Thanking, Recognizing Virtual/Remote Employees – 3 Fun Gifts
Recognizing your remote, virtual teammates and employees is even more important when everyone feels disconnected from one another. You need to be extra intentional about thanking remote employees and showing you appreciate them, after all, the old saying, “out of sight, out of mind” can too-easily become a reality. Here are a few suggestions on how you can connect with your remote employees, including 3 fun gift ideas.
Thanking Virtual Employees
When you have employees/colleagues working remotely, virtually in their homes, or they’re working in different offices around the world or around the country, don’t forget how powerful it can be to send them something in the mail or to send them a surprise package. It could just be a handwritten thank-you note, or a special card to thank them. A card in the mail has so much more meaning and impact than just getting a quick thank you over an email. So make sure you take that extra time to reach out and connect in different ways.
And if you’re doing an event, why not send your employees some fun survival items if you’re doing an all-day meeting virtually on Zoom or whatever platform of your choice? I’ve been part of so many events where the attendees have all received survival packages. They’ve included everything from fun food items to snack on to keep you going throughout the day, fun drink items, and fun props to engage in creative ways while you’re meeting virtually. You can also just send these as thank you gifts to your customers, clients, to your employees, to your colleagues.
For example, here’s some fun things that I’ve been having a lot of fun with:
1. Hand-held whiteboard signs. These are awesome in the virtual world. You can write anything on them. You can vote with these in a number. You can write down a number. You can turn it into interactive exercises, all sorts of things you could do with these.
2. Smiles-on-a-stick. A smile-on-a-stick for those days when you’re just finding it hard to find your smile makes for a great, inexpensive gift for virtual employees. And yes, they do come in, I believe six different shades, so there’s one for everybody on your team!
3. “You’re on mute!” coffee mug. You can also get them a coffee mug, but not just any coffee mug! No, a coffee mug for these times – a “You’re on mute!” coffee mug. Who would not appreciate one of these?
So look for opportunities to connect with your virtual teammates, with your virtual employees in fun ways, by sending them something fun in the mail.
And what about you? What have you sent to your virtual colleagues, to your virtual employees, to engage in a fun way? What thank you gifts have you sent them? What have you put into a survival package for your virtual meetings? Leave a comment in the comment box so we can all learn from your experience and if you haven’t yet subscribe to my channel, Inspiring Workplaces, please subscribe by clicking right here!
Michael Kerr is a Hall of Fame business speaker who speaks on inspiring workplace cultures. He is the author of The Humor Advantage and The Jerk-Free Workplace.
