Now that we’re well into the New Year, many employers are wondering what 2014 has in store for employee appreciation and recognition programs. As the nation’s economy continues to recover, workers are actively quitting their jobs in search of higher-paying opportunities. In fact, a recent Bureau of Labor study found that the average worker in the U.S. stays less than 5 years at a job. Unless you want to constantly spend more time, energy and money into finding replacements, you should make it a point to appreciate and recognize your employees. This week, we’re going to discuss some of the top trends for employee appreciation in 2014.

Mobile

One employee appreciation trend that continues to grow by leaps and bounds is mobile. The website eMarketer.com suggests there will be 1.75 billion smartphone users worldwide by the end of the year. Considering there are just 7 billion people in the world, that’s an enormous amount of devices floating around.

Employers can use this to their advantage by incorporating them into their employee appreciation programs. Perhaps you could send out text messages to all of your employees, thanking them for their hard work. This is a quick and easy way to thank a large group of workers, and you might be surprised to find out just how much of an effect it has on their performance.

Personalization

Another growing employee appreciation trend that we continue to see more of is personalization. The old days of handing out a generic membership or gift card to employees are long gone. Today, companies are opting for more personalized gifts and rewards.

So, what are some personalized gift ideas to reward hard-working employees? AsapAwards.com offers a wide range of trophies, plaques and awards, all of which come with free personalization and free setup. Depending on your preference, you may want to have a plaque award engraved with the employee’s name along with your company’s logo.

Going Social

Of course, we can’t discuss employee appreciation trends without mentioning social media. Social media is no longer limited strictly to personal updates; now, businesses use the platform to communicate with their employees and target audience. If you aren’t actively recognizing employees through social media, you’re missing out on one of the easiest and most effective ways to show your appreciation.

The social media site that you’ll want to focus most of your energy on is Facebook, as it tends to reach the largest audience. However, some companies may prefer to recognize their employees through LinkedIn, which is more of a business-oriented social site. Regardless of which platform you choose, you’re bound to see a positive reaction from social media recognition.