3 easy ways to show appreciation on Employee Appreciation Day

Ready to celebrate? On March 4th, organizations around the world (especially throughout the United States and Canada) will observe Employee Appreciation Day (EAD)—an opportunity for company leadership, departments, teams and peers to showcase their gratitude for one another.

At Augeo, we want every day to be Employee Appreciation Day! We’re passionate about elevating and accelerating employee engagement—and we believe that organizations should build a culture of connection, collaboration and recognition that extends throughout the year.

What better way to start building that culture than by expressing gratitude—one of our six pillars of engagement—on Employee Appreciation Day? To help you get started, we’re highlighting 3 quick and easy ways to show appreciation in the workplace.

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1. Share your gratitude—and be specific

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Often, all it takes is a simple “thank you” or “great job” to kickstart the release of dopamine in the brain. We suggest going a step further. When expressing your gratitude for someone else, be specific. Sure, you can thank someone for a job well done—but taking your appreciation to new levels by highlighting the finer details will have a big impact.

Whether you’re sending a message via email, your preferred instant messaging app or a virtual recognition wall via your company’s employee engagement platform—ask yourself these questions:

• What qualities of their work made this project shine?
• What do I most value about their approach or work ethic?
• How did they overcome a specific challenge or obstacle?
• How did they make a difference for me personally or professionally?
• How does their work align with the company’s values?

The answers to questions like these will help you form more meaningful expressions of gratitude that stand out. Here’s an example for even more inspiration:

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Kim, thank you for all your incredible work on our sales presentation this week, especially on such short notice! I really value your efficiency and agility—and the attention to detail you bring to every project makes our department shine brighter. Your ability to navigate any challenge is impressive, and we are grateful to have you on our team.

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2. Send a digital gift card—but think outside the box

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Employee gifts come in all shapes and sizes and are an effective way to express your appreciation. One of the quickest and most convenient options—both for the person giving the gift and the one receiving it—is a digital gift card. Going with a popular gift card brand like Starbucks, Amazon.com, Target, Walmart and Lowe’s is a safe bet—but we encourage you to think outside the box.

On Employee Appreciation Day, consider gifting an experience as a digital gift card. This type of gift is easy for your employees to enjoy, and they can experience a service that aligns with their interests. Popular choices include Netflix, Spotify, Headspace, Chewy and HelloFresh. The possibilities are endless!

An employee engagement platform that features data-rich profiles makes it easy to learn the preferences, hobbies and other interests of your employees—bringing new levels of personalization and thought to the gift:

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Jesse, your creative spark is an inspiration, and your innovative designs for our print campaign were exceptional. We received a record number of leads—and I know your work played a huge role in this effort. As a token of my appreciation for you, please enjoy an annual subscription to Netflix via this digital gift card! I know how much you love movies.

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3. Surprise and delight—with non-cash rewards

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Non-cash incentives, benefits and perks are an impactful way to reward and express appreciation for your employees. In an employee survey from the Incentive Research Foundation, nearly half of the respondents ranked having time off as the number one incentive.

On Employee Appreciation Day (which always falls on the first Friday of March), consider treating your employees to an extra PTO day which can be used at any point throughout the year. The element of surprise paired with the extra time off is sure to be a winning combo—especially when combined with a heartfelt expression of gratitude:

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Happy Employee Appreciation Day to our incredible team! Thank you to each of you for being a part of our journey—and for the incredible work you do for our clients, customers and each other. We are so proud of you and want to express our gratitude with a special surprise. Please enjoy an extra PTO day to use at any point this year!

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Elevating your engagement strategy beyond EAD

While these quick tips will come in handy on March 4th, we encourage every organization to think beyond Employee Appreciation Day and extend expressions of gratitude to 365 days of the year. With over 45 years of experience in loyalty and engagement solutions, our team is well-positioned to help you enhance your approach.

For more tips on how to elevate and accelerate employee engagement through expressions of gratitude and our other five pillars of engagement—check out our complimentary guide: The Art of Employee Engagement.

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