5 Ways To Celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day
Updated: Jun 23, 2021
March 6th, 2020, marks National Employee Appreciation Day! How are you going to celebrate and honor your employees? If you're like most businesses, who celebrate the unofficial holiday, you will offer a simple breakfast or lunch spread.
Free food is always appreciated, but you don't need to stop there. Showcasing your gratitude towards your most important asset can be shown in many different ways. After all, your business couldn't run without the support of your loyal employees!
Here are a couple of creative ideas on what your business can do to show a little appreciation to your employees.
The History Of National Employee Appreciation Day
Often thought to have been created by Bob Nelson, National Employee Day can be traced back to 1995. There, Bob was a founding board member on the Recognition Professional International Board. He pushed for the first Friday of every March to be a day of recognition and the importance of appreciating employees for their dedication to hard work and service.
In reality, this day is one to make a connection with your employees. Take advantage of this opportunity to truly show appreciation for the actions you make, not the words you say.
It is often thought that companies who show their recognition to their employees often get higher productivity, efficiency, and lower turnover rates. This goes into the notion that you want your business to grow with managers promoted from within your company, not hired in. This is a perfect way to gain more connectivity and get to know your workers in a social scenario than with National Employee Appreciation Day.
Fun Events for Employee Appreciation Day
1 ) Hold A Meeting To Celebrate Small Accomplishments
Positive reinforcement and acknowledgment have been shown to increase productivity from employees. Take this time to show appreciation to the individuals that have put effort into your business.
Instead of going to their desk and acknowledging them in passing, you can have a quick company meeting as a way to appreciate your employees publically. This creates a fun break in the morning and an opportunity for you to showcase your gratitude. Make the meeting enjoyable, let everyone know that this can be a time to relax and unwind. Here are some fun ways you can make the meeting memorable:
Introduce a breakfast spread for everyone to enjoy
Decorate the meeting room with flowers, posters, and get creative
Give your employees a chance to nominate their peers
Do a gift card raffle
Showcase how the business has grown to show progress
Readout great reviews of your business, with employee names, if able, to raise morale
Have coffee and juices out