Staff Appreciation Ideas for Employee Appreciation Day 2021

National Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday in March. Coming out of a tough year for the restaurant industry, your staff deserves even more recognition and reward this Employee Appreciation Day. Here are some unique, and affordable, employee appreciation ideas. If you haven’t had any time to plan ahead, we’ve included some that are easy to do last minute – and hey, remember, better late than never if you want to do something that will take a little more organizing.

For Employee Appreciation Day 2021 (March 5), we’ve given our employee recognition ideas special consideration. The ideas we’ve put together are simple but effective, and won’t cut into your employees’ personal time, your bottom line, or pose COVID-19 safety issues.

Employee thank you cards

This may seem simple, but taking the time to write out a few words of appreciation can go a long way. Make each note personal, with specific reasons you appreciate the recipient.

Employee social media shout-out

Why not? Easy, fun, public employee recognition. Your post doesn’t have to be elaborate – just share a quick pic of your staff or a simple National Employee Appreciation Day graphic and a few words of appreciation. Of course, this shouldn’t be the only way you recognize your staff on this day, but it’s a nice little extra thing that takes minimal effort.

Provide an opportunity for peer recognition

It’s important for managers to show employee appreciation, but coworkers recognizing each other can really help with team building and morale. Go old school and set up a compliment wall, or use a digital format if your team is comfortable.

Self-care kits

If you’re thinking of employee appreciation gifts, self-care is a great way to go. It’s been a tough time for all of us, and your staff has undoubtedly felt the effects of this time in one way or another. Gift them a few self-care items to encourage them to take the time they need for themselves. For employees on their feet all day, think about foot soaks or fuzzy socks that men and women can both enjoy. Or consider something like a lavender-scented pillow, again in a gender-neutral style. You could also go with something like a box of relaxation tea and a nice mug.

Roll out a new initiative around employee appreciation

Works even better if it’s something that your employees know has been in the works for a while. Let this day give you the push you need to get it going.

Small team? Personalize it

For bigger teams, this is tricky. But if you have a small team, consider personalizing your thank you gifts for employees. Think about each person’s hobbies and interests and get them each something small of equal value to make them feel special.

However you choose to show your team appreciation, make sure National Employee Appreciation Day doesn’t pass you by. It will mean a lot to your staff coming out of a rough year.

About Nicole Montalvo

Nicole Montalvo is a copywriter at TundraFMP. She brings the brand's voice to life, creates meaningful content, and handles the copywriting side of social media marketing and SEO. When she's not writing, you can find her drinking coffee, trying out new recipes, or exploring nature.

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