10 Last-Minute Ideas to Celebrate National Employee Appreciation Day

Did you know that National Employee Appreciation Day is the first Friday of March every year? That is tomorrow, March 7^th! Don’t worry, it’s not too late to celebrate. Check out my tips below for some last minute ideas on how to show your employees you appreciate them.

1. Grab a couple bottles of wine and cheese platters from your local grocery store to treat your team to a relaxing glass of wine and snack at the end of the day.
2. Order lunch for everyone to enjoy together.
3. Write personalized letters or thank you cards to your employees to show your appreciation. This seems like a small gesture, but even a little note to let your employee know you appreciate them will brighten up their day.
4. Let everyone leave an hour or two early since it is on a Friday.
   
5. Take your employees out to happy hour and for an extra bonus, let everyone leave an hour early to spend more time together at happy hour.
6. Give out gift cards, even if it’s just a $5.00 gift card to Starbuck’s this is an easy way to show you value them as an employee. You could even hand out the gift cards in the beginning of the day and schedule a group trip to the closest Starbucks as a nice afternoon break for everyone.
7. Who doesn’t love a sugar rush? Order cupcakes for your team as an afternoon pick me up.
8. Schedule a morning meeting where you personally recognize each employee for their contributions and give other employees an opportunity to chime in with their positive remarks.
9. Stop by your local coffee shop on your way into work and bring coffee and treats for everyone in the office.
10. Use 8x11 cardboard papers and hang up a piece of paper for each employee with their name on it in your company conference room. Then ask each employee to write one thing they appreciate about that employee. This is a fun activity that everyone can be involved in and makes for great office décor.

National Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to illustrate to your employees how important they are to you and your organization. Any of these tips would be a great way to show your employees how much you value their hard work. You could also combine a couple of the tips depending on your budget. Tips 3, 8, and 10 don’t cost anything but your time and can make all the difference.