Birthdays are always a special occasion, and giving employees the chance to celebrate in style should be at the top of any employer’s priority list. They present an opportunity to show one of the company’s most treasured assets that you care and appreciate them, which will over time, help improve employee morale, productivity, and loyalty to the company.
There may not be enough time or money to go all out with birthday celebrations for your staff members, but that doesn’t mean they should be overlooked completely, either! More often than not, it’s the small gestures that count!
In this piece, we’ll cover seven small yet important ways employers can show their appreciation and give employees something special on their birthdays. Read on for ideas on how you could make your team members feel more appreciated, happier, and more motivated by helping celebrate their birthdays this year!
1. Have a Small Party for the B-Day Boy/Girl
A birthday is all about celebrating, especially the special blessing to become a year older. Whether you’re the big boss, a line manager, or a supervisor, organizing or being part of a small surprise birthday party for an employee who’s turning a year older can be an amazing token of appreciation. Most probably, the other members of the team will share their appreciation too.
You could spare some moments during the day to hold the party, perhaps during the morning meeting or lunch hour, or organize to have one after work. Ask your team to gather in an office or conference room and bring some snacks, drinks, and decorations. Whichever the case, make sure everyone has ample time to celebrate before getting back to work.
2. Use Gift Cards and Greeting Cards
A birthday is also a great excuse to buy someone something that they might need or have their eye on! Attention to detail can go a long way, so be sure to consider their interests and preferences when picking out gift cards.
If your employee loves books, you can gift them with an Amazon e-gift card. For the foodie in the office, get them a local restaurant voucher or even try crafting homemade coupons for free dinner at their favorite bistro.
Alternatively, beautifully designed greeting cards are an awesome way to let the birthday celebrant know that they’re on your mind. These too are easy to customize online using birthday card makers that let you include anything from photos to the employee’s biggest milestones or anything that might bring a smile to their face on their special day.
These small gestures can help show that you are personally invested in your employees’ happiness. Plus it’s an effortless way of contributing if organizing a full party isn’t possible!
3. Send Personalized Ecards
For distributed teams or those who work remotely, sending personalized e-cards is a great way to celebrate employees’ birthdays. Whether you choose online e-card services or create your own, these symbolic gestures of care can make the employee’s day!
Consider adding memorable photos from special internal events with colleagues in different roles or departments so that everyone gets included in the celebration. To truly make them feel appreciated, you can further customize the card by including inside jokes and shared memories! This simple act can go a long way in conveying your gesture of appreciation and boosting morale in the workplace environment.
4. Treat ’em to Lunch!
One of the simplest and most affordable ways to show an employee you appreciate them on their birthday is by treating them out for lunch. Think of a spot that your employee loves and surprise him/her with a treat during their break or even outside working hours, depending on workloads and other obligations.
Having time off from work while being treated to lunch can help boost morale amongst all team members, inspiring more commitment towards the company’s mission. This simple gesture also gives everyone else on the team a chance to get together following daily business operations.
It allows colleagues to connect, communicate, and build relationships in a comfortable environment away from stressed deadlines or competing priorities!
5. Use Birthdays to Recognize Achievements
People love to be recognized for their dedication and hard work! As such, recognition is fundamental for employee enjoyment and a healthy, motivated workplace. Take this opportunity on each employee’s birthday to celebrate the achievements they accomplished throughout the years, both internally and through awards or certificates.
Whether they’ve reached a professional peak after five successful years of service, or cultivated higher levels of customer satisfaction with every project managed during their first year at your company, successes need to be celebrated. Instead of waiting until the end of the year, recognizing the achievements of each employer during their special day can help make their birthday even more special.
6. Send Birthday Wishes Across Social Media Platforms
Especially Facebook, social media is a great way to let the world know when it’s someone’s birthday! Consider putting a post on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram about your employee’s birthday to congratulate and celebrate them on your company’s social media platforms.
You could even use a hashtag with your post, such as #EmployeeBirthdayCelebration, allowing both internal teams and other audiences alike to join in and extend congratulations! These celebrations can actually help keep followers more engaged!
7. Surprise Them with a Special Gift on Their Desk
Lastly, nothing says “happy birthday” better than waking up to find a special thoughtful surprise for you! Whether it’s the latest book they were looking forward to or flowers from Bloomsybox that offers birthday bouquets, going the extra mile to put in this small act of kindness will leave your employee feeling valued and appreciated
Consider using the person’s background information, such as hobbies, passions, and interests when picking out your gift choice. This will show them how much effort you put in to make sure their ideas and values are respected while also thinking outside the box.
Birthdays are an amazing opportunity to show your employees that they’re valued and respected. Showing appreciation in small but thoughtful ways can have a huge impact on employee morale and engagement, as well as team bonding.
From throwing a birthday party, sending e-cards and gift cards, all the way to using social media, there’s no shortage of options for employers who wish to recognize and celebrate their staff. Use these tips for celebrating birthdays in the workplace, and you’ll someday pat yourself on the back you did!
Image: pexels
Guest writer.
