal passes, uniforms, etc.

Arrange a visit to the IT department to help them set up their workstations and be ready to start their job. Check with the respective managers to see if the employee has any special requirements.

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Orientation for a job generally includes a tour of the workplace

Include a tour of the workplace while organizing an orientation for a job. Take them around the office premises and give a tour of the important places such as parking, medical center, cafeteria, IT department, gym, recreational area, watercoolers, etc. It would help them get around easily during their initial days at work and navigate their way around the office easily and hence a must to include in the new hire orientation.

Include a team lunch as part of people-orientation

A team lunch as part of people orientation is a great idea to include in the new hire orientation to acclimatize the new employee with the team. It can either be organized by the manager or a senior team member, who can take the employee for the lunch along with the entire team.

This would help in connecting with everyone informally and break the ice. This practice helps employees ease into the work without stress.

Provide welcome gifts as part of orientation training

Who doesn’t like gifts? Create a welcome gift hamper for all the new joiners to express your gratitude towards them. It would keep the employees in high spirits and start the relationship on a positive note. Simple gifts such as a fridge magnet, coffee mug, t-shirts, gift cards, etc are advised to give a nice touch to the entire orientation for work process during the new hire orientation.

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Convey details about company-oriented safety information

Inform the new joiners about company-oriented safety information on the very first day and include this item in the key list of aspects to be covered in the agenda of the new hire orientation. If there are any insurance or medical policies available for the employees and their families, let them know about it.

Ask everyone to complete the respective forms in order to avail the policies. Any other job-related safety information should be conveyed as well during the new employee orientation training conducted by the organization.

Tell employees about food and beverage policies during the job orientation process

If your company has food and beverage policies, then let the new hires during the new hire orientation know about them during the job orientation process. Tell them where the pantry is and how does it work. What kind of snacks or food is available as part of the job free of cost. Let them about different meal plans that your company provides and the cafeteria policies. 

Give a list of important company contacts during orientation for job

New employees often find themselves lost in all the sea of information thrown at them during the initial days. To make it easier for them provide a list of important company contact numbers during orientation for job that might come in handy during their course of work.

This might include the contact details of the transportation department, HR department, postal department, IT department, medical department, etc.

Ask feedback once the employee orientation program is complete

Ask general feedback from each employee to understand their experience of the employee orientation program. It helps in fixing the loopholes and making the process better each time. Get everyone’s opinion on what they liked and disliked about the orientation for job process. This data can be used as input to improve the upcoming new employee orientation programs.

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New employees orientation checklist

A new employee orientation checklist makes it easier for employers and employees to have a great first day. Here is a new employees orientation checklist that you can follow,

1. Collect all mandatory forms duly filled and signed,
   1. I-9 Form
   2. W-4 Form
   3. Employee contract
2. Signed copies of the document,
   1. Employment offer
   2. Terms and conditions of employment
3. Give a policy overview of the company and get the following documents signed by the employees,
   1. Non-disclosure agreement
   2. Non-compete agreement
4. The new hire orientation checklist includes detailed information about company benefits such as mobile phones, company car policy, stock options, etc.
5. Employee Uniform (if any) or Dress-code
6. Access Card/ID card
7. Help from the IT department to set up a new workstation.
8. One-on-one with manager to understand job role and responsibilities.
9. A tour of the workplace to get familiar with different departments.
10. Provide them with basic stationery for their day-to-day work activities.

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New employee orientation best practices

Going ahead, we will discuss some new employee orientation best practices to be followed for a smooth transition,

1. Make your employees feel welcomed by arranging an informal reception.
2. Do not bore employees with facts and figures, rather lead them through hands-on activities.
3. Explain how they and their work are valuable for the organization.
4. Spread out the paperwork periodically throughout the orientation process.
5. Ask your employees for feedback after they have completed the orientation process.
6. Get your new hires during the new hire orientation excited about the entire process by sending them the day’s agenda in advance.
7. Ask the new hires during the new hire orientation to introduce themselves and encourage them to get to know each other.
8. Provide training to the new hires as part of the new hire orientation on cultural aspects of the organization.
9. Assign a mentor to help them get ramped up for the work.
10. Include realistic information that would help employees during their initial days at work.

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New employee orientation ideas

Here are few new employee orientation ideas to make the process hassle-free,

1. Set up team lunch
2. Let new hires come late
3. Assign office buddy
4. Introduce department heads
5. Give office tour
6. Offer tech help
7. Run through company benefits
8. Set clear expectations
9. Ensure a 1-1 with the new manager
10. Ask for feedback

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Use unremot for new hire orientation

unremot virtual watercooler platform is a great tool to organize new hire orientation programs for remote new employees. It helps in creating different types of water coolers dedicated to a particular purpose. All you have to do is create a separate water cooler for the staff orientation and send them an invite to join the water cooler at a scheduled time.

It enables employers and employees to connect with each other and create a strong bond. Virtual watercooler by unremot helps to create a feeling of team belongingness amongst team members by encouraging conversation. 

Do you want to see the magic of how a democratic workplace could nurture team belongingness? Read on to find how democracy at work can be implemented!

Democracy at work

The benefits of democracy in countries are well-documented. But can companies be democratic? Will it lead to higher productivity and a happier work environment? A problem in many companies is that employees lack the feeling of ownership. Research done by the firm Towers Perrin and Gallup shows that 71 to 8% of employees feel disengaged from their organization.

If you want your employees to act as stakeholders, treat them like owners. Democracy is not limited to countries. Democracy at work is imperative if you want to develop a culture of ownership in your organization. Workplace democracy helps to improve competitiveness and productivity.

It helps to create an atmosphere that fosters creativity and innovations. Democracy at work helps to lower employee turnover and disengagement. You need to remember the foundation of a democratic company is sharing information and rewards with all employees.

In this blog, we have attempted to underline the benefits of democracy at work. We let you know how to implement democracy at work. Through the case study, we hope to illustrate benefits ownership in the workplace. We have shown decision-making examples in the workplace.

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Define democracy at work

Democracy at work is using democratic principles like voting, referendum, and public debate in the workplace. The degree to which the democracy is applied can vary from full-scale, employees can vote in the company essentially carries the same weight to smaller projects that may apply to specific areas or departments.

Management scientists and industrial and organizational psychologists have been studying democracy in the workplace for several years now. The movement for workplace democracy first grew in the 1960s when experts noticed that the top-down approach leads to unengaged employment and the likelihood of biased decisions.

Several companies have adopted a popular form of workplace democracy, is employee ownership. The idea of employee ownership is the employee is given equity shares and voting right. The employee becomes more invested in your company’s success. Another approach adopted by companies is combing employee ownership with participatory management to implement democratic principles in the decision-making process.

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Significance of workplace democracy

Several firms have researched workplace democracy focuses on three concrete areas,

1. Effect on productivity – An extensive analysis of worker participation found a positive correlation between worker democracy and higher efficiency and productivity. The report that focused on companies in the US, Europe, and Latin America found that organizations with democracy with work were more efficient on a larger scale than hierarchy-driven organizations. A report on workplace democracy, in the United States, documented that the staff’s incomes increased by 70 to 80%, grew 2% faster, and had 9-19% higher levels of productivity.
2. Effect on business longevity – An analysis of different companies in Canada, carried in the 2000s, showed that democratic workplaces were half as likely to fail as a business with hierarchical workplaces. Similar results recorded in studies carried out in Uruguay and Europe.
3. Effects on workers – The overall effects of workplace democracy on workers are positive and were happier. Studies carried in countries South Korea, Italy, France, and the US show that democratic workplaces recorded a higher level of job satisfaction and motivation.
4. Social benefits- A study in Italy showed towns with more democratic workplaces, employees reported mental and physical health. Their children were less likely to drop out of school. The towns showed lower crimes and incidence of domestic violence and higher social participation.

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Benefits of democracy in the workplace

There are several advantages to democracy in the workplace,

1. Democratic companies attract talent – Given a choice, most employees prefer to work in an open company, and their opinions are valued. Employees feel unhappy and fearful in autocratic companies. It is vital to employees feel appreciated and heard. Business owners need to focus on democracy at work rather than gimmicks to propel their business forward.
2. Democratic companies have better ideas – There a well-known saying in the business world, “Innovate or die”. But you cannot create ideas in a vacuum. You will receive help in developing your product and services, handling consumer service, and selling if you are open to listening to your employee’s ideas.
3. Democratic companies work fast – It may seem like a paradox, but a democratic workplace can work faster. The decision-making process may take longer, but since you have heard your staff’s opinions, the execution phase is faster. In the top-down decision-making process, employees may feel resentful. The plans may fail in the execution phase. Plans often fail in the execution phase because your staff did not have a say in the plan and may feel resentful. When employees understand the reasons behind the decision, they work faster and without resistance.
4. Democratic companies have happier employees- A survey by Gallup Organization shows that three-fourth of all employees in the US are disengaged, which costs the economy a whopping $300 billion every year. Employees feel that not being engaged, affects their mental and physical health. Corporate democracy definition is an engaging system. If employees feel engaged at work results in a happier workplace and improve the physical and mental health of your staff.
5. Democratic companies have healthier profits – Democracy improves profit margins. It helps to attract and retain talent, improves turnovers, and with lower absenteeism rates. Workplace democracies tend to be less bureaucratic and decentralized allow you to hire the best talents. Democratic companies are leaner, faster, happier, and more innovative which helps to improve profits.

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Top 10 ways to build democracy at work

Democracy at work has its pros and cons. Despite its flaws, democratic workplaces make employees more engaged. Several employees leave their organization if they could get more control in work or enjoy more autonomy. We have listed 12 ways to build democracy at your workplace,

1. Establish transparency – Democratic countries are more transparent. It is vital companies operate transparently. Transparency in the workplace definition is an organization that operates in a manner that creates openness between the management and staff. It improves trust and leads to a successful organization. Ideally, the management, should not have secret agenda. Ideally, the top management in your company should share information with your employees to build trust and improve engagement.
2. Start a dialogue – Employees are hesitant or intimidated to highlight issues to the top management. Company leaders should proactively engage with employees. In a democratic company, people working in management proactively find out about their questions, concerns, and ideas. Your employees should feel free to bring small and big issues your attention. Employees will feel happier and appreciated if you hear what they have to say and act on it.
3. Avoid a hierarchy – In workers democracy, all departments in the organization are equally important. It does not matter if the sales team brings in the business. Your organization will not function efficiently without HR, accounts, design, marketing, and so on. All departments are inter-dependent. It is vital to treat each department fairly and equally.
4. Delegate responsibility – Delegating responsibility is a part of democracy at work. Task and job responsibilities need to be clear and concise. You need to ensure nothing slips to the cracks. The definition of ownership in the workplace requires delegation and accountability. Delegating responsible will let your team feel responsible, and they will shine. Studies have shown that delegates more perform better than companies that do not.
5. Hold people responsible – Once you delegate responsibility, remember to hold the employee accountable when things go wrong. You can hold them responsible, but avoid doing it publicly. Instead, set up a face-to-face meeting to clearly explain how they can correct the situation. The employee should understand what constituent success or failure. We recommend you follow up and provide guidance when required.
6. Recognize individual achievements – When an employee achieves something, you should publicly recognize their achievements. Even a shout-out during your weekly meeting is enough. Employees feel motivated when their accomplishments are recognized. It helps your employees may feel engaged and motivated. Another benefit of recognizing achievements is it spurs other employees to perform.
7. Give employees freedom – Freedom is an integral part of democracy. Try to give your employees freedom. Many organizations allow their staff to wear casual clothes once a week. Consider introducing flexible timings. As long as your staff is completing their work as per the schedule and not abusing their freedom, you can afford to establish a flexible schedule.
8. Evaluate yourself – Democracy generally has a system of checks and balances. Evaluate how you conduct business. Examine how you conduct business and modify practices if required. For democracy at work to function effectively, you should be willing to change your assumptions and adapt. Involve your employees in the process and ask for their input.
9. Encourage leadership at all levels – For democracy at the workplace to work, try to ensure leadership roles are available at all levels in the company. It may not necessarily translate to a lot of power, but having someone take responsibility when required. The research underlines the leadership at all levels helps democracy to grow.
10. Avoid strict and rigid policy – Companies need to operate based on certain principles that everyone follows. The principles should be flexible to allow decisions and make them on an individual basis. You need to use common sense and logic not just what is stated in the policy layout. When you want to implement democracy at work, ensure the company culture that works for everyone.
11. Forgive Failure – Staff should be held accountable for their mistakes, but you need to forgive failure. Failure allows your staff to learn from their mistakes and grow. Forgiveness encourages staff to work harder and increases the sense of loyalty towards their company.
12. Encourage input from everyone – We may have mentioned it early, but workplace democracy gets ambushed without your employee’s input. Everyone has a unique perspective, and to succeed in business, you need to look at a situation from all angles. Asking for inputs from employees ensures you have missed anything and gives you a fresh perspective.

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Case study on a democratic company

One of the most famous case studies on democratic companies was done on a Brazilian company called Semco. Founded in 1953, Semco originally manufactured centrifuges. The centrifuges were used in the vegetable oil industry. The company was run in an autocratic management approach and had a pyramid hierarchy.

Richard Semer took over as CEO in 1982, he found the practices followed were unproductive and unsatisfying. When Mr. Semer took over, he diversified the business into manufacturing mixers for various industries.

The management system was modified, on the principles of democracy, profit sharing, and information. Following these changes profitability of Semco’s annual revenue grew from $ 4 million in 1982 to $212 million in 2003. Semco employed 90 employees in 1982 meanwhile in 2003 Semco employed 3000 people in 2003.

Brazil was rocked by political instability in the period which resulted in the closure of several industrial units. Presently Semeco is considered to be one of the best places to work for. When Mr. Semer first took over, he found four big obstacles,

• Size
• Hierarchy
• Lack of motivation
• Ignorance.

They tried to implement several worker participation programs, quality circles, kanban systems, and motivational schemes in their biggest plant (150 persons). These programs started with enthusiasm but eventually petered out. They decided to break up the facility into three units.

Though the initial cost was high, and involved duplication the long-term results exceeded all expectations. Within a year, sales doubled, inventory reduced by two-thirds, and products that were stalled in RND were released. The quality of the product improved, with rejection rates reduced substantially.

Semco replaced its pyramid structure with an organizational circle made up of three concrete circles. The central circle had six members who were vice-presidents, the second circle consists of partners and the outer circle contained coordinators and associates. Semco ensured the staff was treated as adults.

It meant the management trusted the staff. Another practice started by Semco was job rotation to prevent stagnation at the job. These practices helped in job enrichment. Employees at Semco attended classes to learn how to read and analyze the balance sheet, profit and loss, and cash flow statements. Profit share was another motivational tool.

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Use unremot to build workplace democracy

Water coolers in the workplace are places where employees can have non-work and casual conversations. Water coolers help people to relax and connect with their colleagues. It helped to improve water cooler efficiency. Companies around the world opting for remote working or working from home in light of the global pandemic.

Remote working has made connecting with colleagues more difficult. Virtual water coolers are dedicated virtual rooms allowing your staff to check-in and converse. Unremore virtual water coolers provide a virtual platform for remote employees to interact even if they are in different time zones.

But why do need virtual water coolers? Remote workers are generally self-reliant and can work independently. They correspond with their colleagues when required. But it can get lonely, virtual water coolers provide a platform for employees need to interact and connect over shared interests. It helps improve performance and eases communication between coworkers.

Virtual water coolers help to improve workplace democracy as it provides a safe platform for management and employees to interact with one another. The management can discuss pertinent issues transparently on the platform.

You can have a brainstorming session with your team and use the space to get everyone’s creative juices to flow. The virtual room helps to reinforce the sense of belonging. The virtual water cooler can help remote organizations function as democratic companies where every employee has a voice.

Searching for the best practices on employee evaluation? Here is a comprehensive guide on how to go about evaluating employee performance. Read on!

Employee evaluation

An employee evaluation is the formal assessment of a worker’s performance done by their employer. These evaluations are generally done at the year-end by reviewing the overall performance of the employee for the concerned year. Most companies tie their annual raise to employee performance evaluations.

A typical employee assessment would include the manager’s feedback and whether the employee has been able to meet the expectations. The Manager’s take noted throughout the year to cite particular examples where the employee is exceeding, and which areas need some kind of improvement. Employee evaluation is integral to a company’s success.

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What is performance evaluation?

What is performance evaluation? Performance Evaluation is a measure of how well an employee is performing in their job. The performance evaluation process is the process by which managers evaluate and examine their employees work based on their job responsibilities. The result of work performance evaluation is used to provide feedback to the employees and show the areas that could be improved.

Employee performance evaluations also determine an employee’s chances of getting a raise or a promotion. Regular and not just once a year evaluation of team members is suggested to enhance the employee effciency and productivity.

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Benefits of employee performance evaluation system

Here are the benefits of employee performance evaluation system,

1. Improved Communication – Staff performance evaluation helps in open and honest communication between managers and employees. It also provides the space to bring out issues that the employees might be facing.
2. Get feedback for yourself – Employee evaluation meetings are a great place to not just provide feedback but also get feedback from employees on your performance. Understand the gap areas to be a better mentor.
3. Build a Career Path – Employee evaluations help employees know what their future goals are and what is expected of them to get there.

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Psychology connecting employee evaluations to productivity

Employee evaluations must be done on a regular basis as they directly impact the productivity and efficiency of a team. Managers must keep an eye on what their employees are working on and appreciate them if something goes right. Also, managers should provide constructive criticism once they see an issue and should not wait for annual evaluation meetings.

This creates a healthy working environment for employees where they are constantly improving. The team will stay highly motivated and work in the right direction. 360-degree feedback is great to understand if your team is facing any issues which are impacting their work. Evaluations are a great way to boost employee’s morale and appreciate them for the good work.

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Challenges faced in conducting employee assessment

The top three challenges faced in conducting employee assessment are,

1. Determining the evaluation metric – The evaluation criteria selected by top management should be in measurable terms for the purpose of employee performance assessment.
2. Errors in Rating and Evaluation – Rating and Evaluation are prone to errors that may arise due to personnel bias like stereotyping, favoritism, halo effect, etc.
3. Resistance from Employees – Employees might feel threatened with the assessment due to the fear of negative ratings leading to pay cuts and demotions. Ensure that the purpose has been communicated and explained clearly beforehand.

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5 indicators showing signs of the inefficient employees evaluation process

Here are the top 5 indicators showing signs of the inefficient employees evaluation process,

1. Lack of regular employee evaluations may lead to inefficiency as the employees remain oblivious to their mistakes for a longer time.
2. Biased performance rating from managers in the absence of performance data and metrics.
3. Comparing one employee to the other instead of the set job description standards.
4. Unclear job expectations and how to meet them would make it difficult to assess whether the employee has met the desired standards.
5. Lack of solutions and measures after feedback.

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Important metrics to include in work evaluation 

Let us look at some important metrics to include in work evaluation,

1. Work Efficiency – Overall efficiency is the best indicator of an employee’s performance.
2. Teamwork – Teamwork is an important trait that helps the entire team to perform better. Solving complex problems as a group can get comparatively easier and faster.
3. Quality of Work – Quality is an important metric to consider as poor work quality can result in lost customers and inferior products.
4. Learning Ability – Employee’s ability to learn new technologies and tools.
5. Adherence to Timelines – Value for time is important to work effectively

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How to do an employee review? 

An effective employee review is important for the company’s success. It also helps in boosting employee’s confidence and motivates them to perform better. Let us discuss in more detail how to do an employee review that benefits both the manager and the employee,

Hold multiple worker evaluation throughout the year

While many employers conduct annual worker evaluations, holding weekly, monthly, or quarterly informal evaluations is beneficial to the employees. Frequent reviews avoid piling up information and keep employees prepared for their final assessment.

Bringing up improvement areas as soon as a problem is witnessed provides employees to change their behavior immediately. The informal evaluations also alleviate some of the pressure off the employees for annual work evaluation.

Prepare all feedback ahead of job performance evaluation

Be prepared for the meeting before actually going for the job performance evaluation. Review your documentation and prepare a note of what you want to discuss with the employee. The employee performance review should mostly be about positive elements and healthy advice on how they can work on improving further and grow their career. Work with each employee to understand problem areas and improvement steps.

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Set performance standards for the work evaluations

It is important to set clear expectations in the beginning that outline what an employee is expected to accomplish in the given time frame and how the work should be done. All work evaluations should be done with respect to the set deliverables.

The performance standards should be real and achievable and directly relate to a person’s job description. The same job standards should be applicable to people in the same position.

Provide employees a copy of the completed personnel evaluation form

The purpose of employee evaluation is to provide them with honest feedback about their professional performance. Most workers value the feedback given by the managers and would appreciate it if they can get a copy of the personnel evaluation form.

This would help them stay on track with the outlined improvement areas. They would also be happy and motivated to see the positive remarks you have given for their performance.

Keep your remarks clear and concise during staff evaluation

Be honest and straightforward while giving your feedback to the employees during staff evaluation. Sugarcoating or downplaying the situation might confuse the employee and they won’t understand where their performance was lacking.

Giving clear examples from work during staff evaluations is helpful. Managers should also provide helpful and specific advice on how they can improve further and perform better in their work role.

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Do not compare employees during the performance evaluation process

Avoid comparing employees with another as it would lead to resentment and unhealthy competition between the team members. The performance evaluation process should be focused on measuring employee’s performance with the set of standard performance metrics.

Always keep in mind the evaluation framework while assessing an employee. Each employee has their own strength and comparing them to each other would affect the team’s productivity and efficiency.

Document performance throughout the year for personel evaluation

Track the performance of each employee separately throughout the year. Record any notable accomplishments, or incidents whether they affected the project negatively or positively.

Remember that this documentation would come in handy during personel evaluation and you can quite specific examples to support your feedback. Managers can also provide immediate feedback if something stands out and not wait for the yearly evaluation meetings.

Do a work performance evaluation, not a personality evaluation

Managers should focus on evaluating an employee’s performance rather than personality traits. Judgments based on personality can often bruise the ego of a person and conversations may turn hostile.

Make sure that the work performance evaluation is not personal and is also tied back to the work done by an employee. Employer evaluations must include examples of employee’s actions in the workplace. 

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Discuss follow-up action plan after writing employee evaluations

Managers must discuss a follow-up plan for improvement in the areas that are lacking from the employee’s end. After writing employee evaluations and giving them feedback on what went wrong and what went right, it is also important to discuss the next step. Employees can undergo training or learning sessions to further enhance their skills or work on improving on the existing ones.

Make employment evaluation a two-way street

Employment evaluation should be a two-way street where the managers not only give feedback to the employees but also take their feedback with respect to the team and the management.

It helps managers to understand where they are lacking and work on their leadership style. The purpose of employee evaluations is to have an honest conversation. Understand employee’s goals and guide them through the career path.

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How to evaluate an employee in remote teams? 

Covid times has forced many companies to work remotely, but very few had any experience in managing remote teams at such a large scale. Evaluating employees who are working from their homes get slightly challenging. Let us see how to evaluate employees working remotely,

Evaluating employee performance should be output based 

Evaluating employee’s performance should not be focused on the process but more on the overall work output. Remote Employees should be given the flexibility to work at their own convenience as they have personal commitments to take care of.

This would mean everyone has their own process of doing things and managers should primarily focus on the quality and quantity of work done and not the number of hours spent working. 

Give regular feedback via frequent staff evaluations

Do not wait for the annual appraisal cycle to provide feedback to remote employees. Regular staff evaluation helps in improving productivity and allows you to provide constructive criticism when you see a problem.

Keep yourself connected with the remote team and have regular 1:1 sessions to see if there are any issues that should be taken care of immediately. This avoids prolonging a problem till annual feedback meetings.

Also Read: How to work from home successfully | A priceless list of tips to succeed

Conduct staff performance evaluation by establishing effective communication

Communication is the key to conducting a successful staff performance evaluation. Since your employees are remotely located, it is important to take the help of video conferencing apps such as Zoom, Skype, etc to conduct meetings.

Schedule a meeting in advance for team member evaluations and ensure that all the documents are prepared. Note down the talking points before going in for the meeting with the concerned employee. 

Provide clear and honest feedback during the employee performance assessment

Since you are not meeting the employee in person, there are chances of miscommunication. Be prepared for the meeting in advance and convey your feedback in a clear and concise manner.

Ask if the employee has any questions or concerns related to the employee performance assessment. Do not sugarcoat things as they may distort the message you are trying to convey. Keep things real and honest.

Employer evaluations should be based on clear metrics and expectations

The employer evaluations should be based on clear metrics and expectations. Set goals and objectives at the starting of the evaluation period and check whether the employee has been able to meet the expectations.

Discuss an action plan if the employee seems to be lacking somewhere. Do not compare your employees with each other as everyone has their own method of working.

Also Read: Trust remote teams | A comprehensive guide

Best employee review form samples 

If you are looking for some quality employee review form samples, we have listed down employee review templates for different professional backgrounds. Employee review must contain employee information, ratings against different metrics, and feedback on the overall performance during the evaluation period. Most importantly, it should also include an action plan to be followed for improving weaker areas of an employee.

Employee evaluation template for software engineers

Here is an employee evaluation template for software engineers,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer Name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Code Quality and code reviews: 2
• Internal communication and teamwork: 3
• Recruitment, Leadership, and responsibiity: 2
• Speed and Iteration: 3
• Collaboration: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Virtual ice breakers | Everything you must know

Employee performance evaluation templates for banking jobs

Here is an employee performance evaluation template for banking jobs,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Job knowledge: 2
• Dependability: 3
• Decision Making/ Problem Solving: 2
• Communication: 3
• Customer Responsiveness: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Team communication | A complete guide

Employee evaluation form pdf for sales personnel

Here is an employee evaluation form for sales personnel,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Sales skills: 2
• Product understanding: 3
• Goal drive attitude: 2
• Communication: 3
• Customer Responsiveness: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: What is a virtual office | Critical items that you must know!

Employee evaluation form sample for call center jobs

Here is an employee evaluation form sample for call center jobs,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Call Handling skills: 2
• Protocol Compliance: 3
• Decision Making/ Problem Solving: 2
• Communication: 3
• Customer Service Quality: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Productivity tips | A how-to guide for everyone

Employer evaluation form for teaching jobs

Here is an employer evaluation form for teaching jobs,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Subject knowledge: 2
• Class Management: 3
• Interaction with Students and Parents: 2
• Implements and communicates Lesson: 3
• Time Management: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Decision fatigue | An ultimate read for best results

Employee performance review template pdf for finance professionals

Here is an employee performance review template for finance professionals,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer Name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities: 2
• Budget and Management of cash flow: 3
• Integrity and Transparency: 2
• Quality Orientation: 3
• Customer Responsiveness: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Managing remote teams | A priceless list of tips to succeed

Employee evaluation sheet for marketing jobs

Here is an employee evaluation sheet for marketing jobs,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Marketing skills: 2
• Communication: 3
• Commercial skills: 2
• Proactive: 3
• Result-driven: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Remote meeting | A comprehensive guide

Employee review templates for helpdesk jobs

Here is an employee review template for helpdesk jobs,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Public Speaking: 2
• Work Attitude: 3
• Emptional Intelligence: 2
• Consistency and Reliability: 3
• Customer Responsiveness: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Work life balance | Everything you must know

Staff evaluation template for creative jobs

Here is a staff evaluation template for creative jobs,

<< employee information >>

• Employee name: 
• Employee role: 
• Department: 
• Reviewer name: 
• Reviewer title: 
• Evaluation Period: DD/MM/YY

<< Rating >>

• Poor – 0 
• Fair – 1 
• Good – 2 
• Excellent – 3

<< Evaluation metric >>

• Creativity skills: 2
• Attention to detail: 3
• Time management: 2
• Communication: 3
• Client Interaction: 2

Notes: Give a brief of your discussion and mention the action plan to improve further.

Also Read: Organize your life | A complete guide

Things to note while evaluating an employee during Covid times

Here are the top three things to note while evaluating an employee during covid times,

1. While evaluating employees during covid times, keep in mind that for few employees working from home would have been challenging. 
2. Do not make snap judgments based on stereotypes and keep checking in regularly. 
3. Be flexible and focus more on the work done rather than the number of hours spent working. 

Things to note during new employee evaluation

Note the following points before performing a new employee evaluation,

1. Conduct the first employee evaluation of the new hire at the end of their learning curve. 
2. Help the new employee to set realistic goals and objectives to be achieved before the next employee evaluation. 
3. Make it a two-way conversation and ask for feedback regarding the team, and the company. Understand what you can do to make them feel comfortable.

Also Read: Working from home with kids | Critical items that you must know!

Use unremot to enhance team bonding and productivity

unremot virtual watercooler feature helps employers to stay connected to their team throughout the year. It provides a platform for managers to bond with their teams outside the working hours.

Virtual rooms can be created dedicated to different purposes such as team building, happy hours, book clubs, etc. Create one for recognizing employee accomplishments to boost employee morale. While leading a remote team, it is important to keep communicating.

Want to know the best ways to organize the employee appreciation day in 2021? Here’s an exclusive with the top 30 ideas. Read on!

Employee appreciation day

When is employee appreciation day? Employee appreciation day is held on the first Friday in March. On this day, companies thank their employees for the service provided by them. Dr. Bob Nelson started Employee appreciation day in 1995. He was considered a leading advocate for employee recognition and has written several books on the subject.

Business leaders, HR departments, and managers use employee appreciation day as an opportunity to thank their employees or team. Popular ways to celebrate the day include allowing workers to leave early, offer gifts, or host events to recognize workers.

Both appreciation and recognition are prime drivers for employee happiness and engagement. In this blog, we discuss the significance of employee appreciation day and talk about employee appreciation ideas. We have included creative ways to show employee appreciation that should be useful.

Also Read: How to engage employees | Everything you must know

Significance of employee appreciation

We usually do not appreciate the hard work put in by employees. Businesses need to remember employees are a vital asset. Unfortunately, businesses often neglect employee appreciation. Companies need to show their employees they are valued and appreciated regularly.

We can now link employee appreciation to job satisfaction. There are three reasons why you should celebrate staff appreciation day,

1. Employee recognition is important – Employees whose work is recognized are more driven to work harder. 80% of employees surveyed by Gallup say their recognition motivates them to work harder.
2. Improves employee retention- High employee turnover can affect bottom lines. Employee engagement is connected to retention.
3. Employees feel valued – Your staff feels that they are contributing to business when they receive appreciation from colleagues, supervisors, or executives.

Also Read: Employee management | A complete guide

The historical significance of staff appreciation day

We celebrate staff appreciation day on the first Friday of March. Dr. Bob Nelson introduced the concept in 1995 and one of the founding members of Recognition of Professional international. He realized that the success of an organization depends on employee satisfaction. He underlined the importance of boosting employee morale.

The aim of employee appreciation day was recognition and appreciation of the diligence of employees. You can use employee performance evaluation to appreciate the contribution of top-performing employees who have shown great initiative.

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Top 20 employee appreciation ideas

Employee appreciation day is taken seriously in several organizations. Around the world, employers make an extra effort for employers on the worker appreciation day.

Companies attempt to acknowledge the contribution of employees with gifts, special events, and award functions. Remember to wish your employees a happy employee appreciation day. Some common employee appreciation ideas are,

Staff appreciation ideas of rewarding with a gift

You need to spend a lot of money to show your appreciation. A cheap staff appreciation idea is using gift cards. It gives employees a chance to choose a gift that meaningful. Employees will appreciate it more than generic gifts like t-shirts and bottles.

You can give your staff a unique experience like renting out a theme park, reserving an escape room, or learning to cook from a well-renowned chef. Other popular staff appreciation ideas are gifting high-performance individuals a day at the spa or meal vouchers at a popular restaurant.

Pamper your employees on appreciation day

Allow employees to indulge and take a break from routine work on the occasion of appreciation day. Firms often hire mindfulness coaches to teach employees to lower stress levels. You could hire a manicurist, masseuse, or chiropractor to come to your office on the day. These activities help to emphasize your assurance to look after your staff’s welfare.

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Employee appreciation day ideas of a long weekend

Surprises at the end of the week are always welcome. Working from home can be tedious and monotonous. Allowing an occasional Friday off has proved to be popular. This allows remote workers to spend time with their families, relax, and rejuvenate.

Remote employees who have to balance child-care and work can feel overwhelmed. Offering time-off for employees proves to employee appreciation ideas that are easy to implement.

Flowers to wish your employees appreciation day

Wish your remote employee’s happy employee appreciation day. You could send flowers on their birthdays and anniversaries. Spending these days alone can be depressing, and flowers prove to an inexpensive employee appreciation gifts.

Discounts on food delivery on coworker appreciation day

During the pandemic, people started to order food online. People stayed at home with their children, balancing home and work became difficult. One of the employee appreciation day ideas is offering hard-working employees a reward and credits on food delivery apps or gift cards from local restaurants. It can help to reduce stress and supports local businesses.

Also Read: Employee Morale | An ultimate read for best results

Virtual wellness program for employee appreciation week

During employee appreciation week, you can create a virtual employee wellness program. These programs can help underline that you care about your employee’s health and reward them. Before you implement a wellness program you need to set budget and fitness goals.

Implement a reward-based system in the program to encourage your staff to reach their fitness goals. This program will encourage your employees to remain fit during the pandemic.

Celebrate employee appreciation day with shout-out success calls

Public recognition is impactful. People working remotely have made public acknowledgment difficult. Have a video group call with your team on the employee appreciation day. During the presentation, you can show statistics of the top performers.

Team member appreciation week Some firms with social feeds can use them to recognize top performers. You could include top performers on your website.

Employee appreciation events ideas of virtual happy hours and game night

Virtual happy hours and game nights are well-linked employee appreciation event ideas. Staff can socialize with a drink of their choice, a glass of wine or water. There are several online games available that are engaging and fun.

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Employee appreciation ideas for large companies use employee learning track

Career development is important, and employees look for opportunities to upskill. Employee appreciation ideas for large companies are announcing a new learning program on the associate appreciation day. You could invite participation in all your branches.

Ideas for employee appreciation is writing LinkedIn recommendation

Writing a LinkedIn recommendation is easy and takes a few minutes but can have a lasting impact. The recommendation is more meaningful when written by management. It is easy to implement ideas for employee appreciation.

Anyone viewing your staff’s profile can read it. The recommendation helps to boost employee morale and motivation. It serves as a public endorsement of the employee’s skills and their dedication to their job.

Virtual award ceremony as employee appreciation event ideas

While working remotely, it is difficult to organize an employee of the month ceremony. Thanks to technology, we can now host a virtual award ceremony. Managers can ask their team to nominate a person for the award or have a vote. After declaring the winner, you should list out reasons why they have won. Comments by colleagues can be read out as a part of coworker appreciation ideas. Highlighting the winner on your company’s blog post can be a huge morale boost.

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Organize Employee appreciation games

Employee appreciation games allow teammates to engage and enjoy themselves. Organize team games like a scavenger hunt, quizzes, or team-based Olympics. Use employee appreciation games to encourage innovative thinking and healthy competition. Several options are available for remote employees too, you can organize several online games or multi-player games for your employees.

Employee appreciation party ideas are hosting a bowling night

Some popular employee appreciation party ideas are hosting a bowling night or ice skating night for your employees. It allows your employees to destress and help them more about their colleagues in an informal setting.

Staff appreciation day ideas of letting employees pursue their passion

Work should not consume our lives. Employees should be able to pursue passions outside their work. Staff appreciation day by pursuing their passions outside work. Whether they want to volunteer or work on an independent project.

Many companies are using employee appreciation day for activities employees always wanted to try. This not only gives a break from work. but allows innovative ideas or teach employee new skills.

Also Read: Synchronus & asynchronus communication | A complete guide

Employee appreciation lunch by treating your team’s taste buds

We all love a good meal. Employee appreciation lunch is an effective way to reward employees. If you have remote employees you can send a meal from a popular local restaurant. Some companies are opting to send healthy delicious treats or an outing to a restaurant with healthy options.

Employee appreciation activities of virtual book club

If you have a group of employees who love to read, you can start a virtual book club. These employee appreciation activities allow employees to have a social outlet and talk about their favorite books. You can give employee appreciation certificates to those who have completed their monthly quotas. Encourage employees to choose the next books for the book club.

Associate appreciation day sending a personalized recognition

On associate appreciation day send a personal recognition to high-performing employees. Be specific while writing the letter and avoid generic greetings. Send a customized message of appreciation thanking the employee for the hard work.

This helps to reinforce their positive attitude and encourages them to continue working well. You can include reward points or gift cards as a part of employee appreciation week celebrations.

Also Read: Virtual water cooler | A how-to guide for everyone

Fun and silly awards are creative ways to show employee appreciation

Create a silly award that can be customized for each employee some categories can be “best baker” or “best dressed to online meeting” to announce during team meetings.

Employee appreciation week activities by enjoying activities in the office

You can start employee appreciation week activities by hosting employee appreciation games like double jeopardy, treasure hunt, or board games. Fun employee appreciation week ideas like a photo booth on campus. For remote employees, you can organize online games.

Picnic for appreciation week ideas for staff

We all enjoy free lunch. An outdoor picnic when the weather is pleasant is a fun idea for appreciation week ideas for staff. It a great way to show your appreciation to your staff. They can use the opportunity to bond.

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National employee appreciation day

National employee appreciation day in the US is celebrated every year on the first Friday of March focuses on employees in all industries. Employers across the US plan employee appreciation day activities where employee achievements are recognized and honored.

Businesses recognize that employees are assets. Employers use several employee appreciation events ideas to appreciate outstanding employees. Recognition and appreciation help in employee motivation. It helps to reduce turnover. Several companies now include employee appreciation events as part of their corporate culture.

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Key highlights of an employee appreciation day 2020

When was employee appreciation week 2020? Employee appreciation day 2020 was celebrated on 6 March. Companies started to give higher importance to appreciation day. Unemployment rates for highly skilled individuals have been low. Some employee appreciation day 2020 ideas used the following techniques to celebrate:-

1. On Employee day 2020 many companies opted for group lunch outing allowed employees to bond on a personal level. Lunch employee celebrations are used by many organizations.
2. For staff appreciation day 2020, some companies opted for an after office-hours event like going out to view a local baseball match.
3. A day spent volunteering rather than working gave many employees a break. The day also allowed employees to give back to the community.

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Tips for employee appreciation day 2021

On 5th March we celebrated employee appreciation day 2021. 2020 was a tough year many people spent the year isolated from their friends and colleagues. Here are ideas for staff appreciation day 2021,

1. Include everyone – Your organization will have top-line executives to entry-level executives. One of the ideas for employee appreciation day is to ensure everyone is including the unsung hero, front-end workers, back-end workers, and on-site achievers. Consider including outsourced or remote employees. Remember to thank everyone who helped the company survive in 2020.
2. Make it personal – Generic appreciation day may not capture the impact of 2020. Your employees deserve more. Consider letting employees choose an activity from the list of proposed events or gifts. Try to ensure the gifts can show a genuine feeling of gratitude.
3. Gift some TLC – Gift a pampering session at a local spa or a DIY self-care package.

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Conduct employee appreciation day activities on unremot

One of the best employee appreciation day activities for remote workers is the unremot virtual cooler. The virtual water cooler is a place to reconnect with your co-workers. it is a virtual space allowing remote colleagues to interact socially. The virtual water cooler is the ideal forum for employee appreciation day activities.

On coworker appreciation day, you can have a webcam hangout session, a virtual lunch session where colleagues meet and hang out or have online games. Consider having a cooking class where everyone cooks together or lets employees showcase their skills.

Keeping employee morale in large organizations is a challenge by itself. Here is an exclusive list of employee morale boosters in 2021. Read on!

Employee morale

Employee morale drives the productivity enhancements and continuous service improvements of an organization. Organizations design and deploy creative morale boosters to increase the motivational and inspirational level of employees.

The result is greater dedication, and a positive attitude towards work since morale and productivity complement each other. Companies benefit by earning better customer experience and higher revenue.

Question is, “How to improve morale and how to increase morale?”

In this article, we will extensively discuss the techniques to improve employee morale, the different fun office activities to boost morale, and the best practices on how to improve morale in the workplace.

Also Read: Work-life balance | Everything you must know

What is employee morale?

Before proceeding to the details on employee morale, let us first try to define employee morale or find an answer to what is employee morale?

Employee morale is the psychology or attitude of an employee towards the norms, processes, culture, way of working, and policies of a company. Positive morale has a direct impact on the company’s growth and prosperity. Low morale in the workplace jeopardizes a company’s progress to a considerable extent.

Hence companies lookout for morale boosting ideas to stimulate and improve employee morale. Various elements contribute to boosting employee morale like compensation policies, work-life balance, benefits and perks, transparency in communication, etc.

Also Read: Organize your life | A complete guide

Benefits of having a high team morale

There are several benefits of good and high team morale, the key among them are,

1. Employee morale ensures smooth continual of business operations and higher productivity leading to better customer satisfaction and higher market presence
2. Boosting employee moral results in higher dedication and commitment from the associates in performing their assigned activities and tasks
3. Employees with good morale eventually create a greater positive influence on others and hence turn out to be efficient leaders and managers in the organization. Therefore conducting morale boosting activities needs dedicated focus and attention for better results.

Also Read: Working from home with kids | Critical items that you must know!

Psychology of high morale and company’s productivity

Employees with high morale are bound to accelerate the company’s growth and ranking in the market. Employee moral activities are the means to create a healthy and positive work environment that promotes an effective work culture.

They feel the zeal to contribute to the organization and work towards achieving the company’s objectives and goals. The employees gain trust and confidence in leadership while they are inducted into company morale boosters.

Remote employees specifically can overcome the feeling of isolation and be inspired in meeting deadlines and timelines. Therefore employee morale is significantly important and working on a robust employee morale proposal is mandatory.

Also Read: Remote work | A how-to guide for everyone

Challenges – why managing company morale is not easy?

Managing company morale is not easy. There are hurdles you need to overcome while you design and devise ways to boost morale at work. Here are the key challenges faced by companies trying to improve morale,

1. Constant interference and micro-managing employees are to a greater extent hindrance in improving morale in the workplace
2. Frequent asking for working extra hours results in low moral in the workplace. The absence of proper compensation for additional efforts result in poor employee morale
3. Not trusting employees in critical decision making may also result in hampering morale boosting initiatives

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5 indicators showing signs of low morale in team

It is essential to early identify signs of low morale in the team and introduce corrective actions faster. The 5 key indicators of low employee morale are illustrated below,

1. Constant leaves and absenteeism from work, without proper planning and on crucial deadlines
2. Lack of zeal and enthusiasm in the regular activities with a subdued work morale
3. Reduction in the productivity percentage, a result of low morale at work
4. Lack of cooperation and dedication in employees opposed to high morale at work
5. Errors and mistakes in assignments and framing excuses as explanations, a sign of low worker morale

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Metrics to measure improved morale in team

It is critical to measure improved morale in team after deploying a morale builder framework to improve workplace morale. Here are some of the key metrics for guidance,

1. Absenteeism Rate – Detects the count of employees restraining to be present in the office due to low job morale
2. Retention Rate – Aids in evaluating the number of employees staying within a team or department. Assists in deciding the impact of morale boosters for work
3. Turnover Rate – Measures % of employees leaving your team or department within a time duration. Helps in judging the efficiency of team morale boosters.
4. Productivity percentage– You can measure productivity by introducing work morale boosters. Employee morale and productivity are interdependent.
5. Quality of Work – Determines the quality and efficiency of employees, a key metric for evaluating employee morale

Also Read: Virtual gift ideas | A comprehensive guide

Top 10 morale boost ideas at work

We understood the definition of employee morale and the benefits of raising morale. The question now is, “How to improve team morale?”

For your benefit here at the top 10 employee morale boost ideas and methods for easy reference. They will guide you in building employee morale, thereby increasing the inspirational and motivational level of employees. The office morale booster ideas, listed below, are effective in creating a positive impact on the attitude of employees. The turnover rate is reduced, the satisfaction level of employees is enhanced thus boosting office morale.

Perks and incentives to boost morale

Highly motivated employees are the pillars of a company’s success, especially those who are associated for a considerable time and are high-performers. Therefore if you are wondering how to increase employee morale?

Provide perks and incentives to employees as per industry standards to improve staff morale. A constant evaluation of the compensation packages must be performed as part of the increase employee moral program.

Surveys and interviews can be conducted to collect information on employee morale and satisfaction level. Any dissatisfaction to be handled urgently as part of the employees morale and productivity enhancement techniques.

Design continual learning programs as morale boosters

Providing opportunities for increasing the competency level of the employees through continual learning programs is one of the vital morale boosters. Check both internal and external learning courses and programs as part of your ways to improve employee morale. Achieving growth in a career is the ambition of many employees.

Hence their interest will be to upskill or cross-skill their knowledge. If the company can provide all the requisite knowledge bank and expert guidance, then you can increase your employee morale. Besides, providing certifications free of cost can be one of the good ideas to boost morale at work. This hopefully answers your question on, how to boost team morale.

Also Read: Virtual Team Games | Everything you must know

Encourage innovations and creativities for an employees morale booster

Encouraging and promoting innovations and creativity is beneficial for both the company and the employees. The company earns a positive competition edge in the market. Employees can nurture their thoughts and ideas in the latest digital technologies thus upgrading their competencies.

Hence the technique act as an employees morale booster and aids in improving office moral. It helps to build employee morale and achieve consistency in employee morale. It is one of the best staff morale boosters companies can deploy for improving moral in the workplace.

Accept feedback and suggestions to enhance staff morale

Feedbacks and suggestions must be obtained from employees to enhance staff morale and providing due importance in the company’s decision-making on policies and norms. Employee morale is impacted considerably if associates are granted equal opportunity in crucial discussions and thought-provoking innovations.

One of the best ways for improving morale at work and an answer to the question on, “How to boost morale in the office?” The feedback can be collected in the form of surveys, interviews and questionnaires. Open forums may also be organized for accepting suggestions from employees to build morale. This strategy has proven to be very effective in building morale at work.

Transparency in company communication for building team morale

A company’s top leadership and management play a vital role in building morale in the workplace. Sharing the company’s vision, mission and objectives frequently must be considered in the company morale booster program.

You need to ensure employees can raise their concerns and there are listening ears for providing adequate resolutions; impacting the employee moral. There must not be any hidden facts while communicating with the employees.

This is one of the prominent morale boosters for staff adopted by companies for building team morale. Employee morale is enhanced considerably along with an increase in trust and confidence in the leadership.

Also Read: How to motivate employees | A complete guide

Assign work as per skills for improving employees morale

You must be aware of the skills of each employee and assign work as per a person’s competency. This technique helps in improving employees morale and delivering quality work. The employees can relate faster to their tasks, bring in innovative ways to execute their activities and more importantly boost up the employee morale.

Hopefully, this is one of the answers to the question, “How to increase morale in the workplace?” Employees love to enhance their inherent skills through hands-on experience at work. Therefore assigning the appropriate roles and activities are a major contributor to improving staff moral.

Gestures of appreciation for uplifting workplace morale

Small appreciation messages, thank you emails, and arranging themed parties are some of the small but effective ways for uplifting workplace morale. Employees feel a sense of belongingness and value within the organization; thus assisting in improving staff morale.

Companies must understand the importance of employee morale for better functioning in the market and think of innovative ideas to build team morale. Star of the month, star of the quarter, consistent performer of the year are few more ideas on how to boost morale in office. These gestures are powerful ways to boost employee morale.

Offering an engagement platform as a morale booster

Employees in an organization prefer interacting with others for discussing technical or domain-related issues or problems. Offering them an engagement platform within the company portal will charge up the morale booster; a way to build morale. The platform must be accessible via mobile devices for better usage and connectivity.

The strategy is one of the happening methodologies for improving employee morale and answers, “How to improve morale at work?” It is one of the best team morale ideas specifically among the employees of gen Z. Even HR-related issues can be discussed on such a platform.

Also Read: Remote team building activities | Critical items that you must know!

Promote work-life balance to boost morale at work

Employees nowadays need a guarantee on spending a healthy personal life vis-à-vis their professional life. Hence to boost morale at work, you need to ensure employees can maintain a comfortable work-life balance. Employee morale is significantly elevated by following this technique.

An answer to your query on, “How to improve staff morale at work?” Over-stress and burnouts result in high turnover rates, hampering boost moral activities. Companies must not force long hours. Therefore one of the best ideas to boost employee morale is to allow time for relaxation and vacations for spending time with family and friends.

Arrange team-building activities for boosting morale in the workplace

Planning and organizing team-building activities are very important for boosting morale in the workplace. Employee morale earns positive nurture as employees are encouraged for thinking out of the box while engaging and interacting with each other. The team building activities can be games, quizzes, casual discussions, group activities; thus lifting the workers morale.

So if you are eager to improve staff morale, follow this particular strategy to improve morale in the workplace. In the modern era, conducting group activities and games or group presentations is one of the happening employee morale ideas to improve morale at work.

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How to boost morale at work in remote teams?

Remote employees need special attention to raise morale since they operate in isolation. Constant engagement and work appreciation are a necessity while improving office morale of remote teams. The techniques applied for increasing employee morale for remote teams need to be a bit different than that of professionals operating physically in the office.

Employee morale needs special focus for remote teams, to boost and motivate them to carry on with their day-to-day activities. They need special inspirational employee moral boosters to keep them energized. In the below sub-sections, we will discuss the ways on how to boost employee morale of remote teams.

Providing development and growth opportunities as an employee morale booster

One of the suggested and key employee morale booster initiatives is to guide the remote team in their future growth and career opportunities. Share with them the company’s hierarchical structure and allow them to opt for higher roles; one of the crucial ways on how to raise morale of remote employees.

Employee morale is significantly impacted on the positive side by providing a prospective career path in the organization. Promotions are also another way to help remote employees in achieving their ambitions. Remember, a motivated and inspired employee will help you to achieve higher productivity and higher revenue than one with low employee morale.

Frequent casual discussions as morale boosters for employees

To retain employee working remotely, the recommendation is to interact with them frequently via audio and video conference calls. Engage in casual and friendly discussions, enquiring about their well-being and health; one of the best remote staff retention ideas adopted by companies.

Guide and support them to help maintain a seamless work-life balance. Assure them of all help in any crisis. Provide them with the contact numbers for any emergency assistance. Appoint mentors to assist them as part of your employee retention guidelines.

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Performance awards and recognitions to increase office morale

The best way to increase office morale for remote teams is to announce performance awards and recognitions within the organization. It can be in the form of giveaways, vouchers, leaves, vouchers for travel, etc.

The work moral of the remote employee is immensely impacted resulting in higher dedication and a positive attitude towards work. It is one of the best office morale ideas on how to improve office morale while dealing with teams operating remotely and located in various regions. They will remain devoted towards the company and the employee morale curve will heighten up.

Conduct virtual activities and games to foster team moral

A proven way to foster team moral in remote employees is to arrange for virtual cooling sessions through fun-filled activities and theme games. It is one of the best office morale boosters to generate a feeling of bonding and togetherness among remote employees. They feel motivated and committed to the organization.

An obvious answer to your question on, “How to build morale of remote teams?” The employees can de-stress themselves through remote games and virtual cooling sessions. The result is greater concentration on their assignments thus remarkably increasing employee morale. You can conduct quizzes, and contests for a positive impact on employee morale.

Ensure a Balance workload as one of your workplace morale boosters

Balancing the workload of remote employees as per their bandwidth and work hours is one of the established workplace morale boosters. Burdening a single person with too many activities are the result of poor project planning and management. Hence to answer the question on how to improve employee morale, never ignore the workload factor.

Distribute the tasks and activities among the team, calculate the effort required for each task and the available bandwidth of employees. One of the best staff morale ideas to enhance employee morale and boosting moral in the workplace.

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How to boost employee morale during Covid times?

COVID-19 has posed multiple challenges in conducting work comfortably at a workplace. Organizations have realized that if proper initiatives are not undertaken to boost employee morale, they may fail in the long run due to reduced employee morale. Here are 3 ways of how to improve employee morale during the pandemic,

1. Allow them to claim their internet costs and remote connectivity tools costs, a moral booster in a pandemic situation.
2. Conduct mental and physical wellness programs for the employees, one of the best ways to boost morale during COVID-19
3. Allow flexibility in work schedules allowing time for family; an effective way to improve office morale

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Best software to boost team morale

The three best software to boost team morale are,

1. unremot virtual watercooler is one of the best software for increasing employee morale especially for those who are working remotely. Morale in the workplace is enhanced via social interactions. Employees can create a virtual watercooler corner, add teammates and start chatting. People can discuss hobbies and interests, play games, conduct quizzes or riddles.
2. Google Play provides online games for free like virtual cricket, virtual football games, and so on; good for building morale
3. Zoom, a prominent cloud-based conferencing and virtual meeting platform; allowing moral boost in employees

How to boost employee morale and motivation?

To answer the question on, “How to boost employee morale and motivation?” First and foremost employees must be provided due importance and recognition in the organization. Creating a well-defined reward mechanism, planning social interactions, assisting, and guiding are some of the techniques to improve employee morale and boosting morale in the office.

How to improve employee morale and job satisfaction?

It is critical to understand the ambitions of an employee. It helps to improve employee morale and increase morale. Deploying them in proper roles as per their skills and curating a career path for them are the best ways for improving employee morale.