Year end and the holiday season tend to bring with them the assumption of bonuses. A 2013 survey conducted by Career Builder reported 45% of employers planned to give a holiday bonus while 35% planned to give employees a holiday gift. If your organization is not in a position to provide similar gifts, it is important to acknowledge your employees’ contributions for the past year in other ways.

Here are a few quick tips on ways to acknowledge your staff for their contributions this year:

• If year end or holiday bonuses have been given in the past, be sure to notify employees in advance that similar compensation will not be given this year. Employees may be further disappointed if they are not made aware until the last minute that compensation that they are expecting will not be coming.
• Explain to some extent why bonuses are not available. Whether it is company policy to only provide bonuses based on performance, budget constraints are an issue, or a bad year in business has impacted your financial means, providing your staff with an explanation for the decision can help your staff realize that the choice was not made out of lack of appreciation for their efforts.
• Acknowledge frequently and specifically your employees’ contributions to the organization. Written compliments, compliments in front of their peers, or an occasional email citing specific contributions that the individual has accomplished recently shows your staff that you are in tune with their performance and appreciate their efforts.
• Consider hosting a company or department lunch or dinner. A small opportunity for your team to get together in a less formal setting can go a long way for office morale. Be sure to let your staff know that the event is hosted in appreciation for their hard work.
• Consider contributing in other ways. While providing your staff with bonuses may be outside of your budget this year a contribution in their honor to a local foundation may be feasible. Many organizations went this route during the recession of 2009 and saw favorable feedback.
• Consider non-monetary incentives. Are you able to offer all of your employees one additional paid day off next year? This may be a great way to show your appreciation in a more cost effective manner for your organization.

Recognizing your employees’ contributions for the year extends far beyond a year end or holiday bonus. Be sure to recognize the accomplishments of your staff consistently throughout the year, even if you plan to provide a monetary bonus.

Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of top level talent? Contact us today! If you are a stand out in your profession and seeking contingent or long term career opportunities, visit our job seekers section for more information!

Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.