Employee Favourite Things List – Boosting Morale and Productivity

Understanding the preferences and interests of employees is critical in fostering a positive workplace culture and enhancing employee engagement. An employee favourite things list offers a personalised approach to recognising and appreciating staff, allowing for tailored rewards and gestures of acknowledgement. These lists can include items such as favourite snacks, hobbies, or preferred forms of acknowledgment, providing management with a valuable tool for connecting with their workforce on a more personal level. inspireambitions.com+2FREE Printable HQ |+2

Implementing such a list requires consideration and a structured approach to ensure its effectiveness and privacy. Once set up, it serves not only as a means of expressing gratitude but also as a catalyst for team building and creating a vibrant, engaging work environment. According to recent employee-engagement research, understanding individuals’ preferences is a recognised step in boosting motivation and retention. SnackNation+1

Why a “Favourite Things” List Matters

• Personalised recognition: When you know what each person enjoys — whether it’s a particular treat, hobby, or acknowledgment style — you can tailor gestures that feel real and meaningful.
• Stronger relationships: Sharing preferences builds rapport among team members and between staff and management.
• Better engagement & retention: Organisations that treat employees as individuals rather than fungible roles tend to keep people longer and maintain higher morale. matterapp.com+1
• Team building & fun: The list becomes a resource not only for rewards, but for conversations, celebrations and culture-building moments (e.g., favourite-snack days, themed events, hobby spotlight sessions).

Implementing an Employee Favourite Things List: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Define Scope & Purpose

Decide what you want the list to include and how you will use it. For example: favourite snack/drink, hobbies/outside-work interests, preferred recognition style (public shout-out vs private note), dietary restrictions or allergies, favourite book or genre.

2. Collect the Data Thoughtfully

Use a simple and respectful form or questionnaire. For example:

• Favourite Food/Snack: “What snack or meal do you prefer at work?”
• Music Interests: “Which music genres or artists do you enjoy?”
• Reading/Hobbies: “What are your favourite books, authors or hobbies outside work?”
  You can use tools such as online forms (see sample templates) to streamline this. jotform.com+1
  Privacy tip: Clearly communicate how the information will be used and keep the collection voluntary and optional.

3. Analyse & Leverage the Data

Once collected, group common preferences, but also treat each person’s list individually. Use this to inform:

• Recognition or reward programs (e.g., gifting a small item tied to a favourite hobby)
• Team-building or social events (e.g., lunch with favourite snacks)
• On-boarding or welcome kits personalised with a small favourite item

4. Embed Into Culture & Systems

• Create a central, accessible but secure hub for the data (e.g., HR system or intranet) where managers can view current favourites.
• Update as staff join or preferences change.
• Ensure no preference is used commercially or without consent. Use respectfully and keep it internal.

5. Monitor, Adjust & Protect

• Make sure the favourites list doesn’t become a tick-box exercise — meaningful use matters.
• Ensure invites for favourite items are inclusive and optional.
• Regularly audit for usage, feedback and whether employees feel genuinely valued.

Practical Tips & Ideas for Use

• Recognition Moments: On an employee’s work anniversary or birthday, acknowledge with an item aligned to their favourite snack or hobby.
• Team Engagement: Use favourite-things data to organise team lunches, themed games, or recognition boards referencing individual likes.
• Rewards & Gifting: Instead of generic gift cards, consider tailoring rewards: if someone enjoys a particular book genre, a voucher to a bookstore; if they love coffee from a certain brand, a gift card there.
• Workplace Micro-Gestures: Place the individual’s favourite drink on their desk after a big milestone; include a note referencing their hobby (“Thanks for hitting your target—hope this snack fuels your weekend hike!”).
• Onboarding: For new hires, create a “first week” welcome kit that includes one small item aligned to their favourite things list, signalling that you value them as a person from day one.

Privacy & Ethical Considerations

• Participation must be voluntary — employees should be comfortable with sharing or say “prefer not to answer.”
• Limit access and use data only for stated, internal recognition purposes.
• Avoid using the data in marketing or external promotions unless explicit consent is given.
• Periodically purge or archive old preferences to avoid stale or incorrect data.
• Maintain transparency: tell employees how their favourites will be used and who will have access.

Measuring Impact & Sustaining the Approach

Tracking the results of your favourite-things initiative helps evaluate return on investment and integration into culture. Consider metrics such as:

• Participation rate (percentage of employees who fill the questionnaire)
• Recognition feedback (do employees say the gestures feel meaningful?)
• Retention and engagement scores (does morale improve after implementing?)
• Frequency of tailored recognition vs generic recognition

Summary

An employee favourite-things list is a simple but powerful tool: by investing in understanding what your people like, you personalise recognition, build stronger culture, and signal that each individual matters. When handled thoughtfully — with privacy, respect and meaningful follow-up — it shifts recognition from generic to genuine. The practicality and personalisation of this approach makes it a valuable element of modern employee engagement strategy.