by Dustin
Employee appreciation day, the first Friday of March every year is an important event for businesses of all sizes. This special day provides employers with the opportunity to recognize and reward their employees for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. It’s also a great way to boost morale and create an atmosphere of appreciation and respect. It helps you “build a tribe.” We talk about that here.
Employee appreciation day celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of each and every employee. It is an opportunity to show employees that their efforts are appreciated and that their hard work is valued. When employees feel appreciated and valued, it increases their job satisfaction, productivity, and loyalty. In turn, this can lead to a better overall work environment, higher employee retention rates, and greater job satisfaction.
It’s about bridging the Appreciation Gap
Employee appreciation day also serves as a reminder to employers that their employees are the foundation of the organization. Without their hard work and dedication, the business would not be able to run as smoothly as it does. By taking the time to recognize each employee’s individual contributions, employers are sending the message that they value their employees and acknowledge their hard work.
Employee appreciation day should also be used to create a sense of camaraderie and connection among the employees. This can be done by organizing team-building activities, having a celebratory lunch or dinner, or offering rewards and prizes. These activities help create a sense of unity among the employees and show them that their employer really cares about them. This is where Branded Merch can really come into play. We have created this curated shop for cool ideas to help you show your team you appreciate them.
Finally, employee appreciation day is an opportunity for employers to express their gratitude for the hard work and dedication of their employees. It is a great way to show employees how much their efforts are appreciated and to thank them for their contributions. It is also a great way to remind employers that their employees are the foundation of their organization and that they should always be valued and appreciated.
Again…shop here for ideas on how to make sure your team knows you appreciate them.
Hasseman Marketing is your one-stop marketing shop. We work hard to “Deliver #MarketingJoy to you. If you want to make sure you never miss an update, now is a great time to become a VIP. Sign up to be “on the list” here.
by Kirby Hasseman
Want to know THE (nearly) universal problem I hear about with businesses we work with today? Regardless of industry, nearly all of our clients struggle with one big issue.
Attracting & Retaining Great Talent
Companies from all over the country, in all kinds of different industries, need to find the best people…and they need to keep them. It’s a struggle. And while people often want to blame the work ethic of our country, math will tell you that there are simply fewer people working right now. With Baby Boomers retiring, there is a gap between the number of jobs, and the number of workers to fill them. So what do we do?
Compensation Is Not Enough
While a competitive compensation plan is important, sometimes money really can’t buy happiness at work. Studies will tell you that once compensation hits a certain level, it fails to motivate behavior. And as more and more employers adjust their pay rates, it becomes harder to be a differentiator. So of course you need to pay your team well. But if that is your entire strategy for attracting and retaining talent…it will probably fall short.
So what can you (as a leader) do to help improve your employee retention? Here are 3 strategies. These are some best practices that we have seen organizations create…so they can create a wonderful place to work.
Create A Tribe
Many new employees walk into a new work environment and feel completely disconnected. They don’t feel a part of the tribe. Sure, they get the “welcome packet” but that’s full of corporate jargon that tells them what they can and can’t do at work. They don’t immediately feel a part of the team.
Create a Welcome Kit: One way to make your new people feel welcome is to provide them with a quality welcome merch kit. This kit might include a t-shirt, a backpack (to use for work), a water bottle, and a notebook. This simple kit not only begins their work experience with “a gift” from the company, it immediately starts to indoctrinate them into the team. They feel good about the organization and they feel like they belong. You start to create a tribe.
Have Fun at Work: When I worked at the Longaberger Company, Dave Longaberger said that 25% of your workday should be fun. It wasn’t about having a foosball table or blowing off the tough stuff. It was about giving people permission to laugh. Dave knew that people who were happy tended to be more creative and productive. Do you allow that?
Create a Culture of Care
Maya Angelou said that people will not care how much you know until they know how much you care. And while there are many ways to show your team that you sincerely care about their well-being, here are a few strategies to consider.
Be more flexible with work time: During the pandemic, everyone had to work from home. So in most organizations, we have proven that it can be done. Now that many organizations are moving back to the office (and we are too), leaders still have the chance to let people work from home when they need to. In addition, we have seen some leaders be a bit more liberal with vacation time. This flexibility gives your team the space to recharge and shows a level of “care” that many organizations don’t.
Create A Wellness Program: The science is real. If your brain is healthy, you are more healthy. Healthy (in all senses of the word) employees are better employees. But most organizations don’t invest in health and wellness programs. Creating a program that encourages your team to get physically and mentally healthy not only shows you care, but it will create outsized results in productivity as well.
Create a Culture of Appreciation
For years, we have said that there is an Appreciation Gap in the world today. We talk about that here. It’s the gap between the leaders (who think they show appreciation) and the employees and customers (who don’t feel appreciated). As a matter of fact, we have repeatedly talked about creating an appreciation program to make sure your top customers know how much they mean to you. It’s a powerful way to keep your customers.
It is also a strategy you can use to make sure your team knows you care.
Create a quarterly appreciation program for your employees. Every quarter, select a nice piece of branded merch and give it out to your team. Not only does it make sure you are saying “thank you” on a more regular basis, but it also helps to continue to build that tribe.
So those are 3 strategies that can help improve employee retention. By creating a culture where people are excited to come to work, you can decrease turnover and improve your overall organization.
Want the full HR playbook? We created the TARGET HR playbook and you can have it for FREE. Click here to get it today! And if you can’t get enough of our content, head to our blog page and find it all in one place!
by Kirby Hasseman
“Guess who’s back! Back again!” No, it’s not Slim Shady. It’s just the Hasseman Marketing crew attending another industry event on the lookout for cool ideas for your next branded merchandise needs. The HMC gang recently attended the latest OPPA (Ohio Promotional Professionals Association) event and we came back with a few fun ideas to spice up your next merch campaign.
Here are 7 great branded merchandise ideas from the latest Sales Safari.
Multicam Cap with Flag
This new cap from our friends at Outdoor cap has a sleek look and a patriotic feel. The Multicam Cap with Flag Visor is a perfect promotional cap for the outdoor enthusiast. This structured cap features a pro mid crown and back arch plus a tuck strap with slide closure to create the perfect fit. This hat also includes a woven label flag on the visor giving it a look any patriotic customer would love.
Custom Wave Table Tent
If you create a table tent, the purpose is to stand out…right? “WAVE” 3-D custom 3-D table tents or calendars feature your branding and custom art printed on both sides PLUS the inside panels of the product—and at a low minimum of just 50 pieces. Printed on sturdy, smooth white cardstock. The Wave design features two pop-out panels to feature images, pricing menus, calendars, and more. Great for restaurant or bar table tents or counter cards, bank counter displays, event save the dates, sports calendars, and more.
Custom Playing Cards
“Why gamble with another (company)?” These custom playing cards feel like a fun branded merchandise idea that would be easy to build a campaign around. Full-color process and poker size, the casino quality full custom design playing card deck allows for full creativity putting your logo in the spotlight.
14 oz University Collection: Deep Etch
When it comes to this amazing piece of drinkware, it’s not just about the vessel. It’s about the imprint. Don’t get me wrong. The ceramic mugs are beautiful. But when you combine them with this elegant-looking deep etch, you create a branded merchandise keepsake.
Coronado 22 oz Straw Tumbler
Can you say colorful? Drink, sip, and seal. 22oz. Double-wall stainless steel tumbler. Copper lined 304-grade stainless steel inner. Tritan straw with silicone straw tip, and Tritan /stainless steel lid. This one is fun and functional.
Boom Light Up 14W Waterproof Wireless Speaker
Get ready to light up the party! The Boom Light Up 14W Waterproof Wireless Speaker features two 7w speakers with rainbow light changing colors along with a music beat. Built-in 4000mah lithium battery. We got a chance to listen to this, and if you are a speaker snob, this is the one for you!
Sublimated Sherpa Scarf
If an item can whisper both “luxury” and “value” at the same time, this one does! Not only does this have an incredibly soft feel, but this Sherpa Scarf also offers edge to edge sublimated full-color imprint. And it doesn’t break the bank!
So there are 7 great branded merchandise ideas from the latest OPPA Sales Safari event! If you want to discuss any of these items, or if you need some other merch to rock your next campaign, please let us know!
Hasseman Marketing is your one-stop marketing shop. We work hard to “Deliver #MarketingJoy to you. If you want to make sure you never miss an update, now is a great time to become a VIP. Sign up to be “on the list” here.
by Kirby Hasseman
I was at a small group meeting recently with a group of high achievers. These are high-character people who have had success in their life. I respect this group. As we went around the room discussing things that were on their mind, a theme bubbled to the top for me. Many of the people in the room were struggling with a common challenge. They lacked any positive recognition for their achievements.
Leaders in their organizations did not pat them on the back and thank them for their hard work…and it hurt.
These are highly educated, accomplished individuals. These folks show up every day and do their best. But the cultures they were working in did not recognize their efforts…and it was grinding them down. I am sure if you asked them, they might say they didn’t need a pat on the back. “Doing good work is enough.” But it’s not.
Being recognized for your contribution is something we all need.
We might not even think that we “want it.” We need it. Organizations that don’t understand the human need for recognition struggle. I was watching it happen in front of my eyes. These people who are leaders in their own organizations were frustrated…and the solution seemed so simple. But as I have said many times before, simple is not the same as easy.
Organizations (yes yours) need to do a better job of showing appreciation to their team. As I have said before, there is an Appreciation Gap in most organizations. If you ask leadership if they show appreciation, they will tell you that they do. But most employees don’t feel appreciated or recognized. That appreciation gap creates a divide in an organization that frustrates everyone.
Appreciation Has To Be Intentional
The fact is, life and business are busy. Even leaders that have the best of intentions can lose sight of showing appreciation. We have a lot to do and a lot to manage. And let’s face it, some of us are not as good at thinking of gestures of kindness as others. Unless I make a point of it, I lose track too! That is why leaders need to be intentional about showing appreciation.
We need to schedule appreciation.
As I have said hundreds of times, “If it’s not on my calendar, it doesn’t exist.” If that’s true of my appointments and sales calls, why would appreciation be any different? So here is how to build appreciation into every day of the week. If you do this regularly as a leader, you have a chance to bridge that appreciation gap in your organization and improve your culture.
Monday: Do a weekly walk around looking for people to lift up. Someone on your team has probably done something worth mentioning. Call that out. If not, there might be someone that is struggling. Look your team in the eye. Make it a point to listen. Take an hour a week to lift your team up.
Tuesday: Send one thank you card. If you do this before your day goes crazy, this will not take long. When you stack this up, week after week, your team will feel seen.
Wednesday: Bring in the merch! Once a week, pick out a high performer to recognize with a cool piece of branded drinkware or apparel. There is nothing like cool branded merch to help build a tribe. In addition, by doing this, you start to create a habit of “looking for good things” in your organization. A human brain is an amazing tool. When you tell it to start looking for things to celebrate, it finds them!
Thursday: Take a team member to lunch. By taking some time away from the office, you can really build a better relationship with your team members. And of course, if you are willing to listen, this goes even deeper.
Friday: Send out a weekly email to your team commending some cool accomplishments.
Now…put these on your calendar.
None of these are huge time or financial commitments. They can, however, make a big difference in your team. But if you leave them to chance, they won’t happen. Build appreciation into every day of your week if you want to do it consistently.
Hasseman Marketing is your one-stop marketing shop. We work hard to “Deliver #MarketingJoy to you. If you want to make sure you never miss an update, now is a great time to become a VIP. Sign up to be “on the list” here.
by Kirby Hasseman
We have been talking about the importance of bridging the Appreciation Gap for years. What is the Appreciation Gap? Most employers, leaders, and entrepreneurs believe they are showing their team appreciation. But studies show that most employees don’t feel appreciated or valued. That creates an “appreciation gap” that leads to dissatisfaction on both sides.
And while there are plenty of ways to show appreciation, Employee Appreciation Day is right around the corner. It might be time to step up and show your team you care with some amazing branded merchandise. And if you like any of these, we have created a shop you can check out right here.
Employee Appreciation Day
Employee Appreciation Day is the first Friday in March and it gives a formal “excuse” for you to show your team how much they mean to you! So here are a few really cool items to help you show up as a hero on Employee Appreciation Day!
Urban Peak® 20 oz Altair Vacuum Tumbler
This copper-lined, vacuum-insulated deep draw liner maintains optimal drinking temperatures. In other words, this is an awesome-looking piece that also keeps your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold. It has a very high perceived value and you can even personalize it to make it extra special. Learn more here.
Ultimate Utility Tote
This sturdy tote features a large compartment with a wire rim to give the tote shape and total functionality. It also has a sewn-in hard bottom for extra durability. Aside from its main compartment, it has a front pocket to store your smaller items and a 14-inch handle drop height. Your company name or logo can be imprinted onto the side of the bag, which is available in a variety of different colors. Fellow travelers and grocery shoppers alike will be jealous of your consumers for having such a useful and colorful item from your company! Learn more here!
48″ arc – The Rebel Inverted
The Rebel is an umbrella featuring a revolutionary design that allows the water to push away when closing, making it easy when entering or leaving a car or through a door and keeping you dry in the process. Plus, the inverted closing action keeps the dry side of the umbrella on the outside when brought indoors. Learn more here.
Desk Qi
The Desk Qi is a tabletop charging hub and stationery holder, featuring up to 10W of fast wireless charging (powered by type-c), and 2 additional USB-A ports for your electronic devices. Showcase your brand or message up to a full-color imprint with this must-have at-home or office tech item! Learn more here.
But wait there’s more! We have created a shop that includes these amazing items and more here. Browse, shop and buy right here.
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