The pandemic upended how the world works, especially for business. According to one report, 58% of US employees now have the option to work from home at least part of the week. Without regular office face time, there’s less opportunity to connect with and acknowledge colleagues. It’s no longer as easy as stopping by a desk to give kudos after a big presentation or taking a colleague to lunch on their birthday. 

Working in a virtual world often limits interactions to video calls and online chats. However, employees still expect recognition, and it’s often a deciding factor in whether they stay at their company. In fact, employees are 56% less likely to be looking for a new job when working for an organization that makes employee recognition a priority. 

It’s not enough to just celebrate employees around the holidays, after a promotion or on Employee Appreciation Day. In order to keep employees engaged, happy, and fulfilled in their work, businesses should aspire to foster a company culture that celebrates employees and their accomplishments, regardless of their office setup or the time of year. As you plan for 2023, here’s how your HR team can uplevel recognition programs and establish your organization as the place to work. 

Delight employees on and off the clock

Employees’ priorities have shifted. While competitive pay and traditional benefits are a good starting point, well-being has become increasingly important to workers.   

This means employers must think about how they can serve employees outside the 9-to-5. Set your company apart by offering perks that can be used in employees’ professional and personal lives—thus recognizing them as humans with needs outside of working hours. 

These perks can be anything from covering commuting costs to surprising an employee with dinner after a long day. Online counseling platform BetterHelp uses Uber for Business to provide a monthly stipend employees can use to order meals on Uber Eats whenever they want, fitting into their everyday lives. 

Disconnect to connect

Despite the newfound flexibility, working remotely can leave employees feeling isolated. A recent survey reported that ​​45% of remote workers miss in-person meetings and 73% miss socializing with their teammates face to face.

As remote workers yearn for meaningful connections, it’s important that HR leaders think of creative ways to bring colleagues together. Off-sites allow employees to get to know one another on a deeper level through team-building exercises, hikes, or group dinners. Not only are these retreats enjoyable, but they also encourage people to step back from work and connect in real life, leaving everyone re-energized. 

Because these gatherings require travel, employers must ensure that their corporate travel programs help employees get from point A to B comfortably. Using platforms like Uber for Business can take the guesswork out of business travel by offering easy expensing, seamless booking, and dedicated support.

Bring cheer beyond the holidays

Studies show that companies that invest in year-round recognition programs notice an uptick in employee happiness and reduced turnover. Recent research found, however, that only 36% of employees work for an organization with a recognition system.

Holiday gifts are almost always a given, but how can employers celebrate their employees year-round? Gifts for birthdays and work anniversaries offer a simple, personal solution. Teams can also implement employee recognition programs that reward exemplary performance, like meeting monthly sales quotas or leading a successful launch. Using Uber for Business makes it easy to give vouchers or gift cards that can go toward rides with Uber or delivery orders with Uber Eats—a thoughtful, practical reward that brings the magic of the Uber platform to the professional world. 

As companies head into the new year, HR professionals have an opportunity to take stock of what’s most important to their employees and implement practices to remain competitive. With workforce expectations continuing to evolve, HR leaders have the freedom to control how they are advocating for, investing in, and celebrating their employees.

To learn more about how you can celebrate your employees with Uber for Business, go here.