10 Employee Appreciation Day Ideas

If not, it could be that you aren’t showing enough appreciation. People thrive on recognition, and when their hard work goes unnoticed, resentment can build.

Some people enjoy their work and find sufficient fulfillment in it. But even they would no doubt love to be recognized for their contributions, even if it only happens on occasion.

With employee retention becoming a higher priority in many organizations, wouldn’t you love to hold onto your best talent instead of waiting until they permanently walk away from their role in search of new opportunities?

Use the following ideas to show how much you care. Words are cheap – actions speak loudest.

Bring in a Notable Industry Speaker

Per ClearCompany, in 2016, 68% of workers said training and development was the most important workplace policy. Furthermore, 87% of millennials said professional development or career growth opportunities are very important.

Are you giving your employees opportunities to learn, grow and advance in their careers? Invite an industry influencer to share valuable insights and ideas with your employees. The speaker could also be a comedian, entertainer, or life coach.

Offer Recognition for a Day

Use various channels to recognize an outstanding employee – your website, social media channels, and of course, in person. You could even hold a pizza party or an award ceremony for them.

Purchase a Subscription

It doesn’t have to be expensive – it could be a magazine subscription (on a topic they would be interested in), treats for pets, snack samples, or anything they would enjoy. This helps your employees feel appreciated on an ongoing basis.

Book Live Entertainment

Bring in a songwriter, band, or comedian to perform at your workplace, or take a field trip to the local entertainment venue. Make it a fun and memorable experience.

Free Massage

Have message therapists come in and give your employees a massage. Help them relax and destress so they remain more productive. This is especially good for workers who are hunched over a desk staring at a screen all day.

Prepare a Dessert Buffet

There’s nothing quite like dessert and ice cream to alleviate stress. Dessert buffets are fun and positively addicting. Just beware of overdosing on sugar.

Buy Breakfast for Everyone

You could even have the event catered so your team members have plenty of food options to choose from (usually a good idea in today’s health-conscious, gluten-free and allergy-prone world). Just remember to plan and send invites out in advance, or your employees will show up having already eaten and feeling full from their first meal of the day.

Rent a Nice Car

Rent a luxury automobile for a hardworking employee and give it to them for a week. Even if it’s just for a shorter period, your team members will love the feeling of driving in a car they may one day hope to own.

Offer a Gift Certificate

Gift cards allow people to purchase whatever they want at their favorite stores. Get to know your employees and find out what they like so you can give certificates that are tailored to their interests.

Other good catch-all gift certificates include:

• A gas card. This is especially beneficial if you know your team members are commuting to work and are traveling longer distances every day. Cover their gas expenses for a couple days, or even a week.
• Any card that gives them access to an experience. It could be a haircut, massage, a day at the spa, or otherwise.

Give Them a Day Off

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ones. An extra day off gives your team members a chance to tend to personal matters, get caught up with their significant others, friends and family members, run errands, and so on. There are few things people love more than an extra day of freedom aside from the weekend.

Final Thoughts

Keep it simple, and take more time to recognize and appreciate your employees. They will love you for it, and be more likely to stay with your company over the long haul.

Even a standing ovation, an acknowledgement of wins at weekly meetings, or a trophy can go a long way.

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EOM.    Lunch.