Today is Employee Appreciation Day, but what does that actually mean?

The first Friday in March marks Employee Appreciation Day in the UK, but what does this actually mean and how can my organisation get involved without it being a token gesture?

Employee Appreciation Day is a dedicated occasion where workplaces express the gratitude and recognition for the efforts and contributions of their team. This day typically is on the first Friday of March each year and the purpose is to acknowledge and celebrate all of the hard work achieved within the organisation.

There are various things which you can do around Employee Appreciation Day however, the challenge is ensuring that you not only offer something of cultural value to your team, but you ensure an ongoing commitment towards them by showing your gratitude. By ensuring that this is an ongoing cultural impact within your organisation you can avoid anything being seen as a token gesture or ‘just for the socials’.

So, what are a couple of things that you can do on Employee Appreciation Day?

We’ve made a brief list here but please note this isn’t exhaustive.  There are many things that you can do on this day – these are just a few ideas.

Personalised Recognition:

Take the time as a boss to personally acknowledge each team member’s contributions.

Write a personal message or thank you card highlighting specific achievements or qualities.

Team Building Activities:

Organise team-building activities that encourage collaboration and camaraderie. You might choose to plan an event such as a team lunch or event to foster a positive team spirit.

Employee Awards:

Most companies do these in December, but you could create awards that recognise specific achievements or positive behaviours. Think about how you could host these as well with a small ceremony or presentation to announce and celebrate the awardees.

Professional Development Opportunities:

This could be a great day to offer opportunities to staff for skill development or career advancement. A little like ‘thank you for helping us, let us help you…’

Flexible Time or Day:

Consider giving employees some flexibility on Employee Appreciation Day.

Allow them to leave work a little earlier, start later, or take a longer lunch break.

 

These just a couple of ideas but the trick here is to ensure that you make a positive impact on your company culture and don’t just offer a ‘pizza day’ thank you and then have no further follow up. So, how can we make sure it’s not just a gesture?

Well simple. Take this as an opportunity to look further at your team and see what they need and how you can help. This is a great time to start looking at an employee benefits order, where you look at all the things you offer your employees, you look at what they need and then you look at how you can develop your offering to support and satisfy your team. If you have access to an employee survey this will be a great time to look at rolling this out and ensuring you follow up your survey with behaviours that demonstrate to your team that you are listening to them.

This can be through the form of delivering them newsletters sharing business updates, or even implementing new benefits, which can range from cash plans to private medical insurance, group life assurance to income protection, or even supporting them later in life by providing a quality workplace pension scheme.

If you would like to discuss how your business can benefit from anything discussed today please reach out to our employee benefit department.