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St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the only holiday in March; another holiday that corporate executives and event planners should mark on their calendar is Employee Appreciation Day. Held annually on the first Friday in March, it’s held to honor and celebrate employees throughout the country. So if you want to show appreciation to your workforce, follow this tips to plan the perfect event.

 

Choose a Date

The first step in planning an employee appreciation event is choosing a date. Being that Employee Appreciation Day always falls on a Friday, many companies find this is the ideal time for an event. Depending on the nature of your business, perhaps you can plan the event for the latter half of the day. Alternatively, you can always choose a different date for your employee appreciation date, though you should let employees know ahead of time so they can make the necessary arrangements to attend.

Recognize Hard-Working Employees

According to a Gallup poll, lack of recognition is the single most common reason why workers quit their jobs. When an employee doesn’t feel recognized, he or she is more likely to quit. Of course, an employee appreciation event offers the perfect opportunity for employers to recognize workers.

Here are some different ways to recognize employees at your event:

  • Host a ceremony and announce some of your company’s top-performing employees.
  • Reward employees with plaques, trophies, company-branded gear or other swag.
  • Individually greet each employee, shaking their hand and telling them thanks.
  • Assuming your company doesn’t already have one, you can announce an employee-of-the-month program at the event.
  • Give thank you notes to hard-working employees during the event.

Provide Food and Beverages

Whether you choose basic finger foods and pre-made sandwich platters from your local grocery store or full-service catering, no employee appreciation event is complete without food and beverages. It’s not a bad idea to seek input from your employees beforehand, asking them what foods and beverages they’d like.

Make it Fun

Remember, an employee appreciation event is a way for employers to tell their workers “thanks” for everything they do. Therefore, the event should be fun and entertaining. You make your event fun by hiring a professional DJ or a live band. Or if you really want to make it memorable, consider hiring a magician like the amazing Ben Silver, who’s marveled countless corporate clients including NBC/ Universal, Edward Jones, The Dream Foundation, The San Diego Zoo, H&M, and Disney.