7 Ways to Show Appreciation to Employees (and Clients) During Tax Season

Clients and employees are essential to your business. Your employees keep your business running and your clients keep you in business. Showing a little appreciation for them is of utmost importance. Employees who feel appreciated are happier. And happy employees can have a huge effect on your company culture and your bottom line. According to research, happy employees:
  • Have lower absenteeism
  • Are better at customer service
 
Here are some ways to show appreciation to your employees and clients this tax season.
 

Have meals together

Everyone loves food. There’s something about sitting down for a meal that brings people together and builds relationships. It could be a lunch outside of the office, a lunch and learn, breakfast, or after work gathering.
 

Celebrate 

The daily grind can be a little easier when you celebrate successes and holidays together. Take some time to celebrate holidays with employees. Holiday parties are fun and can be done at lunch or after work. Don’t forget Birthdays! Employee and client birthdays are great excuses to celebrate. For employees, it could be a break in the day for Birthday cake. For clients, it could be a Birthday card in the mail.
 
You should also set goals and celebrate successes with employees. Maybe you need to land a certain number of new clients or have specific productivity goals. Setting benchmarks and then celebrating them once you’ve reached them is huge.
 
One thing you should definitely celebrate: the end of tax season. Consider including your tax clients in the celebration by throwing a client appreciation party.
 

Praise them

It doesn’t cost any money to praise your employees and yet it can have a huge impact. Workplace recognition is motivating because it provides employees with a sense of accomplishment and lets them know they’re doing a good job.
 
Make sure you are specific when it comes to praise. Don’t just tell them they’re doing a good job, give examples. Are they consistently getting great customer feedback? Did they go above and beyond? Have they been tax-filing maniacs? Tell them specifically what they’ve done to earn your praise. You should also make sure you praise employees in front of their peers. It could be at the weekly meeting or in the company email/newsletter. 
 
You should also praise clients. Praise them for setting their tax appointment, having their receipts in order, or bringing in their paperwork. Positive reinforcement is always a good thing.
 

Support them

Employees need to feel valued, appreciated, and supported. Make sure you are there when your employees have an issue. Take time to train or offer up help, offer advice or support when they’re having an issue outside of work. Showing general interest in your employees makes them feel appreciated.
 
Clients also need to feel supported – especially when you’re in the tax business. It’s scary to get audited or receive correspondence from the IRS. Your clients need to know that you’ll be there to support them in tax matters no matter what. Great customer service is a cornerstone of every good tax business.
 

Thank them

It’s crazy how far a thank you can go. Thank your employees for their work, for their efforts, and for going above and beyond. Thank your clients for their business. 
 

Provide opportunities

You know the adage “If you’re not moving forward you’re moving backward?” Progress is something everyone strives for – especially in the workplace. The potential for growth is a huge motivator for employees. Showing appreciation can mean giving employees opportunities that will help them grow. Maybe there’s an event or conference they can attend, a new skill they can learn or a promotion.
 
Showing appreciation for employees and clients can have a huge impact on your bottom line. It forces management to be mindful of the people who work for them. When the people who work for you feel appreciated, they’re happier, more loyal, and are better with your clients. When clients feel appreciated they are more loyal and more likely to refer you to friends.