Birthdays signify the anniversary of the day people were born, and they are an opportunity to celebrate the fact that someone has lived to see another year. In other words, birthdays are a big deal! It's no wonder why people often feel appreciated when you acknowledge their birthdays, and this is even true for employees in the workplace.
Recognizing your employees’ birthdays is an amazing way to make them feel like they are a valuable part of the team. It shows that they are important enough to celebrate, and in turn, recognizing their birthdays will contribute to a happy work environment. However, as much as you want to say "Happy Birthday!" to each of your employees, it can be hard to remember the date of every person's birthday.
But what if there was an easy way to keep track of all those special days? The good news is that there is! There's no better way to stay on top of your employees' birthdays than with an app that notifies you of your contacts birthdays. With a birthday app, you'll never forget or miss an anniversary again.
A birthday app is a digital tool that helps organizations remember birthdays and celebrate anniversaries. This type of app automates the process of tracking birthdays by sending a birthday reminder and planning the celebrations so no employee’s special day is missed. In a busy work environment, a birthday app can be a lifesaver because it ensures that management teams remember to acknowledge and celebrate each team member.
By including a birthday app as part of your workplace culture, you can make every employee feel seen. This, in turn, can lead to higher job satisfaction, increased loyalty, and better retention rates. But how exactly does an app for birthdays work? Let's find out!
Birthday apps work by integrating with existing HR systems or communication platforms. From there, these apps automatically track dates and remind you of upcoming birthdays based on your list of contacts. They often have customizable features that you can personalize for your employees, which is awesome!
And since you can tailor what the app says to each employee, don't hesitate to get creative with your birthday messages. If you customize each message, none of your employees will feel like you send out the same generic text message to everyone. Just like you wouldn't give the same present to your friends or loved ones on their birthdays, you should try not to send an identical birthday reward to each of your employees.
Now, as you adjust the settings of your birthday app, you'll notice that the app can send out automated reminders to whomever you want to notify. It's recommended that you ensure birthday reminders are sent out to HR teams, managers, and colleagues so that everyone is on the same page. Also, look for a birthday app that will integrate seamlessly with your existing systems.
Did you know birthday apps are equipped with a range of features? Designed to help you remember upcoming birthdays, these apps should make your life easier, not harder. Here are some of the most common features offered by birthday apps!
One of the main priorities of a birthday app is to automate reminders. That way, you'll never forget these important dates. These apps send reminders to the right people so that no one's birthday goes unnoticed.
Many birthday apps have customizable features. From e-cards that you can personalize to text messages you can type to your contacts, you can add a personal touch to your birthday messages. This is yet another way by which you can make the recipients feel extra special.
Some apps will send you gift suggestions based on each recipient’s preferences. This is a small yet significant detail that makes it easier for you to shop for presents to give to your contact list. Birthday apps sometimes go the extra mile with gift management sections where you can track gifts that you purchase and check to see if they have been delivered.
Birthday apps often integrate with existing HR systems. That way, you can sync employee data with your company's software. This includes dates, preferences, and interests, which will ensure that all birthdays are approached in a personalized fashion.
From digital cakes to online countdowns, these apps have a range of celebratory features. Another example is a personal calendar where you can manage these important dates. Some apps even have virtual celebration options that you can utilize to celebrate remote team members.
Now that you're more familiar with birthday apps in general, let's take a peek at some examples of birthday apps you can use in 2024! Some of these applications have free features while others come with a fee. Either way, all of these apps can help you plan in advance and create a countdown to upcoming birthday celebrations.
Matter is so much more than a birthday app inside Slack or Microsoft Teams. It's an employee engagement platform that has recognition, rewards, surveys, and celebrations, again all inside Slack or Microsoft Teams. Making it possible to celebrate birthdays without interrupting your company's workflow.
The birthday and work anniversary features include automatic celebration messages and the ability to reward with gift cards, custom company-branded rewards, and more. You can customize the text message, visual banner, and even celebrate weekend birthdays on the previous Friday, during the work week. One of the top features is the "Auto Ask" where Matter can automatically collect birthdays inside Slack or Microsoft Teams where people can choose if they'd like to publicly celebrate their special day.
Leapsome does more than send birthday reminders and remind you about important events. It’s an employee engagement and performance management tool specifically designed for use by HR professionals. The birthday module of this app is just one of the many features that can help you create a happy work environment.
Teamphoria is all about building workplace culture. It focuses on recognition and engagement. This birthday app lets you send personal birthday messages and manage celebrations with ease.
Kudos is a recognition platform with a built-in birthday app. You can send birthday messages to your work friends on their special day. By celebrating these important moments, you'll inevitably build a culture of recognition within your organization.
CrewHR has a birthday app that integrates with HR systems. That way, you can track dates and remember birthdays without fail. It also has tools to help you engage your employees and manage performance levels.
Afino’s birthday app is intentionally designed for small businesses. Thanks to its automated reminders, you'll never forget anyone's birthday. It also gives you access to customizable e-cards and gift suggestions.
BambooHR is a full HR software tool with a built-in birthday reminder feature. You can track employee birthdays and send personal birthday messages via phone. Plus, you can do everything all in one place, making it a breeze to stay organized.
GoProfiles has a birthday app that integrates with existing HR systems. Unlike similar apps, this one offers automated reminders, e-card personalization, and gift management features all at once. Instead of writing physical notes to yourself and forgetting where you put them, let GoProfiles help you stay on top of workplace birthdays.
BirthdayBot is a birthday app that integrates with Slack. The main perk is the app's automated reminders feature. You can also send personal birthday messages to your contacts list, so no one's birthday will ever be missed.
Hi5 is a recognition platform with its own built-in birthday app. You can celebrate employee birthdays with the help of automated reminders. You can send personal birthday messages, too!
Recognize is a full recognition platform, and it has a birthday app section as well. You can send birthday messages and manage celebrations from the same platform. It's a great way to build a culture of recognition within your organization.
It's true — birthday apps come with a lot of benefits. However, there are a few drawbacks to consider as well. Before adopting a birthday app in your workplace, make sure you consider the pros and cons.
In a remote work environment, it can be hard to feel connected, even though you're clearly part of the team. However, with a birthday app, you can bridge that gap! That way, remote team members will feel valued and recognized, not detached and unimportant.
If you want a surefire way to build connections between remote team members, celebrating their birthdays is the answer! By acknowledging the birthdays of work-from-home employees, you’re showing them that you care about them, even from a distance. Those who work for you will feel like you see them as people, not just employees.
Celebrating your employees will inevitably amplify the morale they have and the attitude they bring to work. This is especially true for remote workers who often experience feelings of isolation due to the nature of working from home. With a birthday app, you can ensure that these celebrations are consistent, meaningful, and encouraging.
Engaged employees are more productive and motivated than disinterested ones. But how do you help employees feel excited about the work they do? It all comes down to making them feel like they're important, and celebrating their birthdays is an amazing way to increase engagement.
Are you ready to implement a birthday app with your organization? Congratulations! Deciding you want to use a birthday is the first step, and learning how to incorporate the app at work is the next. Here's what you should do!
Decide which features are important to you. Also, consider your budget. From there, calculate the size of your team, and make sure any specific requirements you have are included in the app.
Once you establish your needs, you can start searching for an app. Just make sure any of the apps you're considering have all the features you need. It's smart to look for apps that also have the means to integrate with your company's existing systems.
Make sure your HR team and management department both have a chance to get familiar with the app that you decide to implement. You might have to hold a meeting to get everyone up to speed. Consider scheduling training sessions so you can show everyone how the app works.
Once your HR department and management teams are up to date, you should let your employees know about your company's new birthday app! Let them know the intention behind it, and tell them how it works. Leave the door open for feedback so employees can send you suggestions over time.
As you can see, a birthday app is a great tool for any organization that wants to build recognition and cultivate a positive work culture. By automating birthday celebrations, your business will not only save time with minimal effort but you'll also be able to ensure that every employee feels valued. The goal of celebrating birthdays at work is to acknowledge your appreciation for everyone who contributes to the company.
Do you think a birthday app would make a difference in your business? If so, get started for free by adding Matter to your workspace! As a birthday app that integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams, you'll never have to worry about forgetting any of your employees' birthdays.
