Employee Appreciation Day – What is it?

Can anything be more important than ensuring staff feels appreciated and giving them the impression that they are important? Appreciation Day is a fantastic opportunity to positively impact employees and provide a mentally and physically healthy working environment. After all, employee contentment boosts the company’s production. This day was intended to recognize employees’ hard work, devotion, and dedication and reward them appropriately. It also strives to promote pleasure and enthusiasm to the employees.

Around 70% of employees said they would be more motivated if their superiors recognized or expressed admiration for their work and efforts. Having a good management system, a vacation strategy, considering employee grievances, introducing presents, preparing social activities (games), and assuring that work is distributed equally rather than burdening chores to only one person are few vital steps to ensure that your employees remain happy and satisfied.

What is Employee Appreciation Day?

Each year on the first Friday in March, an informal holiday known as Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated. It was the initiative of Bob Nelson, a founding board member of Recognition Professionals International. In 1995, Nelson worked with his publishing business, Workman Publishing, to make the holiday visible on business calendars. It is a day when employers express gratitude to their employees for their dedication and commitment across the year. This day was intended to boost the relationship between the employer and the employee.

The concept of dedicating an entire day to honoring employees’ accomplishments was not new but placing a semi-official day on calendars, on the other hand, spurred a staff honor campaign that is still going strong today. Employee Appreciation Day has become a renowned custom in the United States during the last 25 years, with major media such as Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and Boston.com frequently covering the occasion.

Employee Appreciation Day is one of the finest yearly chances for management, company executives, and HR to emphasize the value of staff appreciation. Employee contentment and pleasure are driven by acknowledgment and gratitude, which can benefit anything from recruiting to attrition.

After all, maintaining the relationship and maintaining the vitality and enthusiasm alive in a work environment is all about “compassion,” “thankfulness,” and “versatility.” When employees feel acknowledged, accepted, respected, and a team member, they are more likely to stay. Professionals are highly motivated when their supervisors take steps to guarantee that they are recognized for their efforts. It makes an employee happy, raises confidence, deepens ties, and makes the workplace tension-free and enjoyable.

It’s critical to commend the staff for a task effectively accomplished particularly when several individuals suffer from pandemic stress. Employees love it when they are recognized because it shows them that their effort is important. And, in the prevailing atmosphere, a little professional admiration might go a fair distance toward increasing employee spirits.  You also don’t have to limit your recognition to just one day! Gratitude is tax-free, and showing your team some love on Employee Appreciation Day and thereafter is always a good idea.

Why should you celebrate Employee Appreciation Day?

It is just a clear, logical calculation: everyone who works for a profession, including organizational leadership, wants to be recognized and rewarded for their accomplishments. This is particularly true in the United States, the originator of Employee Appreciation Day. Employees are rarely promised leisure days and endure excessive shifts than in almost all other advanced countries. As a result, it can be difficult to find great workers. And losing them can be quite damaging to your business. To keep your best employees, they must feel valued, acknowledged, and as if their job has true importance.

This is closely related to staff involvement, which is how employees feel connected and have a sense of belonging at the workplace, resulting in increased motivation and dedication. Employees who feel encouraged by their company are considerably more inclined to stay with the company for over a year. Concentrate on workforce interaction and quality of life to enhance employee commitment, and invariably place your folks and team first, as an efficient human resource is your most valuable asset. We all know that when a firm invests in its individuals’ health, they become more devoted. Improved business results come from more connected personnel. When supervisors fail to appreciate or show gratitude for their employees’ efforts, they become frustrated.

Workers’ triumphs are reinforced through acknowledgment for successes or modest expressions for doing a good job, which inspires them to do much more. Thus, positive reinforcement has evolved into an important element of performance evaluation and an efficient technique of employer-employee interaction.

Let us admit it. Society lacks sufficient gratitude. The greater you can disseminate within your company, the merrier. The benefits of goodwill in the business are tremendous, and it may help you lure talented employees while also elevating the people you serve. Employee Appreciation Day is a fantastic chance to establish the pace for your company’s mindset and promote it regularly. So, the real question is, WHY NOT celebrate it?

How to celebrate this Day?

You have one of the strongest crews around, and they put in a lot of effort for you. However, it’s easy to overlook recognizing your staff or expressing your gratitude for their efforts in the wake of all the difficult tasks. So, have you been searching for ideas to make your staff happy on their special day? Don’t worry. We’ve got you all covered!! Here we’ve compiled a list of recommendations showing your workforce little extra affection on Employee Appreciation Day and throughout the year.

Employee Appreciation Day Celebration Ideas: Unique and Budget-friendly!!

You always don’t need to burn a hole in your pockets to appreciate and express gratitude to your staff members. Gestures and actions can do the job more efficiently while not hampering your budget plans. Here is a list of ways that we have compiled for your ease and comfort. Now you can celebrate and enjoy Employee Appreciation Day being stress-free. 

1. Write an email to the entire organization or team to compliment an individual on a project effectively performed. It’s easy to get caught up in the tremendous accomplishments that your workers have made. The smaller goals, on the other hand, are harder to recall and take account of. These are the smaller objectives that lay the groundwork for the bigger objectives. Maybe your primary objective is to finish your most recent project by the end of the month.  A  worker finished a portion of their specified project responsibility efficiently. Even if the project isn’t finished yet, a wise strategy would be to express gratitude for the employee’s efforts. It doesn’t have to be a big deal; a simple mention in a company-wide email can go a long road ahead towards demonstrating your concern.
   
   
2. Express your gratitude by putting your staff’s health first. Firms can express their gratitude by providing them with benefits that enhance both your company’s general environment and the well-being of each employee. For example, spending on health and wellness gadgets may be one method to ensure that your organization maintains a healthy and productive atmosphere. To boost office fitness and welfare, have smoothies, fresh fruits, and nutrition cocktails delivered to your employees by a local company, or arrange for free staff activity sessions and societies. All of these alternatives make it apparent that you want your staff to look after themselves both at work and home.
   
   
3. Tell a team member’s success story and recognize him in a staff meeting. In a similar line, perhaps the most effective method to demonstrate your gratitude for your staff is to recognize their accomplishments. Please keep a record of individual progress and any targets they’ve met or exceeded. Personalized rewards can be created instead of company-wide recognition activities. For example, employees might nominate each other for a generic “Employee of the Month” award. You might also give rewards to people who take on new duties, move up as executives, achieve their objectives, or start interesting big initiatives. This will demonstrate to your staff that you value their efforts, giving them even more motivation to keep going.
   
   
4. Hold a special awards ceremony and select an Employee of the Month/Year. This concept is similar to an employee of the month initiative in which everybody is recognized. Take a moment to consider something you admire about each of your staff members.   Make an award out of your feeling of thankfulness. Create praise for “asking the finest inquiries” or “being the problem solver.” Workers will be astounded to learn about all of the ways they shine. Just a few words of encouragement will encourage them to hone their pre-existing skills.  This proposal will take a lot of consideration, but the grins on colleagues’ faces will be worthwhile everything.
   
   
5. Urge staff to rejuvenate by taking an extra-long lunch hour. Employees are frequently busy during the workday, and that they might not have time to gather their ideas and rejuvenate even around break time. Extended lunch breaks can provide them more versatility in their workday and allow them to eat at a restaurant they’ve been wanting to try but haven’t been able to attend to.  It’s a modest and easy gesture, but you can be sure that it will assist you in making their special day more pleasurable.
   
   
6. Allow your employees to take advantage of leisure and work-from-home days. Allow your staff to take a bit of time out to rest and care for their daily matters.  If you want to demonstrate your gratitude even more, arrange the half days shortly before weekends and holidays. Nobody is going to get upset about working less. This strategy can be applied to both in-office and work-from-home work schedules. Or you can also give an extra day off.  For hardworking and pressured professionals, an extra day off can open up a world of endless possibilities. It implies they’ll be able to catch up on all of the favorite things they’ve skipped. Ultimately, heading on a lunch or adventure with their friends and family. It could also be a lovely day to slumber in.  An additional day of leisure is among the handful of things that workers appreciate.
   
   
7. After the outbreak, hold a lucky vacation draw. This pandemic has tested all our nerves, and it has been especially frustrating for the people who had to work on strict work-from-home schedules to adhere to their deadlines. So, why not make them feel special by rewarding them some days off to rejuvenate? After all, they have earned their bit. For this, you can hold a lucky draw to reward them with the much-needed vacation time, which is not possible without your support.
   
   
8. Inquire about how your staff would like to be rewarded. One might assume you understand their staff’s desire, but this isn’t always the case. But instead of relying on guesswork to figure out what your staff wants, ask. Put out a survey with income-friendly alternatives, and let staff decide how they’d choose to rejoice. They will feel trusted and valued as a result of this. Workers can be encouraged to elaborate on ways they’d like to enhance the business to make it a more worker-friendly atmosphere by asking clear queries. Give employees something they wish, and to a certain level, you can be rest assured that they will treat your company with love and gratitude.
   
   
9. Aid in their development. Individuals are much more likely to stick with organizations that are really engaged in their development and advancement. You may build up a stack of resources for workers to understand additional expertise and enhance their jobs, such as textbooks and CDs. Send a co-worker to a workshop on the academic or professional development of their choice. You might even hire a day’s worth of training from an industry expert or life coach for your team member. Offer a free accounting consultation, training, or meditation session to help him enhance his abilities or mental health. Provide opportunities for progress, such as include them in a large project or integrating them into a team, as well as some important decisions of the firm. This would give him immeasurable benefits.
   
   
10. Plan a fun business activity for everybody. Bring everybody around to spend some quality time doing things that aren’t related to business. You can do it yourself or hire a professional to help you. You can also engage in some gaming. If it’s a virtual gathering, choose your games and recreational activities carefully. You may also encourage your employees to show off and reveal their skills at any time, whether it’s a virtual meeting or a regular get-together. Until things like parties and bowling alleys become more feasible, try virtual singing or bingo for virtual team building using Zoom.  Giving employees some time off to enjoy the company of their co-workers shows that you value their hard work and trust them. It demonstrates clearly that they have worked hard and deserve some adventure.
    
    
11. Individual hire dates’ anniversaries should be celebrated. Employees that stay with you for a long time are one of the finest presents you can provide to your firm. They are the ones who have put almost equally considerable faith in you as your long-term consumers. Therefore, it’s crucial to convey how much their devotion matters to you, regardless of whether they’ve worked with you for three years or thirteen. Honoring the milestones of their hiring dates is an easy way to accomplish this. Keep records of each employee’s start date and send them a personalized message, bouquets, cakes, or a modest gift on their birthday. This can be as low-cost as you desire while yet having a significant influence.  An excellently expressed meaningful card can convey the idea almost as well as the expensive gifts and treats.
    
    
12. Recreate the traditional thank–you. Don’t just write a regular “thank you” message. Instead, create a unique “thank you” clip for your members of the crew.  You can also send virtual thank you note to your employees to show your appreciation for all of their efforts in establishing your firm. The film might also be put on YouTube and published on your company’s webpage if it’s relevant.

8 Amazing Gift Ideas That Your Employees will LOVE

Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity for managers and supervisors to express their enthusiasm for their workers by offering them staff recognition gifts. Presents for working from home employees are pleasant treats that enhance virtual operations by keeping them happier, more productive, and more enjoyable. So send your team entertaining inspirational treats and celebrate their extra effort with unique Staff Thanksgiving Day goodies. We’ve put up a list of unique, high-quality employee admiration gift suggestions that your co-workers will appreciate. There’s something for everyone in your workforce, from desk planners to gift cards and vacation allowances. You can choose anything according to your budget and will.

• Self-Care Kits: Because self-care and wellbeing are vital, this pampering goodie bag is ideal for those of your colleagues who enjoy staying hydrated and radiant. Handling Professional life and family can be challenging when they occur at the same time. You can help a teammate or working woman find inner calm by giving them stress-relieving goods like bath bombs and beauty items like scrubs and washes. Likewise, your employees will love to get handcrafted self-care items to help them unwind after a long day at work. Each comfort bundle can be tailored according to their preferences, and this would indeed help them relax and be their finest selves. 

Approximate Budget: $40-60

• Gift Vouchers: Gift cards are well-known for their popularity. People can use gift cards to buy anything they desire from their favorite brands. You have to know your workers and learn about their hobbies so you can give them gift cards that reflect their preferences. Workers can choose the reward of their choice with gift cards. Not merely are they more practical, but they are also hassle-free and versatile. There’s no need to think about gifts, delivery alternatives, or anything else. Recipients of rewards can also save their gift cards until they find the prize they desire the most. So, it is a win-win situation for both parties.

Approximate Budget: Customizable According to Your Budget

• Work From Home Kit: The office’s aesthetic atmosphere is quite important. And who doesn’t like having their own customized workstation? Allowing employees to redecorate their desks contributes to the company’s relationship-building efforts. The goal of employee appreciation is to make the work seem more like love. You might begin by conducting a poll to learn about staff preferences. Then you may allocate each member of your staff a fixed allowance to modify their workstation or work-from-home setup. Ergonomic chairs and desk organizers, for example, could be a refreshing adjustment and can rejuvenate their moods. You can also include some other stuff in the kit, like packets of nutrition shakes for that extra energy shot and even instant nutritional food mix packets that will help them save cooking time on a busy day.

Approximate Budget: $110-130

• Subscription Plans to Websites Like Netflix: From your quarterly Netflix fix to Amazon Prime to news and periodicals, it has now become easier than ever to express your gratitude. The appeal of subscription services is that they cater to a wide range of tastes. It also doesn’t have to be excessively pricey. It may be a magazine subscription on a theme they’d want to read about, pet treats, food samples, or anything else they’d like. This not only makes your staff feel valued regularly, but it’s also one of the unique ideas that doesn’t take much contemplation. All you have to do now is start a conversation with your staff about their favorite online series or magazine, and you’re ready to go!

Approximate Budget: Highly Customizable ($15-40)

• Snack Box: A lovely gift box filled with high-quality chocolates, healthy nibbles, and wonderfully matching wine. This corporate present will not only help your colleagues get through a rough day and soothe their cravings, but it will also be appreciated by your teammates when they’re wrapped up around a beautiful fireplace or on a soft lounge. Fascinating work is only worthwhile if you can eat well while pursuing it.  Well, here is the deal: there’s a catch. Offer special meals and caffeinated drinks like coffee to youthful workers is an incredibly effective and cost-efficient way to motivate and influence them. Also, nothing beats pastries and ice creams when it comes to anxiety relief. Finally, chocolate feasts are entertaining and often addictive and are always the best gift idea for a foodie employee. 

Approximate Budget: $20-40

6. Gifting your Employees’ Health Benefits: The most visible kind of gratitude you can demonstrate is to look after your employees’ wellbeing. You might start by emphasizing the value of good health. Offering a workplace wellness program inside a healthy atmosphere of well-being can help to strengthen that bond. You can also provide a variety of health advantages. Regular health check-ups, yoga sessions, dental check-ups, and health insurance are just a few examples. You may also give them fitness accessories like fit-Bits or gym memberships. These are appropriate for any employee who enjoys staying in shape or living a better lifestyle. Healthier employees provide greater results for their employers. Therefore, these gifts are a win-win for all.

 Approximate Budget: $40-100

• Career Advancement Skills Course: Employees today demand acknowledgment and awards based on their desired career progression. What could be a better way to accomplish this than to provide E-Learning opportunities? There is no gift more meaningful than the gift of knowledge. In today’s evolving environment every career necessitates mastering a diverse set of talents.  It’s a sensible idea to provide your employees online courses from major e-learning sites to help them refine their abilities or acquire new ones. E-Learning is the ideal new technique of upskilling and training while maintaining the flexibility to learn whenever you want.  Professionals who wish to learn about new technologies, approaches, or topics but don’t have much free time can benefit from this program. Also, you can gift them courses related to their hidden talents and hobbies which will help them refine them during their leisure time and this is a gift that they are bound to cherish lifelong. Approximate Budget: $30-50

7. Gaming Subscriptions Pass, and Kits: Your employees would appreciate some fun and adventure after a long day at work, and you can assist them by providing them with passes for their favorite video games or by sending them board games, sets of playing cards, or jigsaw puzzles to enjoy with their families in their spare time. You could even schedule a favorite video game break or a virtual happy hour once a month to provide some amusement, especially something online and multi-player for enhanced communication. To compete, divide your workforce into groups. To keep everyone from getting too carried away, you may need to set a time limit or break it down after a specific amount of time.

Approximate Budget: $20-40

The Bottom Line

The foundation of creating a strong and sustainable company ecosystem is employee appreciation. It can be not easy to express gratitude to employees at times. However, you will attract more skills and develop an atmosphere of brilliance if you offer your staff gratitude continuously. When people are cheerful, and in a good mood, they are more likely to produce their finest performance.  Although employee appreciation may appear to be a financial burden, the fact of the matter is that it will result in several long-term rewards. We’ve also compiled a list of low-cost, easy-to-implement ideas that will make Employee Appreciation Day even more memorable for your loyal and diligent staff. In conclusion, put some of these ideas into action and see the beaming faces of your employees.