Employee Favorite Things List: The Healthy Way

Hi there, we're Wakeout - a 2020 iPhone app of the year and a bunch of healthy work eager beavers. Anything to do with salubrious and physically active 9-5 arrangements - that's where we grew roots. Our goal is to turn the tables on a sedentary lifestyle and help a modern workforce regain the vigor and positive outlook on their daily hustles. Today's topic - favorite things list - is just teeny-tiny residue on that mission - and a neat way to actually get to know your people.

In 2023, companies are finding it challenging to navigate the number of phenomena that are shaking modern workplaces. It's becoming increasingly more complicated. A first sign that started - and gained cadence - with pandemics and WFH bargain, eventually took the form of quiet quitting, record-breaking burnout rates, and disengaged work. And whenever companies are struggling, it's a sign that employees do too.

Taking you to the source of the problem...

Such a vast array of issues demands a remedy on multiple fronts - of course. A simple trick or procedure won't break the mold. However, treatment of the root cause - even if it means running a free survey or handing out form - might help ease the collective aches. Better that than mindlessly balancing the problems by stacking up employee benefits. Remedying the epicenter might turn out to be more fruit-bearing and less costly. Now, you may wonder what this cause might be.

Well, it seems as though employees are starting to feel increasingly irrelevant.

With emerging tech hubbub thrown around like free pennies - reality-shifting AI, edge computing, metaverses, and whatnot - people can't help but spot that none of these phrases are about them. Not to mention the overall feeling of career scares, inflationary pressures, and sedentary health issues employees have picked up post-pandemic.

When this issue is not addressed, people are finding it hard to believe they matter - hence the measured lack of contribution by some (quiet quitting), and their burned-out co-workers throwing some elbow grease to fill the gaps. Good luck with burnouts because they're not employee favorites!

The story of Stacy

Although a pseudonym name, Stacy's story is a real-life one. We were lucky enough to learn about it in our Healthy Work community on Discord.

Her story is that of encouragement and depression recovery. Struggles she got free of with a little push from a supportive company ecosystem and physical activity during work. The organization she's still gladly a part of decided to act against an arising set of issues - detachment, no sense of community, and work-life imbalance. The way they've done it - and to everyone's best experience - was by encouraging personal growth. Yup, during work! Actually, by turning a willing ear, they've built a community that celebrates the values of individual growth and self-care.

The supportive community has everyone set personal SMART goals at the beginning of each month. During an ongoing month - without any penalties or forced agenda - they talk through the issues and encourage each other. The results were, and still are, astounding.

It's so supportive - there are no penalties for failing to meet the goal, but it is just cool to see how we all progress and try - says Stacy.

Please note that the moral of the story is not that companies should apply the same tools - like, say, employee favorites list or growth communities. The point, instead, is that companies need to get to know the people! They need a way to know their favorite things, meet their needs, and show that they actually care. Today we bring you just one of the tools you can use to enforce a collective grin - employee favorites list.

Employee Favorite Things List

A woman saying that's her favorite thing too

Personal recognition and rewards play an all-important role in keeping company morale high. This is why having a tool to gain insights into your employees' wants and wishes is paramount. Said in plain English, you need to get to know your people.

The Employee Favorites List was created with this philosophy in mind. Just like room parents and teachers do with their students, the goal is to get to know your people and show some love by the means of favorite things list. Oh btw, there is teacher favorite things list as well.

A Favorite Things template provides an easy and budget-friendly way to survey employees on their fancies - employees' birthdays, favorite treats, food, etc. Upon collecting the data, companies are walking away with gems that allow them to create and customize rewards with a personal touch or refine their employee programs.

The Favorite Things List leaves space for creativity, too!

Things like favorite food, favorite healthy snacks, to music, books, music, and magazines - you'll know about it if you decide to collect information. Plus, favorite things tool can be used as a thoughtful reward or gesture in a multitude of ways. Hand out a Favorite Things Form, get your creative juices flowing, and get to know your employees better!

Favorite Things Template

Most Favorite Things templates you'll find online are great. However - with questions about snacks, candies, and pizza toppings - favorite things form is not usually a way to create a health-nurturing environment. We decided to tweak this digital file a bit. Here's a healthy version of your favorite things list jotted here in the article. At the bottom, you can as well download a digital pdf file!

Expect to see the form questions that can help you run a personal healthy meal planner or ergonomic program.

Here! Get to know your people with a healthy and free version of your Favorite Things Questionnaire. Have your managers share this over team channels and get your favorite people to fill in the blanks.