How to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day with Your Team

If you’re here, you’re looking for ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day. So kudos to you for maintaining a happy (and appreciative) workplace! Recognizing your employees’ hard work is statically proven to increase talent retention and employee engagement. The more you validate employees, the more encouraged they’ll be to produce an even stronger performance. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day in both small and meaningful ways.  

Use one or more of the tips below on Employee Appreciation Day, and consider sprinkling them into your regular practice as a show of consistent appreciation throughout the year. 

When is Employee Appreciation Day?

Mark your calendar for Employee Appreciation Day on: 

• March 3, 2023
• March 1, 2024
• March 7, 2025
• March 6, 2026
• March 5, 2027

3 Fun Games to Play on Employee Appreciation Day

Looking for ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day that will be fun for the whole team? Break out the games! Your team works hard, so set aside some time for them to play hard too. Even just an hour or two can boost morale, which boosts productivity in the long run. 

1. Gather for Board Games
   Who’s game for a round of Jenga or Exploding Kittens? Ask employees if any are willing to bring some games from home to share with the group. Then invite everyone together to show off their game theory skills!
   
2. Do the Cookie Challenge
   This one will make even your most serious execs crack a smile. To play, all you need are small cookies (think Oreos). Participants will tilt their head back and place a cookie over one eye. The objective is to get the cookie into their mouth without using their hands. Let the fun ensue!
   
3. Bingo
   You’d be surprised how into Bingo a crowd can get. All you’ll need are printed Bingo cards and a virtual Bingo number dispenser (like this one). Build up the tension with prizes, like a $15 gift card to a local coffee shop or a $75 gift card to a nice restaurant in town.
   
   Tip: For more ideas, check out our blog on National Fun at Work Day.
   

Employee Awards: And the award goes to…

Who has the best Zoom meeting icebreakers? Who has the breakroom’s most enviable lunches? Celebrate all the stars that make your workplace special with an award show!  

You can make it an informal event during the workday or book a space like a local restaurant for your team to gather at for the evening. It’s not about how much you spend, but rather about recognizing each person’s unique contributions at your work. 

How To Write an Employee Appreciation Email

Thank you cards are great (see our entire collection of them for proof!), but if you want a simple way to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, you can also send a thoughtful email. Aim for a tone of sincerity, gratitude, and inspiration as you look ahead. Here are some key points to hit in your employee appreciation email: 

• Highlight Their Work: Show employees you’ve seen how hard they work for your business. Don’t be too vague. Hit on every single team’s contributions—from customer service to production.
• Celebrate Years of Service: Got colleagues who have been with you through the long haul? Give them the spotlight. It shows everyone that you’re willing to create a working environment that encourages people to stay and thrive.

• Look to the Future: Tell employees how you plan to continue showing your support and appreciation in years to come. Is it awards and bonuses? More flexibility in hours? New experiences—like game rooms or a healthy snack area? This is a great time to really consider how you’d like to be there for the employees who are there for you.

3 Ideas for How to Customize Employee Appreciation Gifts

Blanking on what to write on your Employee Appreciation Day Gifts? We hear ya! Adding your own special touch can be intimidating. Mainly, you want to remember to have your company logo or name, and a fun message that employees can enjoy all year. Here are some ideas to add along with your logo: 

1. Best. Team. Ever.
2. A-Team
3. Dream Team 2023

So now that you know how to customize employee gifts, the question is which gifts to give…  

Best Gifts to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

Tip: If you need a longer gift guide, check out our entire blog on Gift Ideas for Employee Appreciation Day. Of course, you can also shop our entire collection of branded gifts at Pens.com. 

Now that you’ve learned how to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, it’s time to get to the team together!  Don’t forget to commemorate the moment with a picture of everyone and their company gifts. Tag us on Facebook and Instagram, and we’ll share it with our audience as inspiration to other companies.