The holiday season is here, and many businesses, like you, are looking for ways to thank their employees for all their hard work. Employees need to feel appreciated by their peers and their supervisors. Employees who feel valued are more likely to work longer and harder than those that do not.

For many companies, the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. Many CEOs and managers are anxious to close deals fast and make plans for the new year. Unfortunately, showing employees or customers, they are appreciated during the holidays sometimes falls short.

Every small business relies upon its employees to keep the business alive. Sometimes, business owners don’t realize the degree of stress this places on the men and women whom they employ — and how feeling stressed leads to less-than-optimum work performance. On the other hand, while no one says it is the role of businesses to make people “happy,” few will dispute the idea that a fulfilled, upbeat employee is more productive than a worried, burned-out employee — every time. Here are tips for keeping your employees motivated, happy, and engaged on the job, which in turns leads to further growth for your business.