What is it?
Employee Appreciation Day is an unofficial holiday observed on the first Friday in March. It is a day for companies to thank their employees for their hard work and effort throughout the year. This day was created for the purpose of strengthening the bond between employer and employee.
According to Wikipedia, Employee Appreciation Day first arrived on calendars in 1995. One of Recognition Professionals International’s founding Board members, Bob Nelson, together with his publishing company, Workman Publishing, created Employee Appreciation Day as a way of focusing the attention of all employers, in all industries on employee recognition.
Though the holiday is still gaining in adoption in the U.S. and abroad, like Boss’s Day, Employee Appreciation Day has become an opportunity for managers, company leadership and HR to remember the importance of appreciating employees. Companies often celebrate by letting employees leave early, offering gifts, events or special recognition for workers. Studies show that recognition and appreciation are growing in importance as drivers of employee happiness and engagement. This has resulted in more and more companies and organisations using the day to thank their employees.
Many publications such as Inc. magazine, Forbes, and Boston.com, are writing about the holiday to remind employers to recognise and reward employee effort and to offer tips for building a stronger corporate culture through appreciation. Showing employees appreciation can result in a company’s higher retention rate, not only increasing the productivity of employees but the company as a whole.
What can you do?
While it’s a good practice to consistently demonstrate gratitude to your employees throughout the year, Employee Appreciation Day is the perfect time to make an extra-meaningful gesture to show your team how grateful you are for their hard work. Employee Appreciation Day is on March 6th, 2020, and if you’re feeling stuck about what to do, click here for a few great ideas from Just Works to help you get started.
Appreciate them every day.
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