Valentine's Day is a corporate holiday manufactured to boost sales during a slow time. It's a totally transparent marketing manipulation scheme catered to women.
That doesn't prevent millions of women from loving it all the same. After all, everyone likes to be appreciated.
When do you take time to tell your team how much you appreciate them? This is a serious matter, and something that doesn't happen enough. Studies show positive reinforcement is more effective and longer-lasting than negative.
The annual review doesn't count, though it should happen there as well. (Positive comments should outnumber the negative ones.)
Maybe you're thinking, "We have an event just for this already: our annual holiday party." But, that's a gift of the company, not from you, and if your company parties are anything like mine, what typically happens is people use the party to interact and bond with people outside their group. That's actually a great use of the party, and it also means you should have something separate.
How about an annual appreciation lunch with each team member? Or a party that is planned ahead and advertised specifically as a "team appreciation party"?
Sound contrived? Surely it is, but that won't stop your team from liking it and feeling appreciated all the same.
(Just don't do it on Valentine's Day.)
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