A Guide to Employee Appreciation Day: 10 Ways to Celebrate with Your Employees 

Employee Appreciation Day!

What exactly is Employee Appreciation Day and how come all the IT industries are celebrating this with such passion? We are sure, even you might have asked about the “PURPOSE” of this day once in your lifetime. That’s the reason why we have come up with this yet another employee engagement blog, that will talk about the basics and work as a helpful guide into celebrating this occasion.

From getting to know “What, Why, Who & How” to understanding the relation and benefits, let’s find out the itsy bitsy of Employee Appreciation Day!

When & Why Is Employee Appreciation Day Celebrated?

Did you know that the term Employee Appreciation Day was coined by Dr. Bob Nelson to celebrate the publication of his book 1,001 Ways to Reward Employees back in 1995? Yes! In his book he reminded every employer on how they can show appreciation to their employees upon good work.

But when and why is it celebrated?
This special day takes place on the first Friday of March every year. It is a day to show that you value your employees and their hard work. To make them believe that they are an integral part of the team, contributing to a greater mission in an organization.

How to Write Your Employee Appreciation Note?

Whenever you’re writing an employee appreciation note, you must ensure that it’s simple, clear and communicates your message about why you are appreciating them and delivers a positive impact. Be sure to make your note handy.

Now that you know how to write your own appreciation note, here are some great ways to share gratitude to your colleagues.

This is definitely a great day for every employee out there because when employees feel appreciated at work, they perform at their best levels. According to a report by GPTW, it turns out that a simple message like “thank you” from a colleague can ignite a 69% increase in their chances of putting that extra effort towards work. So, why not celebrate this day to the fullest?

10 Ways to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

Surprise Your Employees with a Sponsored Lunch

Who doesn’t like a treat and especially when your team is giving it to you then it is extra special. Hence, consider surprising your employees with a box full of tasty treats or take them out for a lunch party. This way you will encourage wellness and at the same time by providing them with delicious healthy meal options. We are sure your team will adore you for this.

A Short & Sweet Tribute Video

Another way you can showcase appreciation is through a short and sweet tribute video. Put together a short video and ask if the C-suite or Leadership team would like to be a part of this. If they agree, that’s a win-win situation! So, for the video, keep it short and thank the employees for the efforts and great work they do each day. This kind of gesture will create unity in an organization and promote healthy space that’s needed in an organization.

Send Hand-Written Notes

You can send out personalized notes to each employee on your team. Recognize their efforts and create a sweet message that you appreciate the most about them. You can also make use of an employee engagement platform and try to make these thank you notes public for even greater engagement. This will make them feel appreciated in a wider audience and will enhance their productivity.

A Thoughtful Gift

A gift that is meaningful is a great way to appreciate your colleague. You can give them specialized gifts catered to their specific needs. For instance, if your colleague is interested in technology and loves to keep up with market trends, you can give them a headphone or if they are interested in reading books all the time then you can give them a Kindle.

Conduct Thank You Thursdays

You can come up with your own initiative like how AIT Global does. We have our own initiative “Thank You Thursday” where each employee sends a handwritten note or uses a template to send out Thank You notes to their favorite employee. We feel this is a great way to enhance productivity in the office and encourage your employees to come up with their own creative ideas by sending notes. Some of our employees have sent personalized poetries and quotes to their colleagues. If you liked the idea, then try it out in your office.

A Fun Photo Booth Session

Everybody loves a great click with their colleague! Try having a photo booth in your office or a standee where you can take photos with your colleague. It’s a fun way to capture the moment and celebrate Employee Appreciation Day at the office. Choose a vendor that provides digital copy and save them and show it to your colleague on special occasions.

Host a Game Day

A fun game day at the office? Sounds fun right? Well! It is, if you host board games, cricket, darts or even card games, it promote activeness in your employees. It will create a sense of adrenaline rush in your employees and help to activate their dopamine, boosting productivity.

Show Your Support by Offering Paid Courses

Support your employees by offering them paid continuous learning courses related to work or personal interests. Continuous learning is important to develop their skills for the long run. Recognize the employees who need support and show your token of appreciation by enrolling them in these advanced classes.

A Virtual Cooking Session

Usually, we all get so engrossed in our work that a fun little virtual cooking session will come as a boost of happiness. We are sure that your employees will love this cooking session and promote connection with their colleagues. Either you can go with a pro chef or have one of the team members volunteer to teach their favourite recipe with the team members. We are sure it will create a surprise factor for your employees where you will definitely be able to see big smiles on their faces.

Offer Training & Mentorship Program

Providing opportunities for development through training programs is the best way to show appreciation on this Employee Appreciation Day. For instance, AIT Global conducts PMP sessions that are held by industry experts for the employees, where they talk about technical trends and how to master them in a fun and advanced learning session. If you want, you can provide an in-house mentorship program like this that pairs employees with more senior team members and promotes upskilling.

Final Note:

As we come to the end of this guide to Employee Appreciation Day, it’s clear that a little gratitude can go a long way. Whether it’s a quick “thank you” note, a thoughtful gift, or a fun game day, the impact of showing appreciation to your colleagues works truly like a blessing. It’s about creating a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to bring their A-game.

With Employee Appreciation Day just around the corner, take a moment to think about how you can make your team members feel truly appreciated. Whether it’s a surprise lunch, a heartfelt handwritten note, or a virtual cooking session, the options are endless.

Let’s make this Employee Appreciation Day a memorable one, celebrating the hard work and dedication of our colleagues. After all, a little appreciation goes a long way! Isn’t it? So, what are you waiting for, start jotting the points and write your own appreciation message.

Till then cheers to a day filled with gratitude and joy!