How do you show appreciation to your employees? Maybe you thank people for their work on a regular basis. Perhaps you spotlight team members in your workplace newsletter. Or you make it a point to celebrate milestones like work anniversaries and birthdays.
In other words, you know that recognition matters and you do your best to integrate it in your efforts. But do you celebrate Employee Appreciation Day? If not, you’re missing out on an opportunity to make employees feel appreciated while boosting engagement.
According to Harvard Business Review, workers with managers who are great at showing positive recognition are 40% more engaged than those with managers who could do better in the recognition department.
So, don’t be a manager who could do better. While you should appreciate your team year-round with frequent feedback, Employee Appreciation Day is the perfect excuse to do something a little more extravagant. Here’s what you need to know to mark the occasion effectively.
What is National Employee Appreciation Day?
Employee Appreciation Day falls on the first Friday of March every year. The event allows employers to recognize and appreciate employees for their contributions. From fun team events to office awards ceremonies, there are several ways to host an Employee Appreciation Day celebration – but the goal remains the same: show people that you value their hard work and dedication.
Why Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day?
Employee Appreciation Day isn’t just about social activities and gifts. It’s a powerful tool in your employee recognition arsenal. When done right, it leaves team members with lasting positive memories and the motivation to grow within the organization and bring their best to the table. It also boosts engagement and helps combat turnover.
According to Deloitte, a lack of recognition is the number one reason most workers leave their companies. Also, organizations with recognition programs experience 31% lower voluntary turnover and are 12 times more likely to have strong business outcomes. Finally, about half of professionals want more appreciation from their immediate manager and coworkers.
Celebrating Employee Appreciation Day isn’t about expressing gratitude to your staff once a year, but propping up an already robust culture of recognition. It’s the cherry on top of your employee appreciation cake.
Employee Appreciation Day Ideas to Reward Employees
Ready to plan the best Employee Appreciation Day celebration? From fun surprises to thoughtful employee recognition and everything in between, get inspired by the ideas below.
1. Morale-Boosting Surprises
Why not start the day with an unexpected treat? It will make people smile and set the tone for the rest of your celebrations.
- Mystery Gift Boxes: A mystery gift box can get the excitement going. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be meaningful. Put together individual packages with snacks and other small gifts.
- Spin-the-Wheel Prizes: Have people spin a prize wheel for the chance to win perks like gift cards or extra PTO.
- Surprise Treat Carts: Senior leaders can walk around with surprise treat carts – think fresh high-quality coffee and baked goods.
- Company Swag Drops: Company swag drops can be a fun way to distribute branded gear such as hoodies and water bottles.
- Golden Ticket Challenge: Hide a few “golden tickets” around the office or in virtual communications. Each ticket gives employees a chance to win a big prize. Even better – tie it to your company values for extra impact.
2. Office Fun and Games
Research shows that familiarity is good for team performance, so bonding through activities like office Olympics offers more than a dose of employee happiness.
- Office Olympics: If you have an in-person team, this is your moment to leverage the workplace to host chair races or paper airplane contests. Just be sure to find virtual activities that engage remote and hybrid team members as necessary.
- Trivia Battles: Trivia is always a good idea. Set up a company-themed trivia battle with questions that cater to both new employees and seasoned ones.
- Board Games: Board games can be a hit. Include different options and give people the option to break out in groups and play classics like Jenga or Scrabble.
- Karaoke Hour: Not everyone has impressive singing skills – but isn’t that kind of the whole point of karaoke? Let team members take the stage and bond over hilarious performances. Introverts still have a place there – they can simply abstain and enjoy the show.
3. Food and Drinks
Did you know that, according to Zerocater, 88% of employees say office snacks are important to them? Keeping employees fuelled and happy on Employee Appreciation Day is a no-brainer.
- Breakfast or Coffee Bar: Kick off the day on a high note with a gourmet coffee station and a breakfast assortment.
- Food Truck Day: If the weather permits it, bringing a local food truck for an outdoor lunch offers that “wow” factor.
- DIY Snack Stations: There’s something satisfying about DIY-ing certain foods – think, ice cream sundae bar.
- Office Happy Hour: Happy hour is a classic, so feel free to stock the break room with beer, wine and snacks for an end-of-day celebration. Make sure to include mocktails, as many people are sober-curious these days.
- Company-Paid Lunch: This one is a classic – but it’s always appreciated. Treat employees to lunch at a local restaurant or order catering.
4. Thoughtful Recognition
You’ve covered food and drinks. You’ve included surprises. You’ve planned team-building activities. Now don’t forget to integrate thoughtful recognition into your day – this is what makes Employee Appreciation Day special, after all.
- Employee Awards: Come up with categories that align with your company culture and host employee awards complete with trophies or certificates. Keep the event inclusive so different people have the opportunity to win awards.
- Thank-You Video Messages or Handwritten Notes: According to Gallup, the most memorable employee recognition comes from senior leaders. Have executives record thank-you video messages or write handwritten recognition notes.
- Social Media Spotlights: Feature employees on LinkedIn or the company newsfeed (Applauz can help you set one up) and celebrate their contributions with a meaningful post.
- Gratitude Wall: According to Gartner, peer feedback can increase performance by as much as 14%. A physical or digital gratitude wall is a simple yet powerful way to encourage shout-outs.
- Shout-Out Ceremony: Gather everyone and have managers publicly recognize outstanding performance. While some employees prefer one-on-one recognition, others thrive on being publicly praised.
5. Relaxation and Wellness
Research shows that companies that prioritize employee well-being often report improved employee satisfaction and performance. Incorporating relaxation and wellness into Employee Appreciation Day is another good idea.
- Group Workout: Hire a fitness instructor for an in-office workout class or yoga session (just be sure to communicate that it’s optional!).
- Meditation Break: Use a meditation app and invite your team into a moment of mindfulness. Various studies have revealed the benefits of meditation in the workplace, from improved well-being to increased creativity and performance. Maybe there’s someone on your team that can lead the meditation!
- Wellness Benefits: Surprise employees with new wellness perks, from free or discounted gym memberships to mental health support.
- Extra PTO Raffle: Let employees enter a raffle to win extra time off.
- Massage Break: Bring a massage therapist in for 15-minute in-office seated chair massages. It’s the perfect length to reduce stress and feel re-energized before more Employee Appreciation Day activities.
6. Work Perks and Rewards
According to Giftsenda, over half of employees (54%) see gifts as a sign of appreciation from their employer. Give employees something meaningful that they will remember long after Employee Appreciation Day is over.
- Workplace Gifts: Giftsenda data shows gifts ranging from $50 to $100 are particularly valued, with 67% of workers reporting they feel appreciated when receiving them. Looking for appropriate gift ideas? Check out these gifts for every budget.
- Bonus or Gift Cards: Don’t know what to give people? Offer rewards that they can redeem to get something they actually want. The Applauz Rewards Marketplace lets team members choose from thousands of products.
- Professional Development Stipends: Use Employee Appreciation Day as an opportunity to announce that you’re offering funding for courses, certifications or conferences.
- Flexible Work Hours: Let employees start later or leave early for the day on Employee Appreciation Day. Don’t stop there – consider introducing more flexible work policies (flexibility is one of the most valued workplace perks).
7. Team-Building and Social Activities
Science revealed that working together boosts motivation. Strengthen connections with engaging team experiences ranging from a volunteer day to an innovation contest.
- Volunteer Day: Organize a group event for employees to give back to the community. Choose from a few causes that align with company values – ask team members to vote ahead of time for the ones they care most about.
- Team Outing: You can’t go wrong with a fun team outing like bowling or axe throwing – these activities are great for fostering a friendly competition.
- Employee-Led Workshops: Encourage employees to share unique skills with others in employee-led workshops, whether they’re related to their jobs or not.
- "Shark Tank" Innovation Contest: Have employees share new business ideas in a Shark Tank-style setting. The winners get support for the execution of their idea.
8. Remote Employee Appreciation
It’s crucial to include remote team members in Employee Appreciation Day celebrations, as they are at a higher risk of disengagement overall.
- Virtual Happy Hour: Send team members a meal and drink credit and host an online gathering in parallel with an in-person one.
- Digital Gift Cards: Surprise remote and hybrid workers with digital gift cards.
- Surprise Home Deliveries: Send snack boxes, gourmet treats, branded swag, and gifts to their homes.
- Remote Team Shout-Outs: Acknowledge remote team members during the all-hands meeting – you can even feature them in an employee recognition slideshow.
Tips for a Successful Employee Appreciation Day
Planning surprises, gifts and activities for Employee Appreciation Day is only half the battle. The best practices below will help turn a fun celebration into a high-impact employee recognition effort.
Plan an Inclusive and Impactful Celebration
If Employee Appreciation Day isn’t inclusive, it can backfire. Make sure that everyone feels valued and recognized to foster a positive workplace culture and boost employee satisfaction.
Ensure remote and hybrid workers are part of the celebration
Indeed data revealed that nearly 40% of remote employees are worried about getting less interaction with, access to, and acknowledgement from upper management. Keep remote and hybrid workers engaged and connected.
Think beyond traditional events and gestures
Thank-you cards and emails are great, but getting more creative and going the extra mile to personalize your Employee Appreciation Day events can leave a lasting impression and strengthen employee engagement.
Use social media to generate excitement and engage employees
Use company communication channels, like internal social media, to generate excitement ahead of the event and to recognize employees. Public praise can amplify feelings of appreciation and foster a sense of pride in employees.
Follow up after the event to show continued appreciation and gather insights
Appreciation is a year-round affair. Following up with a quick pulse survey after the event helps you gather useful insights and also signals that recognition is a core company value. Building great HR strategies requires trial and error – but it’s also contingent on having access to data (and using it wisely to make better choices).
Make Appreciation Meaningful and Personalized
Meaningful, personalized recognition is proven to be more effective. Even though you may be hosting group events for Employee Appreciation Day, it’s crucial to make employees feel personally acknowledged.
Engage employees in the process
When employees have a say in how they are recognized, recognition efforts are more meaningful and effective. So, involve people in the process of crafting the perfect Employee Appreciation Day. Conduct an employee survey to find out what they value the most.
Write meaningful notes to acknowledge individuals
Acknowledge individual contributions through your employee recognition platform or with handwritten messages (research shows older employees value the latter).
Highlight achievements with a hall of fame
Creating a physical or virtual space to showcase outstanding contributions and achievements is another good idea. It sends the message, again, that recognition matters – and it helps raise the bar for performance.
Give personalized gifts that align with employees’ interests
A Tremendous study revealed that most employees don’t receive workplace gifts they actually value. However, when they do, the positive impact is felt for months – 75% of workers experience increased job satisfaction for over three months after receiving the right gift.
Celebrate work anniversaries and milestones
Employee Appreciation Day can be a good time to recognize tenure. Highlighting work anniversaries rewards loyalty and can motivate employees to stay and grow within the company (provided that you give them opportunities for advancement, of course).
Use Employee Appreciation Day as a Springboard for Long-Term Recognition
Remember that employee recognition should happen every day of the year for the best results. Companies with recognition-rich cultures outperform others, as sustained appreciation has a positive impact on engagement and business outcomes such as employee retention.
To reinforce a culture of continuous appreciation and to enjoy results such as reduced employee turnover, increased productivity and higher job satisfaction, build a well-rounded employee recognition program that involves a variety of efforts.
Since different people value different things, the best recognition programs include a mix of recognition types across all levels of the organization.
Leveraging the Right Employee Recognition Tech
Leveraging the right tech is key: A platform like Applauz can help you align your efforts with your unique culture and needs while baking employee recognition into your systems and operations.
For example, employees can earn personalized Badges that are congruent with core company values. You can also gamify recognition efforts and have people earn points when they get a shout-out – they can later exchange the points for rewards in the rewards marketplace.
Managers can use automated reminders for milestones such as work anniversaries and birthdays, making sure that no special event goes unacknowledged.
The company newsfeed can become a place to spotlight employees across the organization and highlight individual contributions.
The best part? You’ll have access to analytics that will inform your efforts and help you tailor your employee recognition tactics. For example, you’ll find out which features of your employee recognition program people use most frequently.
Celebrating Employee Appreciation Day is a great way to show employees that you value them, and the tips and ideas above should help you plan a successful event. However, making employee recognition a part of your organization’s DNA will take you that much further in the long run.
