How to Celebrate on a Tight Budget

Posted on June 13th, 2022 by Alicia Alexander

Photo by Braňo on Unsplash

Organizations often shy away from celebrations when on a tight budget. We’ve all been there! But a small budget shouldn’t impede employee appreciation and recognition. Never forget that a “thank you” is free! But there are many ways to share gratitude that don’t end up costing a fortune. We have many ideas for how to celebrate with little time or money.

Volunteer Together

A wonderful idea is to organize a service opportunity for teams. By partnering with a nonprofit, there is often very little prep work to do but to bring people to help! Public Service Day is June 23, providing an excellent reason to start thinking about community relations. Not only is it usually good PR and goodwill, but the act of service really brings people together.

“America’s Charities Snapshot Employee Research found that 71% of employees surveyed say it’s imperative or very important to work where culture is supportive of giving and volunteering. When strategically integrated with your company’s business goals and values, involving employees in a mix of volunteer work, skills giving, workplace giving programs, and matching gift opportunities gives employees a sense of purpose, and makes them feel more connected to the community and your company-wide social responsibility efforts.”

Build Experiences

A tight budget is an excellent reason to focus on spending TIME together. Tap into talented employees to offer special experiences for others. Ask staff with strong skills to share their gifts with the team. For example, arrange an employee talent show, art exhibit, origami demonstration or guided meditation session. The possibilities are as endless as your team’s talent and enthusiasm.