Celebrating 2025 Employee Appreciation Day [Complete Guide]

What is employee appreciation day?

We all know of certain days throughout the year significant to different communities. For example, National Donut Day is celebrated by donut enthusiasts across America on the first Friday in June.

So naturally, there should be a day for celebrating employees. Right!

Employee Appreciation Day is an opportunity for companies to show appreciation for their employees through small gestures that go a long way toward creating happier, more engaged workplaces. It's a chance to celebrate and thank the people who make your company great.

Employee Appreciation Day is the perfect time to show your employees how much you care. It's not always easy to put in words exactly how much you value your employees' contributions, but employee recognition on this holiday can go a long way in cementing productive relationships between management and staff members. Employee recognition doesn't have to be boring; make it something the whole team looks forward to!

Benefits of employee appreciation day

Employee appreciation day benefits managers by providing an opportunity to say "thank you" at least once yearly. According to recent research published in the Harvard Business Review, 82% of American employees feel their employer doesn't recognize their contributions on the job. Employee Appreciation Day allows you to be one of the 18%. In addition, the fact that this employee recognition event happens just once per year allows you the space to craft a message that will be truly meaningful.

Employee Appreciation Day is also an opportunity for organizations to motivate employees to give their best. If you make extra efforts to recognize outstanding work, employees are more likely to strive for excellence in their projects and tasks. However, even simple employee recognition can go a very long way toward motivating teams, so it's essential to recognize the power of recognition and to give praise when it's due.

Remote teams and employee appreciation day

When you have a team of people working from different locations, it cannot be easy to meet together in person. As a result, employee recognition may look different than it used to when you had a traditional team set up in the workplace. However, you can leave the bank to make employee appreciation day work for everyone involved. For example, you can organize a conference call or video chat where everyone's voice is heard, and everyone can share their feelings. Schedule a virtual happy hour where everyone can get together informally. Or reward your remote staff by sending them coffee coupons or gift cards, and let them know their work is recognized.

Another option for employee recognition: send employee appreciation messages or virtual high fives and schedule times during the workday when remote employees can spend a few minutes discussing appreciation of each other. Be aware that virtual teams and those doing remote work are especially vulnerable to feeling undervalued. Ensure your remote staff knows you appreciate their contributions on employee appreciation day and every day!

Employee appreciation day strategies

Employee Appreciation Day can be a unique opportunity for managers and teams, similar to a bond. When the date rolls around, you might want to plan team activities celebrating their achievements or write personalized messages for each employee. However, don't forget to go beyond written praises and show your gratitude in action! This day is about saying "thank you" to your engaged employees in many ways and with more than just words. Highlight your company's core values by demonstrating engagement in concrete, tangible ways. For instance, you could try taking time out of your schedule to help someone on your team complete a job set out by them or thank an individual in front of everyone on the floor for their hard work and achievements.

Planning your employee appreciation event and choosing recognition ideas can be a lot of fun, but keep the recognition platform from being overshadowed by the importance of the message. If you need more time to implement a fancy recognition program or plan something elaborate recognizing employees, just sending handwritten cards or emails is better than nothing! Even though it's only one day, these small gestures will mean a lot to your employees and can help create a more positive relationship between management and staff.

More employee appreciation ideas

No matter what your company culture looks like, there are many ways to reward employee engagement and say "thank you" for everything your employees do daily. Here are some employee appreciation ideas on how you might celebrate Employee Appreciation Day at the workplace:

• Organize a staff lunch where everyone can get together and eat food provided by the company; if this isn't possible, try to organize a potluck where individuals bring dishes for the whole team.
• Have company-wide contests about who can make the most creative thank you card or presentation about what they appreciate about their fellow team members.
• Reward team members who went the extra mile at work with an employee appreciation gift or a monetary reward.
• Create an "appreciation board." Either digitally or at your workplace, everyone adds pictures or quotes that capture their gratitude for specific individuals on the team.
• Ask each worker to choose someone else to say something kind about, and go around until each person has had a chance to speak.
• Put together a gratitude-focused video thanking your employees for their hard work. This way, even if individual messages can't be delivered in person, it still provides a unique opportunity for both sides to express themselves (and it might become a great addition to your company's content library!)
• Create a video of your employees celebrating their accomplishments and dedication, then post it on social media. Or, for another employee morale-building exercise, record staff members talking about their favorite things about working at your company.
• Make an inspiring employee recognition poster for each team member, featuring one reason why they're fantastic! This is also an excellent way to brighten up empty cubicles or office walls in the workplace.
• Organizations outside the corporate sphere, like churches and nonprofits, are finding meaningful ways to celebrate their teams. Taking cues from volunteer appreciation efforts can inspire you to infuse warmth and purpose into your own recognition culture.
• Send personalized thank-you cards to all your employees after the employee appreciation program. If time is tight, send them out on schedule so that everyone can enjoy receiving them over the next few days.

Remember, although Employee Appreciation Day and Employee Appreciation Week can give your employees a big morale boost, you'll want to work year-round to create an atmosphere of appreciation that enables everyone to do their best. There are many ways to do this. A recognition program like Matter can make this process routine, increasing employee engagement and helping you build a culture of feedback and recognition that takes your company to new productivity levels.

Employee appreciation metrics

Employee appreciation metrics should be a part of your overall strategy if you want to see results. For employees to feel truly valued, they need to know precisely how their work and engagement have affected the company. If you don't have any existing metrics, consider finding out from staff members what they think is most important and why. As a bonus, this activity should also increase employee engagement and enable you to factor employee experience into your game plan.

Once you've identified these top priorities, start tracking them regularly, so everyone knows where improvement needs to happen next! Then, on National Employee Appreciation Day, share those metrics with the team. Making recognition part of the agenda rather than a bonus activity gives everyone responsibility for improving productivity, morale, and relationships.

Make a memorable employee appreciation day celebration  

Celebrating employee appreciation day is a great way to recognize and show appreciation for your employees' hard work and dedication. A well-planned workday focused on employee recognition can have a lasting impact on overall employee satisfaction and morale. With your employee rewards program, you can personalize your awards, such as a small token, service awards, and mugs or t-shirts with your company logo, which are a great way to recognize employee loyalty. Employee appreciation gifts can also be used as rewards for outstanding performance or length of service.

You can say happy employee appreciation day with planned activities that center not just on employees' work but also on their interests outside of work. This could mean organizing a team outing, an office-wide game of laser tag, or even a potluck lunch. You could also host a team-building activity to build relationships and foster collaboration between workers.

There are so many creative ways you can make employee appreciation day memorable! First, include something that all your employees appreciate – such as kudos, certificate awards, or even a day off. Then, show your employees that you value their contributions and thank them for all their hard work. Finally, you can create an unforgettable employee appreciation day celebration with the right employee appreciation gifts and activities!

Hosting a successful employee appreciation day 

If you plan to host an employee appreciation day celebration, you want it to be successful. Well, here are some tips to help you plan a successful event. The first step is to decide when to hold the celebration. Administrative Professionals Day is a great opportunity, as it has been traditionally dedicated to recognizing and appreciating the hard work of administrative professionals in offices.

Another important aspect to consider is who will be the event's primary organizers – typically, your leadership team should take charge. They can help you identify the best ideas for employee appreciation and create a plan of action. Think outside the box regarding rewards; some fun ideas include hosting an outdoor team-building activity, giving out spa or restaurant gift cards, or offering tickets to local events. Whatever you decide on will surely be appreciated by your employees!

Finally, you'll need to decide how to communicate and promote your appreciation day. Email is often the most convenient option, but remember, word of mouth! Employee appreciation day is an important event for everyone and should be celebrated so that everyone feels included. You could also use posters or flyers to spread the word around the office a few days before the celebration.

Once the day arrives, it's essential to ensure everything runs smoothly. Ensure enough staff or volunteers to help with setup, decorations, food, and activities. If there will be any speakers or special guests, make sure they are prepared ahead of time and briefed on their roles.

Finally, don't forget to take lots of photos! After all the hard work put into planning a successful employee appreciation day celebration, you should have plenty of memories to look back on fondly. In addition, these can be posted on social media and used in future promotions for your business or organization – win-win! With these simple tips in mind, you're on your way to hosting a fantastic employee appreciation day. Good luck!

Remember to thank the team for all their hard work before, during, and after the event. A simple 'thank you' can go far in showing appreciation and gratitude towards everyone involved. Everyone should feel valued and know that their contribution is essential and appreciated. The right words make all the difference and leave employees feeling great about being part of the celebration. 

Creating a successful employee appreciation day program 

Creating a successful employee appreciation day program is essential for any organization wanting to show their workers how much they value and appreciate them. Employee appreciation messages, activities, and upcoming events are all critical components of creating an effective program that employees will value.

When creating your program, consider which activities best suit the company culture or values.

When considering what activities to include, think about how your workers will appreciate the gestures and how it reflects on their bosses. For example, National Employee Appreciation Day is a great time to recognize those individuals who have gone above and beyond in their duties over the past year.

Lastly, develop creative ways to keep employee appreciation top of mind throughout the year. For example, consider setting up weekly events like Feedback Friday that show employees they are valued by management. Small tokens of appreciation like gift certificates or care packages can also offer employees that their hard work is appreciated. 

With thoughtful planning and creativity, you can create an effective employee appreciation program that shows your workers they are valued and respected at all times! With Matter, you can add your customized company rewards to the platform to make giving gift cards, company swag, or experiences for employee recognition a breeze.

10 ways to say "thank you" on employee appreciation day

Employees are the backbone of any company, and National Employee Appreciation Day (NEAD) is an excellent opportunity to show appreciation for their hard work. On this day, bosses, managers, and coworkers should express gratitude to the workers who have made their organization great. There's more than one way to say "thank you" on NEAD, such as organizing special upcoming events or throwing an office happy hour. However, nothing speaks louder than tangible expressions of gratitude. A simple kudos card with personalized words of appreciation can go a long way in making employees feel valued and appreciated.

On top of that, small token gifts can brighten up anyone's day. These gestures show that bosses care about their employees, whether doughnuts for breakfast or a team lunch. Short activities like team-building games and afternoon breaks can also help create positive office morale. Whatever your method of appreciation may be, NEAD is the perfect day to show workers how much they are appreciated. 

Here are some ways to say "thank you" today!

1. 🤩 Your hard work is so appreciated – thank you so much!
2. 💪 You never cease to amaze me with your dedication; thank you for all that you do!
3. 👍 No matter how difficult the challenge, you always rise to it – thank you for a job well done!
4. 😊 I'm grateful that I get to work with someone as talented and passionate as you; thank you for your commitment!
5. 🔥 Your achievements are inspiring and should be celebrated – congratulations on all that you've accomplished, and thanks again!
6. ✨ Your enthusiasm and creativity have made a world of difference; it's been a joy working with you, and I'm very thankful!
7. 🤗 You have truly gone above and beyond – thank you so much for your hard work and consistent effort!
8. ⭐️ Thank you for making things happen, even when things were tough – your determination has been impressive and inspiring!
9. 🙌 Your great attitude throughout this project has been invaluable; I'm incredibly thankful for everything that you've done!
10. 💯 You bring out the best in everyone around you – keep up the fantastic work, and thanks again for everything!

By expressing gratitude on National Employee Appreciation Day, employers can foster better connections with their teams and create a more productive and fulfilling work environment. So take the time this year to thank the people who have made your organization genuinely successful!

Measuring the impact of employee appreciation day on morale 

It's widely known that happy employees lead to a successful business. But what could be more well-known is how best to go about making sure your employees are satisfied and engaged at work. While there are many factors that contribute to employee satisfaction, one fundamental way to show your employees you care is through an employee appreciation day.

Employee appreciation days are becoming increasingly popular as a way to show workers that their efforts are appreciated and valued. A recent study found that nearly 60% of organizations now hold some employee appreciation events each year.

There are many benefits of holding an employee appreciation day, including improved morale, increased motivation, and better retention rates. Research further corroborates these benefits, which reveals that organizations with higher levels of employee appreciation have lower turnover rates and improved employee satisfaction.

The results of an employee appreciation day can be measured in several ways. Surveys are a great way to gauge employees' feelings about being recognized for their hard work and dedication. In addition, employers can use an employee recognition platform to measure the impact of an appreciation day on morale and performance and track the success of any initiatives launched during the event. Ultimately, measuring the impact of your employee appreciation day is essential for understanding its effectiveness and making sure it's continuing to meet your goals.

By taking the time to recognize workers through an employee appreciation day, employers can show their appreciation and help to create a positive and productive workplace culture. Employee appreciation day is just one part of building an environment of employee engagement and satisfaction. Still, it's an important step that can benefit both employees and the organization. Ultimately, with proper measurement, organizations can better understand the impact of their efforts and make any necessary changes to foster a thriving work environment.

Final employee appreciation day tips

To sum up, here are some final tips to consider when planning your next employee appreciation day celebration:

• Stay organized: Ensure that your employees know precisely what is happening during the special day and when they should be involved.
• Be creative but simple: Keep things straightforward so everyone has a good time without getting overwhelmed. Remember, the goal here is simple: a happy employee!
• Remember remote team members or small departments: You should set up separate events for them or at least make an announcement across all channels (in person, phone, chat) thanking everyone for their hard work over the past year.

There are hundreds of creative ways to successfully celebrate employee achievement on your employees' work anniversary or staff appreciation day and contribute to employee happiness while increasing employee retention. What appreciation program or employee recognition program do you find most effective? What is your favorite employee appreciation day idea? These are great questions to ponder as you plan your employee appreciation strategy!

Interested in employee appreciation day? Make team recognition, celebrations, and rewards fun with Matter — all inside Slack or Microsoft Teams. Get started for free by adding Matter to your workspace.