Your workforce is your lifeblood. You must stop for a moment and acknowledge all the hard work they do on behalf of the business. Employee appreciation day is an excellent way to do this. If you want to show your appreciation and provide more than just some empty words, here are some ways to make the day meaningful for everyone.
1. Write a Thank You Note
What’s more thoughtful than a handwritten thank you note? It’s quick, easy, and goes a long way. Start immediately if you’re not in the habit of writing them. Write all the notes in a batch. Find some time when you can sit down uninterrupted for a little while. Type up a general note thanking everyone for their hard work and then go back over it and personalize each one for each employee. Sign your name at the bottom and add a sentence specific to them.
2. Schedule a Staff Lunch
When you have enough people to host a table, consider taking them out for lunch at one of your favorite places. Get to know them better and listen to their stories. Employee appreciation day is as much about you gaining insight into what’s going on with your staff as it is about them having a great time. If you do this in the spring or summer, consider going to a park and enjoying a picnic lunch.
3. Offer Fun Activities
Do anything that allows your staff members to briefly forget about the office and have fun together. This could be as simple as holding an impromptu baseball game in your parking lot. It could be having a dance party in the lobby or organizing a themed party with mini golf and a belly-dancing troupe. The day doesn’t have to be all about sitting and talking. Stay active and have fun to make it a memorable experience for everyone.
4. Celebrate With Cigars
Your business isn’t a cigar lounge, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with the concept. Find someone to set up a cigar bar. Provide appropriate glassware and snacks and let your employees unwind with fine tobacco products. This will be a nice treat, regardless of whether they usually smoke. It’s also something they will likely remember for a long time. Cigars are a way to slow down and appreciate the finer things in life.
5. Host an Appreciation Dinner Party
Invite a few employees over to your home for a dinner party. Don’t go overboard and make too much food, but have enough so everyone can have seconds if they’re still hungry. Let them relax on your patio or in your living room after they’ve filled up. They’ll feel pampered, and you might learn something about them you didn’t know before. This allows you to create a more intimate setting and connect more easily.
6. Bake a Cake
Yes, that’s right. Your business can make and decorate a cake, no matter your size. If you’re a small company, invite everyone to the office for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. If you’re larger, set up an area outside where people can relax under umbrellas and kick back. Many companies will make something unique to their business in the shape of something recognizable, like their logo or the building they work in. The cake doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it does have to be thoughtful.
7. Make Tribute Videos
These can be funny, serious, or anything in between. Make sure to take lots of footage from the day and compile them into entertaining segments. Find the best footage of them doing all the different aspects of their jobs and put together a short clip for them. This is just one more way to show your employees that you notice all they do for your business and appreciate it more than they realize.
Use the employee appreciation day to show your staff how much you care about them. Anything you can do to help them feel more appreciated will improve your business and make it a better place for everyone involved.
