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What is coworker appreciation day?
Coworker appreciation day is an awareness day that was initially created in the 1990s by TODAY, a popular US-based morning news show. It is generally held on the first Friday in March. The holiday has since spread around the world and is now celebrated across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
With the increasing popularity of the holiday, coworker appreciation day has expanded into a month-long celebration and now gives companies and employees everywhere an opportunity to reward the people who work with them every day.
Why is coworker appreciation day important?
Knowing that you appreciate the work that your co-workers do is one of the most important things in a work environment. Whether or not they know it, your appreciation for their work results in a more effective and productive team.
Coworker appreciation day is an opportunity for you to show some personal gratitude toward the people you work with every day. Even if you can't make a big deal out of it, just knowing that someone cares enough about what you're doing to take the time out of their day to thank you is amazing. Gratitude drastically increases the employee experience. Having an employee recognition program that includes celebrating good work on national employee appreciation day will surely add to overall employee happiness.
5 coworker appreciation day benefits
Coworker appreciation day is a great way to acknowledge the people we work with daily. It doesn't take much, but recognizing employees can make a huge difference.
Here are 5 benefits of celebrating coworker appreciation day:
- Acknowledgment: Coworkers know when they're appreciated and will continue to produce great work as long as they feel supported by those around them in the workplace.
- Increased Productivity: Saying thanks improves productivity because recognition for employee achievement and hard work creates a desire among employees to please you.
- Improved Employee Morale: Acknowledging others demonstrates how much you value their contributions not only to you but also to the whole company. People want to feel appreciated for what they do and coworker appreciation day is a simple way to show them that their efforts are noticed and valued by all involved. Good employee morale is important!
- Higher Satisfaction: Many people state that they love working for their company because of all the ways it makes them feel appreciated. Coworker appreciation day is a simple way to show your employees how much you care.
- Workplace Bonds: Acknowledging each other creates bonds between coworkers and helps strengthen relationships, which ultimately leads to a stronger and more supportive team environment that can help drive your business forward. It also allows people to forge a closer relationship with those who work alongside them daily, resulting in less turnover and employee happiness overall.
Remote teams and coworker appreciation day
Since remote work is on the rise, we have to consider coworker appreciation day for remote employees. It is important to utilize communication platforms such as Slack and Skype to demonstrate your appreciation for the hard work of your employees.
The idea behind coworker appreciation day for remote workers isn't much different from the idea behind appreciation for in-office employees: coworkers need to know that they do their part and deserve credit. On this day specifically, however, it is especially important to take care of your remote team members and make sure they feel appreciated and included in building a strong business.
Coworker appreciation day best practices
Here are some basics for having an effective coworker appreciation day:
- Make sure that your coworkers know that they're appreciated.
- Make sure that celebrations are done in moderation and not forced.
- Utilize social media! Tag your employees in a post with an employee appreciation quote. You can even do a campaign where everyone is asked to share their appreciation over social media with hashtags like #NationalCoworkerAppreciationDay and #thanks! Kazoo also offers a variety of other hashtags that you can use.
Coworker appreciation day ideas
The best employers make it a point to thank workers for their hard work and dedication every chance they get! This could be as simple as saying "Thank you!" or "You're doing a great job." However, it doesn't hurt to dig a little deeper and find out why those specific employees are so valuable to your company, don't just send an email wishing them a happy employee appreciation day.
Some ideas for celebrating coworker appreciation day (and every other day) include:
- Throw a party: Nothing says "thank you" like an office party! Get balloons, food, drinks, and make sure there are enough cupcakes for everyone!
- Present gifts or awards to your employees: The award doesn't have to be anything fancy. A handwritten thank-you card is also appreciated.
- Take your colleagues out for lunch: Coworkers don’t always get to socialize in a more relaxed setting. A free lunch out is the perfect ticket!
Coworker appreciation day plan
It's important to plan coworker appreciation day so you can get everything set up and ready ahead of time. If you choose the last Friday of the month, coworkers will be able to look forward to it all month long!
You may want to check with your manager or supervisor before picking a date for coworker appreciation day because they might need some time to prepare. You can even set up a reminder or brainstorm an email memo with some fun activities/games and a meme, planned out ahead of time! Make a plan for purchasing decorations or food and beverages.
The most important thing is that you show your employees that you care about them and want to make their work environment better.
Coworker appreciation day statistics
When employees feel appreciated, they are more likely to be engaged. According to a Gallup poll, businesses see 21% greater profitability when this is the case. It's not just an idea to tell your coworkers they're appreciated. They are also less inclined to quit than those who receive no appreciation or acknowledgment for their dedication.
In a survey conducted by Achievers, 69% stated that recognition and rewards would motivate them to remain with their current employer. This is further demonstrated in the 2018 Retention Report by Work Institute, which found that one out of every four employees would leave their jobs and one-third of that turnover was due to unsupportive management.
Making employees feel valued is essential. Celebrating your employees with a coworker appreciation day is a great method for doing so!
Coworker appreciation day for small and medium businesses
Small or medium business owners can celebrate coworker appreciation day by planning a fun-filled day where employees can get together, relax, and enjoy themselves. Organizing a picnic at a local park or a lunchtime outing to a favorite restaurant may be the perfect way to gather everyone together for this special employee appreciation day celebration. You could even consider hosting an afternoon barbecue in the office parking lot with burgers and sausages on the grill.
Coworker appreciation day for large businesses and organizations
Large businesses and organizations can't always thank each employee or coworker on an individual level, but they can thank them as a group. This is the idea behind coworker appreciation day. It isn't meant to break down and re-emphasize the value each colleague brings. The day is simply meant to lift those who might otherwise fly under the radar.
It's also an opportunity to thank those workers who have been with the company since its founding or since before it was successful. Your team's experience and perseverance helped build today's business, but they often don't get much recognition for that effort.
It's easy for employees to be disregarded in a large business or organization because of the constant turnover. Frequent job changes, hiring and firing practices, and a shift in overall company culture can often leave employees feeling disposable. Coworker appreciation day is a good way to remind everyone that at least one group of people doesn't expect them to be temporary.
Coworker appreciation day software
If your company or business has a large number of employees, then you might want to take the time to show appreciation to every coworker. In this day and age, there are software programs available that make the process easier. When it comes to expressing gratitude towards employees, there is no better way than showing appreciation through a customized "thank you" card from the heart. Keep in mind that it's not always about money when it comes to showing appreciation for a job well done. Sometimes it's just a matter of letting people know they're appreciated.
Matter is easy to integrate into Slack, plus it's free! With Matter, employees can send each other kudos and praise all year long, not just on coworker appreciation day! Why not keep this positivity going all year long? You will start to see a shift in your company culture and notice employees are more engaged and happier.
