How to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day 2020
Friday 6th March 2020 is Employee Appreciation Day which is now widely recognised in the US, UK and Canada.
This national day is an opportunity for employers to show their employees that they appreciate all the hard work their employees have contributed to the growth and success of their business.
If you work in HR, you are probably well aware of Employee Appreciation Day and that showing your employees your appreciation is not just a one-day event.
Ensuring your employees feel appreciated is a long-term strategy which includes many elements such as; culture, engagement, reward and recognition to ultimately increase staff retention, happiness and productivity.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get involved in Employee Appreciation Day as the gesture you make on this day will be appreciated by your employees and can be a part of your overall staff engagement strategy.
There are many small or large gestures you could make and we have made a list of some ideas to get you started.
10 ways to thank your employees on Employee Appreciation Day
Thank you card – a simple thank you is sometimes all you need. Thanking your employees should be done on a regular basis and for specific tasks that they have done to make the most impact.
Surprise gift (desk drop) – a small gift as a ‘surprise and delight’ left on your employees’ desks for them to find when they come into work.
Office make over – Is your office looking a bit drab and uninspiring? Why not give it a ‘changing rooms’ style makeover? It’s amazing the difference a lick of paint and some real plants can make.
Order takeaway – Food is always a winner! Feed your employees and order a takeaway to the office. Did someone say free pizza?!
Go out for lunch – If you can take all your employees out of the office for a couple of hours, why not go for a pub lunch as a nice treat to end the week.
Give an extra day holiday – Now this is something we think all employees would love – an extra day off! They can use it to spend precious time with their family, a spa day to de-stress or even do some volunteering work for charity.
Organise a social event – Regular social events can really help a team bond, which in turn makes for a happy workplace. Try organising a social event every couple of months to keep spirits high.
Play games – organise some games in the office to make the day fun and bring teams together who may not usually interact.
Sweet treats – Indulge your staff with sweet treats such as cupcakes, doughnuts or Haribo.
Something quirky – If you’re feeling adventurous and want to do something a bit quirky, how about hiring an artist to do a stylish portrait/caricature of each employee as a keepsake to frame and keep on their desk?