While you may assume employees know they are appreciated because you haven’t told them they are doing something wrong, this is often far from the truth. Showing employees you appreciate them is more critical than ever, as the pandemic has everyone re-assessing what really matters.

While perks like Taco Tuesday and Casual Friday are fun, they don’t keep employees engaged long term. What does keep employees engaged over time is feeling that their work is important and that they are valued.

Here are five meaningful, inexpensive ways for you to show appreciation for your employees:

• Discuss with them how their role fits into the company’s mission.  There is no greater way to show appreciation than discussing their career path and how you are going to train them to progress within the company.

• Praise employees for their strengths and ability and give them opportunities to demonstrate their talent; “I’ve chosen you for this project because you are innovative.”

• Offer a personally written thank you note, or on a project sent to you via email, simply respond with “nice job”.

• Publicly recognize employees in a team meeting for their accomplishments.  If a manager tells you one of their employees did a great job, make sure you congratulate them within earshot of other employees.

• If you are the leader in a larger organization, set up a program to give people gift cards as a “spot bonus” program.  I used to walk around and ask people what our mission was and if they could tell me I gave them a $20 bill.  I have seen “I caught you doing something right” programs work as well.

Recognition is a core human need and receiving it helps really engage and motivate your employees.