Employee Appreciation Day is coming up in just a few weeks on March 3, 2023. But if you haven't prepared something yet, don’t let it stop you from making the most of this opportunity to show your staff some much-needed gratitude and recognition this year.
There is still time to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day and express your appreciation for your workforce, boosting their happiness and contributing to a positive company culture.
Below, find four last-minute tips for an unforgettable Employee Appreciation Day in 2023.
1. Craft a thoughtful message
Ultimately, Employee Appreciation Day is about one thing – appreciation. Grand gestures are great, but thoughtfully expressing your gratitude with words of appreciation for employees can have no less of an impact.
An email, handwritten note, or even a face-to-face message from the direct manager is best, but, a company-wide email from the CEO can also make a big impression.
Here are some tips for crafting a good Employee Appreciation Day message.
- Get personal. The more personal your message can be, the better. Always mention the employee’s name, but don’t stop there. Call out specific accomplishments and contributions that you are grateful for. And mentioning inside jokes and references to funny things that have happened is always a great touch.
- Go in-depth. You don’t have to write a 200-word note, but do your best to write a message that is at least a few sentences in length. This gives you room to go into more detail and creates an overall impression of putting in more time and effort.
- Add a visual. A visual element is always a great way to double impact. After all, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Consider including a photograph of the employee at a work event or with their team. You can also always include a funny or silly GIF to make them smile. If you can find the time to record a video message, even better!
2. Pair the message with a gift
Who doesn’t love getting a fun email with a delightful and personal surprise inside? Gifting is highly impactful and effective: nine out of ten Americans agree that receiving a gift makes them feel valued. There’s nothing like a great, thoughtful gift to serve as a lasting token and to make Employee Appreciation Day more memorable and meaningful.
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Who doesn’t love getting a fun email with a delightful and personal surprise inside? Gifting is highly impactful and effective: nine out of ten Americans agree that receiving a gift makes them feel valued. There’s nothing like a great, thoughtful gift to serve as a lasting token and to make Employee Appreciation Day more memorable and meaningful.
Here is how you can nail Employee Appreciation Day with thoughtful Employee Appreciation gifts in only a few minutes.
- Sign up for Snappy or sign in to your account
- add a list of your recipient’s emails (no address needed!)
- choose the gift collection you love and the budget that works for you
and we’ll do the rest!
A last-minute Snappy gift is indistinguishable from one that was set up months in advance. Either way, your employees will receive the same special, unforgettable experience and gift.
3. Have some fun
Try to think outside of the box and come up with a unique experience you can create for your employees on Employee Appreciation Day.
Some of our favorite ideas include:
- Put together a Spotify playlist of employee appreciation songs. Send out the link to it on the morning of Employee Appreciation Day. Get creative with these, and throw in some musical inside jokes if you have any. Some song ideas include:
- Good Feeling - Flo Rida
- Thank You For Being a Friend by Andrew Gold
- Let’s Get It Started by Black Eyed Peas
- Can’t Hold Us - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
-Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen
- Surprise your employees by emailing out a catalog of company branded gift options that they can choose from
- Surprise your employees with fun branded backgrounds that say “Best Employee Ever” or “Employee of the Century” with arrows pointing toward the middle of the screen.
- Hire a local band to come in and play live music throughout the day. They can play something more relaxing in the morning and more lively during lunch break
- Hire a food truck to come in as a surprise during lunchtime
- Host online trivia. Throughout the day, send trivia questions in the company chat. Questions about employees are a great way to make it fun and fit the theme of Employee Appreciation Day. For example, you might ask “What is Daniel G.’s favorite restaurant to go to during lunch?” or “How old is Rebecca B.’s youngest daughter?” Track points and surprise the winners with a prize at the end of the day.
4. Let them voice their opinions
A big part of creating a positive employee experience is allowing your employees to have a genuine impact on company-wide policies and decisions. This is the best way to show your employees that you value their opinions and get buy-in.
In honor of Employee Appreciation Day, consider sending out a fun company-wide survey in which employees get to use their voices and vote on what they’d prefer to see implemented in the future
Some example questions you can ask in the survey include:
- We don’t have a mascot yet. If you could choose, who would our mascot be?
- What colors do you want our next batch of company swag to be in?
- Where should we go on this year’s team trip?
- What is one perk we don’t have yet that you’d like us to consider?
- What restaurant should we order from for our next catered lunch?
- What’s one snack or drink we’re missing in the kitchen?
Of course, following up by actually implementing employee feedback is equally important.
Want to keep the appreciation going all year long?
Once you see the smiles on your employees' faces this Employee Appreciation Day, you’ll want to keep the joy going year-round. The good news is that it isn’t complicated. After you set Snappy up once, it’s even easier to keep using Snappy for future gifting occasions.
From winter holidays to employee anniversaries, Snappy can help you create an ongoing employee gifting practice. This way, your employees can feel your gratitude and appreciation all throughout the year, contributing to a positive employee experience and a genuine culture of employee recognition.
