6 Employee Appreciation Day Ideas Your Team will Love

Employees are the greatest asset of any company. They are the glue that holds everything together and brings your company’s vision to life. We think that’s definitely worth celebrating – especially on National Employee Appreciation Day!

You might be wondering when is Employee Appreciation Day? Each year, it is celebrated on the first Friday of March. In 2024, Employee Appreciation Day falls on Friday, March 1st.

It’s a day to tell your team thank you, I see you, and I appreciate you. It might seem trivial, but according to Harvard Business Review, simply showing gratitude to your employees improves their wellbeing, reduces stress, and builds resilience.

So this year, take the time to thank your team for all their hard work, flexibility, and amazing efforts. Here are 6 Employee Appreciation Day ideas (and quotes) to spark your creativity and help you share the love.

Say thanks with these 6 Employee Appreciation Day ideas

It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day and overlook all the amazing work that your team is doing. But a little gratitude can go a long way! The benefits you and your team can expect from recognition and appreciation in the workplace include:

• Increased engagement
• Improved productivity
• Better employee retention
• Greater motivation
• Stronger teams relationships

First, reflect on the impact your employees have had on the company, your team, and customers. Then, use these employee appreciation ideas to show your gratitude.

Employee appreciation videos

Unlike emails or Slacks, video allows you to show off your employees and all the amazing work they’ve done. Appreciation videos are easy to create and customize with a heartfelt thank you quote, photos, video clips, and more. You can also record custom webcam recordings to connect with your team and send them a personalized thank you message.

Employee appreciation videos can be the star of the show or just one component of your Employee Appreciation Day celebration. Here are a few examples of videos you can make in minutes using Animoto’s professional video templates.

Company Appreciation

Show your team your gratitude and create a video featuring them! Upload headshots, Zoom recordings, video clips from team events, gifs, and more to turn them into a fun video collage. If your team is the heartbeat of your organization, make sure they know it!

Employee Appreciation

Give a huge shout out to employees who went above and beyond this year with a video! Call out their accomplishments, special projects, and amazing skills alongside headshots and photos of their work. You can share these directly via email, post them on LinkedIn, or share them internally via company and team-wide Slack channels.

Employee Spotlight

Put your team members in the spotlight with a video that’s just for them! Celebrate their accomplishments, share some funny photos, and thank them for everything they do. You can also pair this with shout out on Slack or in your next company-wide meeting.

Game night

Employee Appreciation Day is worthy of a celebration! Whether you’re remote, in-office, or somewhere in between, you can organize a fun event to let your team cut loose and have some fun.

Host a game night via Zoom and play trivia, pictionary, or Drawful. Pictionary is a favorite of team Animoto’s!

If you’re able to gather in person, head to the bowling alley, arcade, or the foosball table in the breakroom. No matter what game you choose, just remember that the only outcome is to boost team morale and treat them to a bit of fun. And don’t forget the snacks!

Share some swag

Show your gratitude with some swag! This is a great option for hybrid and in-office teams.

Tailor your gift bags to your team’s needs. For example, a cozy branded blanket and pair of headphones is a great gift for remote employees! Or, give your team gift cards to local restaurants to make their lunch breaks that much better. Just like any holiday or gift-giving event, be thoughtful and keep your team’s interests, needs, and desires in mind.

Grab lunch

What better way to bring your team together than with a meal? If you’re able, cater lunch for the whole team to share together. Or, visit a local restaurant your team loves!

Don’t worry, an awesome lunch date is still possible for hybrid and remote teams! Give each of your team members a digital gift card to a meal delivery service like DoorDash or GrubHub. Then, fire up a Zoom call and enjoy your smorgasbord together.

Take a field trip

Enjoy some time out together as a team. Head out on a field trip to a local botanical garden, park, museum, brewery, or winery. It’s a great way to get to know your community and employees.

PTO day, anybody?

Nothing says "Happy Employee Appreciation Day!" like bonus PTO! Sometimes the best gift you can give someone is a break. If you’re able, surprise your team some of their time back. A long weekend or extra PTO day can go a long way, especially after wrapping up a challenging project.

Employee appreciation quotes and messages

Looking for the right words to say? Here are some heartfelt, funny, and humble employee appreciation quotes you can add to videos, cards, announcements, and more.

• Thanks for all the late nights, early mornings, and hours in between.
• We couldn’t have done it without your hard work, energy, and support. Thanks for being such an integral part of our team.
• Being a manager is easy with a team like you! Thanks for everything you do.
• Your hard work does not go unnoticed. We don’t say it enough, but thank you for everything.
• You are the glue that holds this company together. Thanks for helping us achieve our mission and inspiring us to reach even further.
• I thought I worked hard… and then I met you! Thanks for always giving it 100%.
• Today may be National Employee Appreciation Day, but I feel grateful to have you on my team every day.
• The ultimate work perk is having a team like you!
• Your positivity and work ethic carries us through the toughest times. - - Thanks for being the ultimate team player.
• Because of you, Monday mornings are a little bit brighter. Thanks for being awesome!

Say thanks with a video

Every day is a new opportunity to show your team some love and say thank you. Don’t let this one pass you by!

With Animoto you can create a custom thank you video for your team any time. Choose a template, customize, and share in just a few clicks. Remember, a little recognition goes a long way!