The first Friday of March is Employee Appreciation Day - a chance to show your employees that you value them and appreciate all they do for you and your business. If you've left it a bit late to organise something, don't fear - we've got you covered with these 6 last minute ways to show your appreciation.
1. Buy everyone lunch
Order pizzas, buy in some sushi, give everyone a voucher - buying lunch is a quick, easy, but appreciated gesture. Make sure to take into account dietary requirements and cater for everyone so that you don't leave some employees feeling left out.
2. Write a thank you card
It has the most impact if these are personalised. Hand write, or even email a note of thanks and appreciation to each member of your organisation. If you have a big company with lots of employees, write your note of thanks to your department managers and team leaders, and encourage them to do the same for their direct reports.
3. Give everyone a lie in voucher
For those days when you just need an extra hour in bed! Employees can cash in their voucher when they feel the need and start work an hour later. Great for offices and organisations that have capacity for flexible start times.
4. Let everyone go early
Perhaps best suited to smaller organisations - if your organisation is set up in a way that allows flexible hours, why not let everyone leave a bit earlier on employee appreciation day and get a head start on their weekend?
5. Gift vouchers
Depending on your budget and size of your team, gift vouchers are a perfect token gift to say 'thank you' and many can be bought and downloaded online if you're short of time. A £5 Costa voucher could give them a nice treat on their way to work on Monday morning, or an Amazon voucher could by them a book to read on the train.
6. Invite them to a thank you party
Get some nibbles and party poppers, or champagne flutes if that's more your style, pop on some music and 'down tools' for the last hour of the day to get everyone chatting and bonding. Sounds like a great way to end the working week!
There are so many ways to show your appreciation for your employees, and doing so can help bolster morale, encourage loyalty and boost productivity.
What will you do to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day?