Essential workers are required to continue coming into work and doing their job's duties, even when a pandemic is on the rise. While other people are able to stay confined to their homes in safety during these times, essential works don't have that option.
Essential workers are the employees on the frontline handling and dealing with people on a daily basis. These workers range from nurses and doctors to restaurants and grocery store employees. Anyone who's job must remain open during a pandemic is considered essential.
As a business owner, you should find ways to not only thank your own essential employees but to thank other essential workers in your neighborhood as well. Our guide lists 8 different ways you can show your support to essential business services in your town.
Continue reading to find out more on showing gratitude for our heroic essential workers!
1. Design a Creative Sign
Sometimes, the best and easiest way to show your support is to design a creative sign that comes from the heart. This can be done for your own employees or for other essential workers that come into your business.
Design one big sign or create a few small ones. Hang them in front of your business or down the hallways or on the counters. Each essential employee that walks past it will feel appreciated and loved.
Something as simple as a sign will bring a smile to their face. If you want to take it up a notch, you can even consider offering all essential workers who visit your business a discount on your products or services.
This is a great way to show you care.
2. Provide Them With Catering
Restaurant owners have the best resources for providing essential employees with catering. If you're not a restaurant owner, you can still offer catering to essential workers or employees by ordering the food from a nearby restaurant.
Do you have nurses, doctors, daycare workers, grocery store workers, or other essential workers that come into your business regularly? Give back to them by catering. Have food delivered to their place of work as a way to say, "thank you."
You can do the same for your own employees. Order food and have lunch catered for your entire staff. Food is a great form of thank you.
3. Donate Needed Supplies
Essential employees and workers are having trouble finding and accessing much-needed supplies. When they're in need of gloves, masks, and other essentials, you can do your best to thank them by donating this type of supplies.
There are several organizations out there that are collecting donations and dispersing them to essential workers in need. You should also fight the temptation to take masks, gloves, or hand sanitizer from hospitals or doctor offices.
The workers there need those items and taking from them will only set them back even more. Instead, purchase your own and donate any extras. If your employees need this type of supplies, then do your part to ensure they have access to all needed supplies at all times.
4. Send Them Things They Want
A pandemic calls for many essential items and these workers will appreciate every donation you make. Keep in mind, however, that they're still people who would enjoy a nice cup of coffee or a healthy snack here and there.
Don't forget to say, "thank you" by giving them things they actually want as well. Give them a gift card for favorite nearby restaurants. Buy coffee for the entire team one morning. What are some things they enjoy?
Challenge coins show your support and are something they can keep with them for a lifetime. Find out how to create your own unique challenge coin to say "thanks."
Ask if you're not sure and then surprise them.
5. Complete Mental Check-ins
Doing mental check-ins is another must. People on the frontline are risking their own lives each day. They also take the risk of bringing illness into their home and infecting their families.
They're isolating themselves from friends and family to prevent the spread of the virus, and they're seeing an hearing things each day that takes a toll on their mental health. Because of this, it's important to do a check-in with each essential employee you know.
Whether it be your own employee or a friend or family member, send the text or make the call. Ask them how they're doing. Ask them if there's anything you can do to help them.
6. Run Their Errands for Them
If you have friends or family that are considered essential, then help them out by running a few errands for them. They've had a long day at work both mentally and physically.
One of the last things they want to do in their free time is running errands. Ask them to write out a grocery list to give to you. When you make your own trip to the store, you can pick up their items as well.
Something as simple as this can make a huge difference when supporting our selfless essential workers.
7. Test for Antibodies
During a pandemic, nurses and doctors are looking for people who've had the virus and recovered from it. These people have antibodies in their blood. Their blood can be used to help others recover from the illness.
To lend a helping hand, you should get tested for the antibodies. If the antibodies are present in your blood, it can be used to help others in your community.
Thank Essential Workers in Your Town Today
Essential workers are heading into work amongst the pandemic each and every day. Whether your business hosts essential employees or provides services and products to essential workers, you should know how to thank them.
Use the information given in this guide above to help you say, "thank you." to essential workers everywhere. Thanks so much to all of our healthcare heroes!
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