Employee Appreciation Day
Dr. Bob Nelson, known as the "Guru of Thank You," and founding member of Recognition Professionals International (previously known as the National Association for Employee Recognition), created Employee Appreciation Day in 1995 because he "wanted to call attention to the importance of thanking employees when they do a good job." It has become a day when bosses and management thank and reward employees for their work, with food, gifts, and special events.
The day strengthens the relationship between bosses and their employees. It costs a lot to train new employees, so it's important to boost worker morale so they can be retained. Morale boosting also increases worker productivity, which benefits companies overall.
How to Observe Employee Appreciation Day
If you are a boss, there are many things you could do for your employees today: Provide breakfast, lunch, or snacks for them; have a staff party during the day or plan an event somewhere after work; plan some team-building games or give your workers a shortened day. You could also read Dr. Nelson's 1001 Ways to Reward Employees (later updated to 1501 Ways to Reward Employees) to get more ideas. If you are an employee, this is a day to work to form a better relationship with your boss, and to kindly make sure they know it is Employee Appreciation Day!