5 Innovative ideas to celebrate employee appreciation day

Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity for companies to show their employees that they value and recognize their hard work and contributions. This day is celebrated on the first Friday of March every year. 

Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson believes, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” It holds true for every business and building a people-culture goes a long way in driving growth. 

Employee appreciation boosts spirits, output, and fosters wholesome connections. Employees and the company both gain when quality performance is reinforced through praise for individual accomplishments. Forbes data shows that employee appreciation is a $46 billion industry worldwide. 

In this blog, we will discuss the top 5 ideas to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day and make them feel valued.

Give Personalized Gifts

Personalized gifts are a great way to show employees that they belong to the organization and are appreciated for the work they do. Consider gifting your employees with something that is tailored to their interests and hobbies. For example, if someone is a coffee lover, consider giving them a personalized coffee mug. Companies can also recognize employees based on particular outcomes and behaviours. 

Don’t simply award someone for being the “employee of the month.” Offer them a prize for providing exceptional customer service in response to a specific issue. Hence, creating a culture of “doing the right thing”. 

Implement a Rewards Program

A wonderful method to inspire staff and let them know that their efforts are appreciated is by implementing a rewards program. A program that rewards employees for reaching particular milestones or goals can be developed. Gift cards, additional vacation days, or even a paid day off can be considered as examples of this. 

Businesses can use peer-to-peer recognition rather than top-down methods. Contrary to popular belief, praise from superiors has little influence. Employees informed us that they feel considerably better when they are acknowledged by their peers, despite HR managers’ belief that this is a crucial criterion for success. Why is that so? Peers are aware of what you do on a daily basis, thus their “thank you” for your efforts has a far more profound effect. Top-down praise is frequently seen as partisan, and it rarely reaches the “silent but critical high-performers” within the organization.

Offer Professional Development Opportunities

Employees appreciate opportunities for professional development. Consider offering workshops or training sessions that can help employees develop new skills or enhance their existing ones. This is a great way to show employees that the company is invested in their growth and development. 

Don’t forget to share success stories! One of the techniques that is found to be very effective is “storytelling.” Inform others when someone performs admirably and is praised by their peers or if they have successfully completed a learning opportunity. They should be recognized in a newsletter or company blog in addition to receiving a reward. Employee learning and engagement are produced by these stories.

Create Tribute Videos 

Remember watching one of those adorable videos where family members are praised or they express their love for you? Why don’t you do that for your group? These are an excellent way to let your coworkers know that you see, notice, and value what they are doing. 

With today’s video editing technologies, creating a video won’t even take too long. But if you give the tribute film enough care, you’ll not only make everyone feel special but also be doing something fantastic for teamwork. The only precaution you should take in this exercise is to make sure you don’t forget to include someone.

Connect recognition to the objectives or ideals of your own business. As a result, when you present someone with a “thank you” award, the reward is related to your own company’s business strategy (customer service, innovation, teamwork, or even a revenue or cost-cutting goal).

Find Balance Through Group Meditation

It has been demonstrated that meditation can lower stress and reset the mind. When done collectively, it also provides for a fun group activity.

Make sure to establish a tranquil atmosphere by lowering the lights and dispersing lots of beanbags and pillows. Then, request a specialist to lead a workshop or look online for a free guided meditation. Many free guided meditations of high quality are accessible in apps like Insight Timer. 

You may also consider offering discounts on massage for your staff members as they may just need to relax and decompress. They can refresh while they exfoliate and inhale the aroma of scented candles.

Final Thoughts 

In conclusion, Employee Appreciation Day brings to companies an amazing opportunity to show their employees that they value and recognize their hard work and contributions. By implementing these top 5 ideas, companies can create a culture of appreciation and recognition that can help motivate and engage employees throughout the year.

ABM College appreciates all its employees and staff members who work relentlessly to continue providing quality educational services to its students and making them employable. 

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you. 

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