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August 12, 2020

6 Ways to Safely Go Back to School

Filed under: Back to School,Helpful Resources,Recognition & Motivation Ideas — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Kristine Richards @ 9:21 am

Back. To. School.

Most years, these words typically have mixed emotions across the board—teachers might jokingly groan, parents are excited to send kids back to class, and the kids themselves aren’t so happy. This year, back to school has more emotions than ever before.

To help teachers and schools prepare for an uncertain 2020-2021 school year we have a few ideas for you to use to keep your students, teachers, and staff safe. Plus, they’re perfect for any school— from elementary school to middle school to high school.

Stock up on Masks and other safety supplies for the 2020-2021 school year.
Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

1. Stock up on health and safety supplies.

In addition to the typical bandages and ointments, Masks, Sanitizer, and hand wipes are must-haves for every classroom for the upcoming school year. Having these supplies in every office and classroom will go a long way toward easing teachers’ and parents’ worries. And some Masks and Sanitizer options can be customized to match your school name and/or mascot.

Anti-microbial Pens eliminate pen sharing and the transfer of germs.

2. Stock up on antimicrobial pens.

Pens are another must-have for any elementary, middle, or high school. Anti-microbial Pens eliminate pen sharing and the transfer of germs. Having these special pens around (or Anti-microbial Lanyards) is just one more way to make your school a little safer for everyone.

Post Sanitizer Stations through your school for the new school year to keep everyone safe and healthy.

3. Set up Sanitizer Stations in common areas of your school. 

Sanitizing stations can be as informal or elaborate as you want. You can set up a Sanitizer Pump on a hallway table or shelf and post a sign above the sanitizer, or purchase a special Sanitizer Station. Set up Sanitizer Stations in various common areas of your school, like entrances, cafeteria, gymnasium, by locker rooms, and offices.

Welcome teachers and staff back to school with a VIP Gift Set.

4. Raise teacher morale with a Gift Set for each of them.

With all of the uncertainties teachers are facing, it’s the perfect time let them know how grateful you are for everything they do. Welcome teachers back to school with a Gift Set that is full of fun and functional gifts that will be used on a daily basis. 

Use Yard Signs and Banners to give all your school teachers and staff warm welcome back.

5. Brighten up your school and grounds with Signs and Banners.

It’s more important than ever to raise everyone’s spirits and keep morale up. There’s no better way to do that than with a colorful “Welcome Back” Yard Sign, poster, decals, and Banners. Whether they are displayed on your school’s front lawn, by school entrances or sidewalks, or inside on walls, bulletin boards, doors, or windows give everybody a warm welcome.

Floor Decals encourage visitors at your school to maintain social distancing practices.

6. Post decals on walls and/or floors to encourage social distancing and hand washing.

Floor Decals are easy ways to create a one-way flow of traffic through school hallways. They are also essential for offices; they can be spaced 6′ apart to encourage visitors to maintain social distance in your school. Wall Decals are also must-have supplies. Secure a hand washing decal in every school bathroom.

In addition to the six above ideas, you can maintain a safe and healthy school environment with extra cleaning and disinfecting supplies. Use these supplies every day and try to schedule a deep cleaning once a week. No matter which ideas you choose to use in your elementary school, middle school, or high school, everyone will be a little safer for it.

August 5, 2020

9 Ways to Prepare to Come Back to Work

Filed under: Helpful Resources,Welcome Back to Work — Tags: , , , , , — Kristine Richards @ 9:55 am

Having and maintaining a safe, healthy, and welcoming work environment is more important than ever before. As many businesses slowly reopen their doors, you may be wondering what you can do to ensure the safety of all your employees–and boost company morale during these times, too. 

While there are many facets to reopening your business including daily health screenings, addressing mental health, et al., we will concentrate on what you can do in your physical place of business and/or building. Try one or more of the following ideas to prepare for your employees to come back to work.

Custom Bandana Masks are must-haves when your business repopens.

Stock up on plenty of Masks for all of your employees.

Even though most of your employees may have their own disposable or home-made masks, a customized Mask with your company name and/or logo is a great way to build teamwork and morale.

Make sure to have lots of Hand Sanitizer when your building reopens.

Another item on your back-to-work checklist should be Hand Sanitizer. 

Stock up on sanitizer for offices, cafeterias, conference rooms, workspaces, and cubicles. Like Masks, some employees may have their own; that may help your back-to-work budget.

Use Floor Decals to create safe spaces for when your building reopens.

Establish physical distancing measures.

Keeping and maintaining physical distance during the workday is important for everyone. There are several ways you can accomplish this including staggered work shifts, lunch, and rest breaks; and rotating weeks for working onsite. Physical ideas include moving work stations and/or implementing one-way traffic patterns by using Floor Decals to direct foot traffic and or provide 6′ of distance. 

Define customer and/or visitor contact rules.

No matter how many visitors, customers, or clients your business has on a daily basis, establishing some rules will help keep everyone safe and give them peace of mind. Ideas include using Floor Decals (see above), limiting the number of people in any one area (reception, waiting, etc.), no handshake greetings, and using contactless pickup.

Establish deep cleaning procedures.

It’s always good to remind employees to keep their work stations, desks, and offices clean, but deep cleaning procedures will make your workplace even safer. First use soap and water to clean surfaces, then sanitize all frequently touched surfaces with antibacterial spray or wipes, disinfect restrooms every night, vacuum every day, and encourage employees to leave personal items at home or bring as few as possible every day.

Stress the importance of continued hand washing with Glossy Wall Decals.

Post signs in the bathroom to encourage people to continue hand washing.

This is something so routine, but it’s just as important now as it was when this started. Glossy Wall Decals are must-haves for every bathroom. They can include the 20-second rule or have a simple reminder to “always wash your hands” or “suds up.”  

Clear Distancing Barriers are must-haves for when your business reopens its doors.

Set up partitions between workspaces and/or use them for reception desks.

Acrylic Partitions of various sizes and shapes are available to fit any area. These products are designed for all parties involved–they keep employees safe and healthy AND your customers, clients, and visitors, too.

Welcome back employees with a 5-Piece Gift Set in honor of all their hard work and flexibility.

Welcome back your employees with a motivational Gift Set. 

Gift Sets not only show employees how much you appreciate them and welcome them back to the building, but each employee will receive valuable, quality products they can use every day. 

Welcome Back Yard Signs are great for when your business reopens its doors during these uncertain times.

Celebrate the big day when your doors officially open again with Signs and Banners.

Signs can range from bright and colorful outdoor Yard Signs to printed paper signs that you can post on doors, walls, and bulletin boards. Banners are always a welcome addition to any business; Banners can be as professional or whimsical as you want them to be!

Utilizing a combination of these nine tips will make your place of business much safer and welcoming when you are ready to reopen your doors. Your employees, customers, clients, vendors, and visitors will thank you for everything you’re doing to keep everyone safe.

August 4, 2020

Top 5 Ways to Say “Thanks” to Employees

Filed under: Employee Recognition Ideas,Helpful Resources,Recognition & Motivation Ideas,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , — Kristine Richards @ 11:24 am

Uncertain. Difficult. Challenging.

You have probably heard these words used in abundance to describe these current times, but we can think of a better one:

Thankful!

Given the current climate we are living in, it’s more important than ever to show and express your gratitude to all of your employees. We have five ideas that you can implement right away to let your employees know how much you truly appreciate them and all of their hard work–no matter if it’s onsite or at home.

Protect certificates in Thank You Certificate Jackets.

Continue to recognize milestones like tenure and Employee of the Month.  

Recognition of your teachers and employees does not have to stop just because most of them are working from home or remotely. If you are holding meetings through conference calls and/or websites and programs, take the time to spotlight these special employees with a presentation. Then, mail them a “recognition package” that includes quality awards, like Certificates, Jackets, and Lapel Pins. And don’t forget to include a Greeting Card or NoteCard with handwritten words of gratitude.

Use LetterTop Certificates to thank employees, plus add a certificate or coupon.

Send a “Thank You” note to your employees and consider a gift card.

When you think of thank you notes, you may think of weddings, birthdays, or graduation parties, but they can be used for employees, too! Whether you use a NoteCard, Greeting Card, or LetterTop Certificate, this is a great way to put those appreciative thoughts to paper. You can even personalize them with a unique message for each employee. If your budget allows, you can also include a gift card (printed or plastic) as a token of thanks.

This Appreciation Gift Set is great for thanking employees and keeping morale up.

Send or give a Gift Set.

Our Direct Ship program is the perfect way to send Gift Sets to all of your teachers and employees as a show of support whether they are working from home or onsite. Gift Sets are not only budget-friendly options for you, they offer fun and functional items that everybody can use. Sending Gift Sets directly to each employee’s home lets everyone know they are still an important and valued part of your team.

Telecommute Kits are great for thanking your remote employees.

Send a Kit to help employees work from home.

Unique work-from-home kits are great ways to keep employees organized, “plugged in,” and even stress a little less. Most kits include some electronic accessories with a mix of standard desk supplies, so everyone is sure to a get a lot of use out of them. Kits are affordable ways to show your appreciation for everyone’s hard work and dedication. 

NoteCards make thank you notes more personal.

Words of appreciation go a long way.  

We understand you may have a tight budget to work with; sometimes a simple note of thanks goes a long way. Thank You NoteCards are always much appreciated–and if you mail them they will be attention grabbers because of their size! If you take a few minutes to write your own “thank you” message with a personal twist for each employee those notes will mean a lot more. Thank You Certificates are also a fun, motivational idea; employees can proudly display them at home. Even a simple Lapel Pin with a thank you message on it can say a lot.

We hope you can use at least one of these five ideas to say “thank you” to your employees. It’s so important right now to hear encouraging or motivational messages. No matter which idea you choose, the results will be much appreciated by your employees, teachers, volunteers, and more. 

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