Guide to Employee Appreciation Day 2023

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Although the celebration is unofficial, Employee Appreciation Day has been observed in the U.S. for many years. Officially, the holiday began to appear in workplace calendars around 1995 and has since grown into a respected tradition. Its creation is credited to Bob Nelson in collaboration with his company, Workman Publishing. As one of Recognition Professionals International’s founding board members, Nelson’s vision was to designate one entire workday across the nation for recognizing employee achievements.

Now, over 25 years later, more and more companies are celebrating this semi-official holiday in one fashion or another. What’s more, several publications regularly write about the day – including Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and Boston.com. Wide mainstream support such as this has been instrumental in driving the employee recognition movement and providing organizations with the resources to make the celebration a memorable and lasting experience for all.

Employee Appreciation Day is held on the first Friday of March annually. For 2023, it falls on March 3rd. To some, it may seem arbitrary to observe all that employees do in this specific timeframe, but there is sound reasoning for doing so. Although unclear whether this was by design when it was being established, the timing holds significance regardless.

What makes the timing meaningful? First, March is recorded by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as a leading month in which employees choose to leave their positions. It comes in after December, which as the last month of the year, could be seen as a natural endpoint. With March, however, the high resignation rates are heavily tied to the timing surrounding the previous year’s bonus payment deadlines.

Second, March is often seen as a respite from all the demands of February. As the shortest month of the year, February typically has the briefest turnaround times and deadlines. Because of this, many employees work harder to meet the intensified workload demand and look forward to March as a time to recoup.

By scheduling a day to celebrate employee achievements during this anticipated time, it works to reaffirm the shared connection between team members and re-energize everyone before kicking off the spring season. It’s because of these considerations and others like them that it makes sense to have the holiday during the first week of March.

The events of the past few years have brought employee satisfaction to the forefront. In 2021 alone, more than 4 million American employees left their job as part of the “Great Resignation.” Many of those who departed cited a failure to recognize employee performance as a reason behind their decision. Employers must adapt to these changing expectations and offer their employees gratitude for all that they accomplish.

Employee Appreciation Day presents the perfect opportunity to do just that. From managers and company leaders to representatives in HR, higher-ups can use this chance to relay gratitude and appreciation to all of their employees. After all, appreciation and recognition are top drivers of employee satisfaction, with the power to attract talent, decrease turnover, and strengthen culture.

Another reason behind the importance of employee recognition relates to the current workplace climate. Throughout the country, employees are often in positions with no guaranteed vacation time to rest and recuperate. Moreover, many end up working longer hours than others in comparable positions in developed economies. These conditions are leading factors contributing to high levels of employee dissatisfaction and work-related stress. The climate also leads to rampant disengagement, with research showing only a mere 34% of the US workforce is consistently engaged with their work.

By increasing employee recognition, an organization may begin to improve these levels and create a more supportive workplace environment. It could also serve to attract new talent and high performers. Organizations would be remiss to overlook Employee Appreciation Day and the golden opportunity it presents to bolster company culture, strengthen communication and reinforce the team.

Not only is recognizing and showing appreciation for employees important for morale, but it can be beneficial to companies as well. To start, the value of kindness in the workplace is immeasurable. Generally, when people work in a happier and more cooperative workplace, they are more engaged. Much like a domino effect, better engagement can make a considerable difference in productivity and, therefore, a company’s bottom line.

For instance, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology recently featured a joint research paper on the subject of employee recognition and engagement. It revealed that employees who received regular gratitude were more likely to pick up slack for coworkers, put in discretionary effort and be more welcoming to new employees.

There’s also the benefit of fostering stronger relationships. Employee Appreciation Day celebrations offer managers the chance to make genuine connections with staff. As a top driver of employee satisfaction, it’s essential to maintain these positive manager/employee relationships. Typically, the more managers connect with their teams on a personal level, the higher employee engagement levels. Furthermore, employees who feel a strong connection to their direct managers are more productive, proactive and prosocial.

In 2022, 8 in 10 people were working remotely. As such, organizations have had to reengineer company-wide celebrations to be more inclusive and respective of new cultural dynamics. Simply put, while work settings may have changed, the need to prioritize employee recognition hasn’t. Despite the fact that showing this appreciation won’t quite look like what it used to, it’s essential to be inclusive of remote workers and send a strong message of unity.

By formally celebrating Employee Appreciation Day, organizations can send that message to each and every team member. As luck would have it, there are plenty of Employee Appreciation Day ideas for remote employees as well as those in person.

Here are a few creative strategies and established best practices to ensure everyone feels included and seen in 2023:

Now that you’ve read how significant the holiday can be, the only question remaining is how do you plan to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day 2023? If you’re still unsure or need assistance, please reach out to our recognition experts today!