Money... that's what they want

It's true, employees yearn to be appreciated, but they'd prefer if the kudos came in dollar form.

In a recent survey by staffing service OfficeTeam, nearly half (48%) of respondents said that a bonus or raise tops their wish list at work. The next most popular response was "more time off" (24%), and "more help at the office, such as an assistant or someone to delegate projects to" was third (17%).

"What the survey may really be telling us is that employees are feeling undervalued, overworked and spread too thin," says Diane Domeyer, OfficeTeam executive director. "A raise or bonus is a tangible, meaningful reward."

If budgets remain tight, she suggests giving workers more vacation or schedule flexibility, which can be a motivation builder. "Compensation may top the wish list, but employees also want an enriching work experience."