3 ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

Employee Appreciation Day on March 1 is the perfect opportunity to show your team how much you value their hard work and dedication. Here are three meaningful ways to celebrate this special day.

1. Share personalized recognition

Recognition is powerful—it’s motivating and can contribute to real business outcomes. When companies create a culture of recognition, they benefit from 63% higher productivity and 31% lower turnover. 

Start by acknowledging each employee’s unique contributions. Consider creating personalized thank-you notes or highlighting specific achievements. During your team meetings, spend the first five meetings asking your team to share shoutouts for their coworkers. 

36% of employees say lack of recognition is the No. 1 reason they consider switching jobs.

Forbes

2. Host a gratitude contest

In your communication and collaboration platforms, encourage employees to express their appreciation through a daylong contest. Have employees submit posts and videos thanking their colleagues. 

When they submit a post, both the recognizer and recognized are submitted into a drawing to win a prize. The biggest prize? Employees are seen and celebrated publicly by their entire organization. 

Firstup allows us to make it happen

“The best way to reduce turnover is to increase engagement. One of the best ways to energize the team about the work they’re doing is to highlight it for the rest of the organization to see.”

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3. Send company swag

Show your appreciation and make sure your company’s name is showcased through swag bags. Consider branded shirts, shoes, or mugs that employees can use daily—whether they are on the shop floor or on Zoom all day long.

“People want to know they matter, and they want to be treated as people. That’s the new talent contract.”

— Pamela Stroko, HCM expert

Show your appreciation all year long

Employee Appreciation Day serves as a reminder to continually invest in your team, fostering a workplace culture where each individual feels valued and inspired. 

At the heart of appreciating your employees every day is creating an irresistible employee experience. Studies show that employees feel happier, more productive, and more engaged when they have a great experience. 

Similar to organizations that focus on creating a fantastic customer experience, when organizations work on elevating the employee experience, employees are more likely to bring passion, purpose, presence, and energy to their work. The result? A more engaged workforce and better business outcomes. 

Elevating the employee experience starts with understanding the employee journey and hyper-personalizing their experiences to reach your employees at the right time with the right information.

By consistently prioritizing employee appreciation and ultimately, the employee experience, you contribute to building a workplace that employees not only thrive in but also passionately contribute to, creating a positive and productive work environment.