We know 2020 wasn’t an easy year, and 2021 has presented its fair share of challenges, but why not show gratitude to those who helped us overcome it all?

Getting through the last year would’ve been impossible without the amazing help of awesome colleagues who had to adapt to lots of new stuff and begin working remotely. We believe it’s always good to look for ways to keep employees & coworkers engaged and motivated in spite of the distance. 

Keeping the team motivated requires daily effort. Therefore, we’ve come up with 5 tips that will help keep everyone driven, happy, and inspired in an easier but effective way (TIP: gifting macarons always works wonderfully!).

Recognize their work, and let them know you cherish it

Publicly recognizing your employee’s work is a great motivation booster. There are many ways in which you can do it: through an award such as ‘Employee of the Week’ or ‘Employee of the Month’, a card, a delicious macaron-y gift, or a big ‘congratulations’ in front of the whole team.

But remember it’s always important to remain objective! Never make it seem as if you’re favoring one staff member over the others.

Create online breakrooms

We all miss having lunch with colleagues or sharing drinks with the team after a hard week. But since many are working remotely (and for social distancing reasons) spending time with employees & coworkers is difficult.

One great idea is to develop safe spaces where people can talk about any type of stuff that’s work & non-work-related. Some great channels are Slack and WhatsApp, a video call works fantastic as well.

Check-in with the mental health and well-being of your employees

A pandemic and quarantining are both mentally tiresome. Many people have lost loved ones, others have been forced to spend more time alone, while others have experienced economic difficulties, and so much more.

Now is a perfect time to look into your team’s mental health: you could ask how they’re doing every day or you could send them tokens of appreciation and love to their homes (we’ve got awesome corporate gift ideas for you!). It’s also very thoughtful to remind them that they’re not alone and to keep them updated on the company’s progress so they know where they’re standing.

There’s a lot that can be done so employees know they’re cared for, and being aware of their mental health needs and well-being is one of them.

Because everyone loves gifts…

Another great way to express gratitude & keep people engaged is through gorgeous corporate gifts! A sweet box of macarons any given Tuesday? Who wouldn’t smile! chocolates and lemons! 

A survey conducted in 2020 on adults over 18 years of age by the independent research firm Justkul, found that “68 percent of people who have received a ‘memorable’ gift basket or gift box from a business said this strengthened their relationship with said-business”. The full 2020 Business Gifting Report can be found here.

So why not send sweet delicious somethings (that can be customized!) to your awesome team to keep them happy and motivated at work?