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How Do You Make Employee Appreciation Day Special?

Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to help improve team morale, celebrate exemplary team members, and let your entire team know that you appreciate them. It’s also a great way to jumpstart ongoing practices to build a healthy culture of recognition and appreciation.
With that in mind, it’s important for leaders to be thoughtful about making Employee Appreciation Day special for their employees. Beyond private and public celebrations of employees and handwritten notes, there are a few creative things managers can do to make the day extra special.
You know your team best, so think about what they’d enjoy and their favorite things. That said, here are a few ideas to help you get started:
  1. Organize a team-wide event - This should be for all of your team, including your top leadership team. Having an outing where employees are socializing and relaxing with managers and bosses can help to improve team relations and employee morale. Whether it’s a dinner, an escape room, a happy hour, bowling, or a ropes course, get creative and find something that your entire team can do and enjoy.
  2. Give Employees a Personalized Gift - Show that you value your employees by giving them a gift that improves their work life or personal life, branded with the company logo.
  3. Host a special meal - Don’t just have sandwiches delivered to the breakroom, Instead, consider hosting a meal where all of your team is able to sit down together and enjoy a nice meal.
  4. Give a surprise day off - This is a great way to boost morale and help recharge employees. If you can’t float an entire day, consider an afternoon or even just a few extra hours off.
  5. Pamper employees while they’re at the office - Consider having some extra perks during the work days to make employees smile. You could provide car detailing, massages, or even some spa services.
  6. Improve the workspace. Making your work areas more comfortable and appealing can be a great perk for employees. You could add more plants or some comfortable chairs, add a game table in the break room, or add a snack station where you provide healthy snacks. Get creative to think of new ways to improve your space!