How can I show appreciation to maintenance workers on Thanksgiving?

Among the many things to be grateful for this season are your maintenance workers, who work diligently to keep your facilities running. Thanking them for their efforts can be as simple as a personal “thank you,” to paying for valuable advancement opportunities.

Tip: Expressing gratitude to your workers can improve workplace morale and employee wellbeing in a very real way.

Personally express appreciation

A simple personalized “thank you” can do wonders to show your maintenance workers how much you appreciate them. Whether you leave them a physical note, send out an email, or—perhaps best of all—thank them personally and specifically, expressing your gratitude can have a profound impact.

Fact: The CEO of Campbell’s has written over 30,000 thank you notes to his employees.

Host a maintenance team potluck

One of the best ways to show appreciation is with food. Hosting a maintenance team potluck can improve camaraderie, strengthen work relationships, and show your employees how much they mean to your organization.

Gift cards

Monetary rewards such as gift cards are a very concrete way to thank your maintenance team for their hard work. If you can devote the time to doing so, personalizing those cards to each employee’s interests can be a very powerful way to show them that they truly are appreciated.

Give a bit of extra time off

Sometimes, a bit of extra time to relax from work duties can go a long way, whether that’s a few extra minutes during lunch or an extra day off. With how maintenance is becoming ever more automated with PdM technology, that extra time isn’t as much of a loss.

Tip: If you’re worried about lost productivity, it’s important to note that inefficiencies in maintenance management will likely have a far greater impact than a bit of extra time off around the holidays.

Pay for conferences or certification

Giving your maintenance workers opportunities for development and advancement shows how much you value their contribution to your company. Whether you pay for a maintenance technician’s CMRT exam or send managers to industry conventions, you’re essentially telling them that they’re worth investing in.

Showing your appreciation

When expressing your appreciation to your maintenance employees this season, remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated. A bit of extra time and investment go a long way.