Employee Appreciation Day 2022 Shouldn’t Be The Only Cause For Celebration!
Employee Appreciation Day 2022 was on the 4th March this year - It was a great opportunity for businesses to reflect on all the hard work their employees have done, especially with the challenges of the pandemic.
This national day allows employers to show support for employees and reflect on all the ways they have contributed towards business growth and success.
Many employers use this national day as an excuse to halt the usual day to day running of the business and do something a little bit special.
However, showing an appreciation for employees should not just be a one-day event and those who have worked in HR will be aware of this fact.
Employee appreciation is an ongoing strategy and should play a huge part in your reward agenda too. It includes many elements such as culture, engagement, reward, and recognition to increase employee retention, happiness, and productivity.
Our guide will take you through a few different ideas of how to celebrate your people all year round. Let’s get into it!
Thank You Cards
One of the simplest yet most effective ways of showing employee appreciation is with thank you cards. Sometimes a simple thank you is all that is needed for your team to feel appreciated. Make sure to be specific about any tasks they have completed that made the most impact.
When writing a thank you card for employees you will want to make sure that you get the message just right. Here are a few template examples you can use:
Thank you for Your Hard Work
“Dear (name of employee)
Thank you for assisting (job title), (employee name) on the recent project. We are delighted with your ongoing dedication to achieving the best for our company. The management team greatly appreciates your efforts.
Kind Regards,
(Insert name)
Thank you for a Sales Performance
Dear (Employee's name)
Congratulations on recently achieving the sales target for the (month/year!) On behalf of the management team, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued hard work, determination and overall fantastic performance. We would like to take this opportunity to assure you that your efforts are significantly appreciated.
Kind regards,
(Insert name)
Gifts and Desk Drops
A surprise gift that is left on the desk is a great way to show employee appreciation. It is important to note that it is often not the size of the gift that is important. For many, it is the thought that counts and there are many different options you can choose from.
Mugs and Flasks
Many of us rely on coffee and tea to get through a gruelling workday. For this reason, mugs and flasks make for really great gifts for employees. You can even find one with a personalised thank you message to really highlight your appreciation. These allow you to be really thoughtful and specific as there is bound to be a mug picturing a favourite tv show or movie an employee likes. The more personalised the better as it will show that you have taken the time to think about the employee as an individual.
Gift Sets
Sometimes it can be hard to narrow down what gifts to buy employees to a single item. Gift sets allow you to provide employees with a range of small goodies to show your support and appreciation. You can buy these online or can even make them yourself if you want to be really creative! You can include anything from sweets, to gift vouchers and alcoholic beverages, provided that the employees drink alcohol!
An Office Makeover
Another great way to celebrate your employees is with a swanky new office makeover. This is a great way to breathe new life into a drab and uninspiring office space. This doesn’t have to be a huge project either, a simple lick of paint and some real plants can make a real difference.
Fresh new office spaces can also go a long way in increasing employee motivation and morale. Get creative with the decoration and make for a more inspiring office space. The addition of plants can also help benefit employees’ physical health as it will help keep the air clean.
Order a Takeaway!
Good food is always a surefire way to impress employees and get them excited. You can opt to have pizza ordered to the office or alternatively you can take staff out for a sit-down lunch to let loose and discuss success over the business year.
Make sure if you choose this option to account for any vegetarian or vegans in the office as well as those with any other specific dietary requirements. This will be important in ensuring that everyone can join in on the well-needed celebration!
An Extra Holiday!
Especially if your 2022 has been stressful and fast-paced, a well needed day off can do wonders for an employee's mental and physical health. If you can afford this, it can be hugely beneficial in allowing employees extra time to spend with friends and family. They may even take the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing spa day or do some volunteering work for charity!
Organise a Social Event
Regular social events are perfect opportunities to help a team bond. This in turn will help make for a happier and more productive workplace. You should consider holding a social event for Employee Appreciation day but also every couple of months or so to maintain high spirits amongst employees.
These events can also be a great opportunity for new employees or staff who are not yet fully familiar to get to know each other better and possibly make new friends.
There are many simple yet fun and exciting work outings that you can consider. For example, you could take the team out bowling or for a sit-down dinner at a nice restaurant.
Office Games
Why not bring out the inner-child in your employees with some fun office games as a well-needed break from the workday. Perhaps someone in the office has a Nintendo Wii complete with multiplayer games that can be bought in for an hour of entertainment! Alternatively, you could hold an office sports day! Complete with an around the office egg and spoon race and more! Just be sure to keep obstructions out of the way to avoid any injuries!
Get Creative!
Should you feel adventurous and wish to try something different, why not try something a little quirkier. Perhaps, you could hire an artist to do a stylish portrait or caricature of each employee as something fun to keep on their desks!
Final Thoughts Employee Appreciation
Remember that celebrating your employees’ hard work shouldn’t be limited to one day of the year. Hopefully, the annual Employee Appreciation Day should act as a fresh start to regularly reward and thank the staff for all their hard work.
There are a wide variety of ways to reward employees as mentioned above. These ideas do not need to break the bank either. Simple gifts such as thank you cards and tasty treats will go a long way in showing staff that they are being thought of and that they are appreciated.
There are many aspects to making employees feel appreciated long term. These include many elements such as culture, engagement, reward, and recognition. These factors will help to increase staff retention and overall happiness. Being cared for by your employer can also help motivate you as an employee which improves productivity.
The current pandemic over the last few years has put a strain on many aspects of our lives. Many of us have been working tirelessly and often remotely, negatively impacting work-life balance. 2022 is the year when workers should definitely be recognized for their hard work and dedication. Get creative and use some of the examples listed above as ways to show that you care!
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