Happy Employee Appreciation Day! We hope you’re ready to celebrate the people who make your business great. While a sincere thank you is a great way to kick things off, we wanted to share a few ideas to help you go the extra mile for your team.
A recent survey found that 37% of employees would feel motivated to boost their productivity if they could just get a little personal recognition. Therefore, employee appreciation has to be a year-round priority if you want to nurture and retain your top talent. People want to know their work is valued, and there’s no better time to kick off your praise party than Employee Appreciation Day.
Of course, you don’t have to break the bank to show your employees that you care. Sometimes all you need is a bit of creativity and a lot of sincerity. In this blog, we’ll lay out tips to help you celebrate Employee Appreciation Day and beyond.
Personalize your “Thank you”
A company-wide message of appreciation is a nice way to open up the festivities, but without a personal touch, it can ring a bit hollow. If you’re a smaller organization, consider reaching out to your employees individually with a message highlighting their work and how much their contributions mean to your business. One of the benefits of a leaner team is the ability to forge closer bonds with your team, so take advantage of that while you can.
For larger companies, it’s likely unrealistic for executives to reach out to every employee individually. In that case, we have a couple of other options for you. First, instead of a plain old email, try incorporating a video message into your Employee Appreciation Day communications. This slight adjustment feels more sincere than a note, and it’ll be more likely to catch your people’s attention during the day.
Although the video message makes for an upgrade, it’s no replacement for personalized appreciation. To ensure your people feel seen for what they contribute daily, have their managers join the festivities. Managers have an up-close view of each employee’s impact, so encourage them to send a personalized message or say thanks over a Zoom meeting!
Surprise them with gifts
Employee Appreciation Day gifts don’t need to be extravagant. In fact, this token of appreciation can be anything. Of course, gift cards are always a popular choice to reward employees. If you can take it a step further, personalized presents would show your team that you know them and you care. But at the end of the day, everyone can get behind a surprise gift. Though, if your budget is tight this time of year, it may be better to try another route. Essentially, if the gift card won’t cover their latte, it may not be worth the trouble.
Have an Employee Appreciation Day Lunch
Good food and drinks can brighten anyone’s day. So consider celebrating Employee Appreciation Day with a happy hour or catered lunch. Your employees will love the break in their day, the good food, and the high spirits.
If you have time, send out a poll asking what people want. Otherwise, surprise them! Now, you may be a remote-first workplace. In that case, schedule a team lunch over Zoom, and email your employees a DoorDash or GrubHub gift card. Then, everyone can get in on the fun with the food they love most.
Hand out awards
Forget about the Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys. All the buzz at your office will be focused on the Employees. Show your team you care with a company-wide award ceremony for Employee Appreciation Day. The extent of the program is up to you. The awards can be designed PDFs, trophies, gift cards, vacations, or anything you have the time and bandwidth to create. Everyone can dress up and go all out, or it can be a nice add-on to a meeting.
If you don’t have time to put the ceremony together today, you can start with the groundwork. First, create the categories (keep it fun), and send out nomination forms to your employees. Then, they can nominate their coworkers and gather, virtually or in person, for the results at your next company all-hands. This is a great way to show specific appreciation to top performers and bring everyone together to celebrate each other’s hard work.
Give your employees a half-day
Although we’re sure your employees love their jobs, they’ll probably be grateful for a chance to head home early and relax with their families. If you’re able to, celebrate Employee Appreciation Day with a half-day. Offering surprise time off is an excellent way to show your employees that you’ve seen their dedication and appreciate their contributions. However, you may need a bit more notice to put this plan into action, so consider announcing a half-day soon in celebration of your team’s work.
ADDA cultivates company cultures
Our consultants know how to make every day feel like Employee Appreciation Day. With our help, you can develop a culture built on appreciation and productivity. Contact us today to learn how ADDA creates company cultures that attract and retain top talent.
