One week to go for the official “unofficial” Employee Appreciation Day holiday - in case this is news to you its March 1st!
At Engage2Excel we know really terrific people are hard to find, that’s why we believe in the power of delivering appreciation and recognition moments to employees all year long…but we admit we get a little giddy for fun days like this throughout the year to show employees how much you value them.
It's no secret that there are hundreds of ideas out there ranging from no budget to elaborate funding, so we pulled together our favorite ideas (from zero dollars to a little bit of a budget) to help you create an Employee Appreciation Day experience for your employees.
7 Ideas for Celebrating Employee Appreciation Day
1. Create a “Thank you” train. We don’t mean creating a paper thank you train, more like a train of managers & executives to travel to the building(s) and visit every office, cube or workstation to thank employees in person, even share a hand or two!
2. Cheers from peers. Who said employee appreciation has to come from the top down? Create a designated appreciation wall in your building/office area. Provide employees with paper, markers, stickers, etc. and let them unleash their inner artist. Nothing says recognition than a bunch of appreciation & recognition notes for everyone to see!
3. Handwritten notes. The art of writing is not dead. Ask managers to write a personalized card for each individual on their team. Go the extra mile and get the executive team to sign each employee’s card.
4. Feed them. I don’t know many people who wouldn’t show up for a catered breakfast, a special luncheon or breakroom with cupcakes & balloons! Create a special invite and bring everyone together to eat, but most importantly thank them for all they do for the organization.
5. Give a gift. We all know employees like free swag! Think outside of the box and go for a phone stand or even a blue tooth speaker, better yet give each employee a specially designed cookie or a bag full of goodies to savor the day!
6. Make it social. Most organizations have corporate social media platforms, so use them to express your gratitude and thank all employees with a fun, creative post.
7. Time off. Considering Employee Appreciation Day lands on a Friday, go old school let everyone out early with pay. Or, be creative and design a “day off” voucher and give the employees the opportunity to choose the day they want to leave early.
Whether you are already prepared or needed this inspiration to jump-start your festivities, the most important thing is that you thank your employees for their hard work and effort throughout the year. A little recognition can go a long way in retaining your employees and keeping them satisfied.
DOWNLOAD a fun version of 7 Ideas for Celebrating Employee Appreciation Day!
