Employee Appreciation Day is around the corner this Friday, March 1st. This is an opportunity to show your employees how much you value them! While you want to express your gratitude, we also understand the importance of being mindful of your budget.
Many organizations face the challenge of wanting to reward their workers without a large budget. However, the good news is that showing appreciation doesn’t have to be costly. Even small gestures and events for appreciation can make a big impact.
To help you celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, we’ve created a list of over 40 budget-friendly ideas.
Virtual reality is an exciting and rapidly evolving technology trend. Imagine how engaging it would be for your employees to immerse themselves in a digital playground. Consider looking for a local service to provide the necessary technology for this event.
Inspired by Google’s former 20-percent policy, you could give your team members a few hours or even a full day to work on a project or assignment they’re passionate about. This can be a great way to encourage creativity and innovation within your team.
Step away from the office and invite the time for a fun bowling outing. It’s a great way to bond and get to know your colleagues outside of work.
Set up a ping pong table in a spacious room for your team to enjoy throughout the day. Encourage friendly competition and even organize a tournament for more fun. Consider offering a prize for the winner to make it more rewarding.
Offer employee workout classes to promote health and well-being among your team. Whether it’s yoga, HIIT, or dance fitness, these classes provide a fun and energizing way for your employees to stay active and destress.
Book a virtual boot camp class here!
If you have the right tools, consider offering on-site car washes for your employees. If not, a quick trip to a local gas station for a car wash shouldn't break the bank.
Invite a relevant industry speaker or influencer to share their knowledge and experience with your team. Not only can this provide valuable insights, but it can also offer a refreshing break from the usual routine.
Show your appreciation by giving your employees some time off to relax and tend to their personal lives. Consider scheduling these half days before long weekends for an added gesture of appreciation.
Bring in a local artist or band to perform for your team, selection musicians that align with your workers’ musical tastes to ensure an enjoyable experience for all.
On a hot day, consider taking your employees for a walk to promote conversation, increase blood flow, and stimulate creativity. You can also combine this activity with another, such as a stop for ice cream.
Demonstrate appreciation for your employees’ contributions by publicly acknowledging their efforts. Whether it’s through a weekly meeting, a lunchtime announcement, or an employee recognition program, find ways to reward and thank your staff.
Treat your entire team to ice cream on a convenient day. If not everyone can go at once, consider organizing it in shifts. This gives your staff a chance to relax, take a break from work, and enjoy a sweet treat.
Although small, a handwritten thank-you note can convey gratitude in a meaningful way and leave a lasting impression.
Involve the entire team in creating a collective appreciation gesture, such as writing on a card, poster, or notebook, to honour the exceptional employee.
Create a special thank-you video for your team, going beyond a traditional note. Consider sharing it on platforms like YouTube or your company’s blog for wider recognition.
Send a company-wide email recognizing the exceptional work of your team members. Public acknowledgment can be more impactful than private thanks.
Offering extended lunch breaks provides employees with the flexibility to unwind and enjoy a meal at their leisure. This allows them to explore dining options they may not have time for during regular breaks.
Install a popular multiplayer video game in the break room to provide entertainment and foster team engagement. Organize employees into teams for friendly competition, but consider time limits to prevent excessive play.
Arrange a dessert buffet or sundae bar for your team to indulge in. Allowing them to choose their toppings can lift spirits and create a positive atmosphere.
Host an afternoon movie screening in a break or meeting room for your staff’s enjoyment. If space is limited, consider scheduling multiple screenings to accommodate all your employees.
Alternatively, consider giving away movie tickets so employees can enjoy a movie with friends or family on their own time.
Encourage employees to bring their favourite board games for a fun and interactive board game day. Set up multiple tables to accommodate several games at once, promoting team building and camaraderie.
Book a virtual game night here for an organized and exciting experience!
Offer to take on some of your team members’ tasks to lighten their workload without exceeding your budget. Alternatively, allow employees to swap tasks they prefer not to do for ones they find more appealing.
Allow employees to take on a leadership role for a day, granting them greater responsibility and expectations. This experience can be eye-opening and may reveal hidden talents.
While purchasing new technology (like tablets or iPads) can be expensive, smaller gifts like stationery, low-cost software, or gift cards can show appreciation without costing too much.
Send a virtual gift card of their choice here!
Highlight your top employees on social media. You can make this a weekly initiative, or a monthly program depending on what works for you. This will also humanize your company and enhance your reputation among clients and prospects.
Implement a recognition platform to encourage team recognition. Consider creating a leaderboard where employees can earn points based on performance, redeemable for real rewards.
Create a section on your homepage for featured employees. Use it to showcase their achievements and contributions.
Organize a company picnic as a way to thank employees, especially if the weather is nice. This can also serve as a team-building opportunity.
Hire a caricature artist to create funny drawings for your employees, bringing a touch of fun and creativity to the workplace.
Acknowledge and celebrate employees’ achievements outside of work to show that you value them as individuals. Consider rewarding them with gifts related to their interests, such as a book on fishing for an employee who loves fishing.
Offer to donate to a cause or charity of your employee’s choice. This gesture allows them to make a meaningful decision and shows that you value their interests and benefits.
Utilize team communication or project management software (slack) to create a dedicated channel or section for recognizing exceptional employees. This platform enables everyone to congratulate and appreciate each other publicly.
Organize occasional pizza days to treat your employees and show appreciation. Consider combining a pizza lunch with other activities, such as a movie screening.
Present a selection of employee appreciation day activity ideas to your team and let them choose the activity they would most enjoy. Additionally, encourage employees to suggest activities that align with your company culture for future celebrations.
Encourage your employees to unleash their creativity with a video project using just their smartphones. Divide them into groups to compete for the best-themed video, such as comedy or music.
Demonstrate your commitment to employee growth and retention by providing resources like books, courses, and audiobooks, or bringing in industry experts or life coaches for training sessions.
Engage your team in creating a vision board for the organization, allowing them to contribute ideas, pictures, and goals for the company’s future.
Arrange for a local comedian to entertain your team with a clean and enjoyable comedy show. Laughter is a great way to boost morale and team spirit.
Set up a photo booth with props, wigs, and other items to encourage employees to take silly photos. This activity can be a fun way to bond and create lasting memories.
Consider giving your employees fun nicknames or humorous job titles inspired by characters from movies or creative job descriptions. This can add a playful element to the workplace and boost team morale.
While there are various ways to recognize your employees, a personal phone call can often be the most meaningful. Take the time to thank your team members individually over the phone for their hard work and dedication.
Consider organizing guided meditation sessions for your employees to show your commitment to their overall well-being. Meditation offers numerous health benefits and holding sessions during the day can provide your team with a refreshing energy boost
Book a virtual guided meditation class here to do online or in person with your colleagues.
Engage your team with creative contests, such as coming up with a new tagline or motto for the company. Reward the winner with a prize, creating a fun and creative atmosphere among your employees.
Implement a certificate program that recognizes employee milestones and achievements. Award certificates of excellence to employees who reach these milestones acknowledging their hard work and dedication.
Host food-making classes for your team to enjoy a hands-on culinary experience. Whether it’s learning to bake bread, make dumplings, or craft cocktails, these classes provide a fun and educational way for your employees to bond and develop new skills.
Book a dumpling-making class here!
Use Epoch to plan your events, then track analytics on how the events went! Epoch is an employee engagement platform used by people teams at Reddit, Asana, and more. Epoch supports any internal event that needs email, Slack announcements and reminders, calendaring, and reporting. On top of impactful engagement and feedback analytics, Epoch provides a simple way to communicate and promote events to your workforce, helping events reach employees where they prefer to receive messages.
Teams using Epoch have seen positive impacts in event engagement while reducing time spent managing and promoting events by over 70%. Udemy used Epoch to scale its inclusive culture, driving 89% participation, and Modus Create successfully scaled a global events program across 15 time zones.
Increase productivity and connection among employees through company culture with Epoch. Curious to learn more? Book a demo today!
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