employee appreciation day

There are so many fun and easy ways to recognize workers on Employee Appreciation Day! Photo via UFCW Local 400, Flickr.

The first Friday in March is National Employee Appreciation Day, and hopefully you have big plans to show your workers how much you value each and every one of them. If you haven’t made plans, don’t worry, it’s not too late! Use some of these last-minute ideas to inspire your gratitude.

Remember that, as Forbes contributors David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom write in “4 Commonly Asked Questions About National Employee Appreciation Day,” while it’s great to celebrate the day, the most important thing is that you acknowledge it, and the meaning behind it.

“We hear from companies who throw parties, have lunches catered, and do special things for their employees on National Employee Appreciation Day. But, we also know of companies who simply acknowledge the day by communicating to their employees that the goal isn’t just to celebrate once a year but instead build a culture of appreciation.”

Employee Appreciation Day is the perfect time to reinforce your culture of recognition. Recognize employees’ efforts on Friday and remind them that you’re grateful for them year-round. It can be as simple as a thoughtful visit to share your personal thanks, a note of thanks, or something to brighten the day and make employees feel valued.

Read on for easy ideas to energize your Employee Appreciation Day in your workplace!

Last Minute Ideas for Employee Appreciation Day

Share Your Personal Thanks

  • Spend Friday walking around the office and personally thanking everyone for their contributions. Call reports who are not in the office.
  • Write and hand out thank you notes.
  • Gather everyone and thank them as a group, even have them give themselves a round of applause.

Give Everyone Prizes, Because They’re All Winners

  • Hand out tickets for a free lunch.
  • Maybe even better, tickets for a half-day off.
  • What about a gift certificate for pizza that they can enjoy with family or friends?
  • Distribute bags of gold chocolate coins, fortune cookies with thank you messages or some other treasure.

Host a Surprise Party

  • Bring in breakfast.
  • Have lunch catered.
  • Enjoy an ice cream sundae making party.
  • Take everyone out bowling.
  • Hire a balloon artist.

Bring Services to Work

  • Hire on-site car washers.
  • Bring in a juice bar and staff it.
  • Have massage therapists come to the office.

There are so many fun and creative ways to recognize your most valued asset, your employees!

Show love and say thank you to your colleagues with an ‘Appreciation board” says Niklas Jansen, cofounder of Blinklist. What a great idea!! Why not kick-off your celebration dedicating a gratitude board so employees can post notes of thanks for each other whenever they are inspired or see great work?

However you choose to commemorate Employee Appreciation Day, make sure you remind people of why you’re celebrating, and that it’s just one of the many times you plan to thank them. And, be sure to remember all your employees who work third-shifts or outside the office. Include them in the appreciation fun too!

We wish you and your colleagues workplace love and appreciation on Employee Appreciation Day and everyday!
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Want more practical tips to build your everyday culture of appreciation?
Download gThankYou’s FREE Day-to-Day Celebration Calendar for tips on how to plan daily recognition and organize regular celebrations throughout the year. This one-of-a-kind eBook will help you to build an everyday culture of appreciation with month-by-month guides, case studies, research highlights, how-to recognition advice and celebration ideas for specific holidays and anytime.
Download your free copy now!

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