Although we should be celebrating our employees’ successes every day, sometimes tasks can get in the way and employee appreciation can become low on the priority list. Luckily, there is a whole day dedicated to appreciating our hardworking and devoted team-mates and it’s approaching very soon.
Founded in 1995 by Dr Bob Nelson, Employee Appreciation Day was created in response to National Boss Day and is now celebrated across the globe. The day aims to bring awareness to employees that go above and beyond for their company and presents itself as a chance for the top-level managers to show their appreciation.
With this year’s Employee Appreciation Day fast approaching, we wanted to share some tips on how to celebrate the day properly. It doesn’t have to be a day of showering your team with gifts or taking them out for a fancy dinner; the littlest of things can make such a big impact. Whether you’re a big corporate business or a smaller sized company with around 10-50 employees, there are plenty of ways you can make this day great for you and your team.
Team Breakfast
Research has found that more than a quarter of Britons are now skipping breakfast because they can’t find the time to fit it into their busy schedules. It’s clear that a large proportion of workers value getting to work on time and not facing the wrath of their boss rather than having a nutritious breakfast to start them off for the day. Not only could this lead to an unhealthy lifestyle but it’s also a major sign of an unhealthy working environment and bad leadership.
A buffet-style breakfast is a great way to bring your team together and to let managers interact and get to know employees they have little contact with. This also means your team aren’t missing out on the most important meal of the day and have a hearty breakfast to get them ready for the working day ahead.
Team Activities
Whether this be a pub quiz or a team Ping Pong tournament. Having activities on for your team will break up the working day and give them a break from staring at a computer screen all day. It’s also a perfect way to bring your team together and get the competitive juices flowing.
Get Personal
Show appreciation to your staff by giving out personal gifts. This could be as simple as a personalised ‘Thank You’ card or a ‘goodie bag’ filled with your employee’s favourite things. You could include tonnes of things in this without breaking the bank, i.e. chocolate, stress balls, coffee voucher. Handing out goodie bags are also great for businesses with remote staff and deskless workers to show their appreciation. A simple but effective way to say thanks to your staff and I can guarantee it will put smiles on their faces.
Celebrate in Style
Don’t just end the celebrations after the working day has finished. Carry on the party with some after-work drinks or organise a post-work team activity. Having employees who get on and enjoy each other’s company is crucial to a happy workplace. Which is why it is so important to have socialising activities as a team to encourage communication and promote bonds.
Summary
If you were stuck for ideas on how to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day before reading this blog, hopefully, this has inspired you to create a fun, appreciation filled day for your employees.
Even though there is a whole day dedicated to it, appreciating your employees should be something that’s done every day. A simple ‘Thank you’ can go a long way and will show your employees that you value everything they do for the company. Follow this mantra throughout the whole year and your employees will stick to you like glue.