Did you know Friday 4^th March is Employee Appreciation Day?! We know what you’re thinking, employees should be appreciated every day of the year and we totally agree, so to help inspire and share the love, we thought we’d list down our favourite ways to show your employees you appreciate them. Whether you’ve got something lined up or not, read on for some ideas for Employee Appreciation Day or all year round!

Ways to show your employees you appreciate them

1. Celebrate their birthdays

It might feel like a small thing, but everyone likes to be spoilt on their birthday so why not make their day extra special and help them celebrate? Get some candles and cake in and get everybody to sign a card, this little touch will make work feel a little less like work and really make them feel valued. At Martha Brook, we are great believers in birthdays, and we never turn down an opportunity for cake! We also have fun tradition that the person who’s celebrating their birthday gets to choose the dress code for the day and we’ve had all sorts over the years… from double denim to festival wear to monochrome.

2. Allow them the time they need

We’ve all been there… dentist appointment in the middle of the day, school pick up in the early afternoon, we could go on! Personal stuff crops up so often that we think employees should feel comfortable being able to do those things and to be trusted to get their work done, even if that’s a little out of the 9-5. Allowing them the time and instilling trust in them will help them feel valued.

3. Invest in your people

Take the time to discover what your employees want to achieve in their career. Perhaps they’re hoping for a course to expand their knowledge and ability, or perhaps it’s helping an employee strengthen their skills by mentoring them.  If you invest your time in your people to help them grow and develop in the right direction, they’ll invest their energy and time in you.

4. Treat them to something thoughtful

There’s nothing better than arriving at your desk and having a beautiful package waiting for you. If you’re looking to go the extra mile this Employee Appreciation Day or any other day and are wondering how you can spoil your team, why not treat them some Martha Brook stationery that they can actually use to help them in their day-to-day tasks! With the ability to personalise with your very own branding and names of each employee, reach out to our corporate team at corporate@marthabrook.com, we’d be more than happy to help assisting in treating your team. Here are some recent orders we’ve made…

5. Surprise them with snacks

We all know food is the way to people’s hearts! We’re not talking about an all-out catered buffet (…but we wouldn’t say no) but having surprise spreads of snacks set up for your employees on busy days, on late shifts and sometimes even just for the fun of it, goes a really long way. A lovely way to show your gratitude to a bunch of hard workers you’re darn proud to work with!

6. Create a team reward

Another fun idea that can be hugely appreciated. This could be for many reasons and given as often as you like e.g. a ‘hero of the week’ that receives a little prize. A wonderful way to celebrate every kind of achievement no matter how big or small. At Martha Brook during our busiest time period in December, we have a hero of the day in each production team who gets the coveted honour of opening and enjoying the advent calendar for that day – a little but lovely ritual that we all look forward to at the end of the day!

7. Schedule team fun together

Work never has to be boring! Doing fun things together as a team is great way to show your employees you acknowledge and appreciate all of their dedication. It’s a way to give back to de-stress and enjoy some non-work time together. Not only that, it gives you the opportunity to know your colleagues and employees on a personal level!

8. Give them a wellness day

With everyone feeling the stress over the last couple of years, wellness or mental health day is something we are seeing more and more organisations opt to do. Giving your employees an additional day on top of their allocated annual leave to do something positive for their mental wellbeing or that bring them joy. Whether that’s relaxing at spa, going for a long walk or having one mega lay in, that day is all about doing something that prioritises them.

9. Invest in their workspace

Whether they work from home or are in the office, we are big believers that an uplifting workspace sparks the imagination and helps you to feel motivated. From the big things like decor to the small things, like what’s on your desk! If you’d like to invest in some beautiful productivity tools or desk accessories for Employee Appreciation Day, get in touch with our corporate team at corporate@marthabrook.com and we’d love to help.

10. Check in with them

Simply checking in with your employees to see how they’re doing leaves a lasting impact. Even if that’s just 5 minutes before another meeting and just asking what they got up to at the weekend shows you’re interested you are in them as people and will leave your employees knowing that you really care about them individually. We often find talking and de-compressing about something bothering us at home or in our personal lives can be a real weight off our shoulders. A problem shared is a problem halved!

11. Do something charitable together

Doing something for a good cause makes you feel good too, so find out what causes are close to your employee’s hearts, whether that’s raising money for a specific cause or litter picking locally for the day. Some organisations go as far to give their employees a charity day where they can pick the good cause themselves, or you can organise something to do together as a team. This is a great way to show your appreciation both for them and the wider world. We grouped together with our neighbours, Tea Pigs, for our annual litter pick!

12. Just say ‘thank you’

We all know the phrase ‘actions speak louder than words’ but often, a simple ‘thank you’ is greatly appreciated and goes a long way. It’s free, it’s kind and it can make an immeasurable difference to someone’s day!

We hope you’ve found our list of ways to show your employees you appreciate them helpful and that it has inspired an action you’d like to take for Employee Appreciation Day and beyond!

P.S. If you’re looking for more business and team content, you can follow us on LinkedIn here.