14 Excellent Ways to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

Employee Appreciation Day is coming up. And while we might be biased, we believe it's the best day of the working year.

It's probably no surprise to you that Bonusly takes Employee Appreciation Day seriously. Recognizing and celebrating employees' great work—not only on this day but every day of the year—is at the core of our mission, after all.

When is Employee Appreciation Day?

Employee Appreciation Day falls on the first Friday of March—it'll be on Friday, March 7th in 2025.

On this day, employers around the world make the extra effort to appreciate their employees’ effort and dedication. Over the past 20 years, an increasing number of companies have embraced this occasion to recognize the achievements and contributions of their employees with special events, gifts, and surprises.

We'll cover why celebrating Employee Appreciation Day is a top goal for HR, and we've rounded up a big list of our favorite ideas. Since Employee Appreciation Day might look a little different if you don't have an in-office setup, we've included adjustments to make each idea remote-friendly.

Why is Employee Appreciation Day important?

Employee Appreciation Day is the perfect opportunity to reflect on how your company approaches recognition—but it shouldn’t be the only day employees feel valued. Recognition done right happens year-round in the moments that matter most. Use this holiday as a starting point to celebrate your team while setting the foundation for a culture where recognition is frequent, meaningful, and built into how you work every day.

Even a little bit of recognition can make a big impact on employee growth, attrition, and company performance. Research shows that feeling recognition builds meaningful connections at work to drive productivity, retention, and bottom line ROI.  

Research also shows that recognizing employees makes for a better customer experience. For example, a study in the hospitality industry found a strong correlation between employee engagement and guest satisfaction.

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson famously said:

Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.

Employee recognition: right vs wrong

Before jumping into specific ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, it's important to understand what makes recognition effective and what misses the mark. Appreciation isn't just about grand gestures; it's about making employees feel genuinely valued in ways that resonate.

The Right Way to Recognize Employees

✅ Make it specific: A simple “great job” doesn’t cut it. Instead, highlight exactly what the person did and why it mattered. For example, “Thanks for stepping in last minute to lead the client presentation! Your expertise helped us close the deal.”

✅ Tie recognition to values: Align praise with your company’s mission and core values. If collaboration is a company value, call out how someone’s teamwork contributed to success.

✅ Be timely: Recognition is most impactful when it's given soon after the achievement. Don’t wait weeks to celebrate a big win—make it part of the moment.

✅ Ensure it’s inclusive – Recognition should be frequent and equitable, not reserved for only the most visible or outspoken employees. Peer-to-peer recognition programs can help ensure everyone’s contributions are noticed.

The Wrong Way to Recognize Employees

• ‍Milestone gifts that miss the mark" If your idea of celebrating an employee’s work anniversary is a generic company-branded tumbler, it’s time to rethink your approach.‍
• Copy-paste appreciation: A generic “Great job, team!” email doesn’t make employees feel seen. If your thank-you message could be copy-pasted anywhere with a few words swapped out, it’s missing the point.
• ‍Participation trophies for everyone: Recognition should be earned, not handed out just to check a fairness box. Employees don’t want to be rewarded for simply showing up—they want to know their impact truly matters.‍
• Recognition that’s too little, too late: Saving recognition for an end-of-year ceremony or performance review means employees spend most of the year wondering if their work is valued. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind.

By understanding what makes recognition effective, you can ensure that Employee Appreciation Day (and recognition year-round) truly makes an impact. Now, let’s explore 15 creative ways to celebrate your employees on March 7th!

14 ways to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day

So how can you make your employees feel especially appreciated on this day? Here are 14 ideas to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day with your team.

1. Volunteer

Volunteer at a local conservation program, homeless shelter, senior living community, or humane society. Give back by planting trees, cooking and serving those in need, bringing joy to seniors, or taking dogs for walks. Research by Deloitte found that 70% of working Americans believe “volunteer activities are more likely to boost employee morale than company-sponsored happy hours.”

Having trouble finding volunteer opportunities and events? Ask your team for ideas or try a service like VolunteerMatch.

Benefits include: Working together with team members, getting to know new colleagues, helping the community, building great memories, and inspiring gratitude.

Make it remote-friendly: VolunteerMatch has an excellent virtual volunteering opportunities page to explore. Some other remote-friendly volunteering ideas include:

• Arranging drop-off locations for a food drive or for donating warm-weather clothing
• Hosting a virtual fundraiser and raffle off prizes 
• Volunteering at a food pantry by packing, organizing, or giving out food
• Delivering groceries or meals to seniors
  

2. Set up a remote team-building event (that is actually fun)

Employee Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to take a break from the day to day grind and improve team camaraderie and connectedness—even if employees are miles apart and behind a screen.

There are lots of things you can do with your team to have fun together and build a strong bond. At Bonusly, we’ve done our fair share of virtual team-building experiences, and have had a lot of good fortune in finding some super interesting and unique activities. We’ve collected some of these in a list for you.

3. Dedicated employee recognition program

If you're celebrating Employee Appreciation Day to help make your employees feel valued, you're headed in the right direction. As we've mentioned, employee appreciation comes with many benefits. But what if you could make every day Employee Appreciation Day for your team or company? 

With Bonusly, you can! The Bonusly platform empowers companies, from small to enterprise around the world to build values-based, recognition-first cultures all year long. 

Make it remote-friendly: Bonusly is perfect for remote teams that might feel disconnected. Because employee recognition is made visible, it can increase collaboration and communication between teams, and help company leaders gain more insight into the work that happens every day! Bonusly is also great for in-office or hybrid work environments. 

--> To learn more, request a demo today.

4. Meaningful gift bags

Create a bag with gifts employees will actually want, like company-branded clothing, a gift card, or a backpack (bonus points if it has a case for employees' laptops).

Go a step further and ask your staff what kind of gifts they really want. Giving the right kind of swag can increase loyalty and help spark future conversations about your brand.

Benefits include: Feeling appreciated and enjoying gifts with friends and family.

Make it remote-friendly: Delivery services have really stepped up their game during the pandemic. Create a custom care box experience with Knack, cult-favorite hometown treats from Goldbelly, or send over the essentials with Doordash. 

5. Get creative outside of work

Research at San Francisco State University shows that having creative outlets outside of work boosts job performance. Introduce your employees to some fun hobbies with a workshop on painting, cooking, flower arrangement, crocheting, or origami.

To make sure that everyone participates in an activity that they’ll enjoy, propose multiple options and let everyone sign up for their preferred activity beforehand.

Benefits include: Focusing on something fun, right-brained thinking, experiencing a new hobby, and getting to take a masterpiece home with you.

Make it remote-friendly: Just like delivery services, all sorts of businesses have adapted to the socially-distant environment and are offering classes and experiences online. Browse through hundreds of options on The Vendry, Marco, and Airbnb Experiences! Since Bonusly started working from home, we've attended a virtual cooking class (empanadas!), followed along with an expert mixologist, and will soon embark on a Harlem Renaissance-themed tour for Black History Month! 

6. Provide a lunch experience

Provide a catered lunch for your employees and offer activities afterward, like listening to a lunchtime concert, joining a local walking tour, attending a library talk, or going for a bike ride. Eating right, exercising, and concerts all have proven work-related benefits. Poll your team and refer to your local newspaper for venues and events that could be a good fit for your outing.

Benefits include: Discovering new and exciting things to do in your town, enjoying new experiences with team members, and sharing interests.

Make it remote-friendly: Make an effort to connect by ordering lunch from a local favorite. While we can't be together in person, enjoying the same food is almost as good.

7. Throw a team happy hour

Happy hours provide a relaxed atmosphere that can encourage positive staff interactions. They allow team members to reduce stress and can contribute to positive company culture. Note that hosting any after-hours activity may exclude some individuals, so consider stopping the workday a little early before other commitments pull people away.

If you choose to host a happy hour, make sure to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of serving alcohol to your team and be sensitive to any folks who don’t drink, providing alternatives.

Benefits include casual socializing and learning something new about each other.

Make it remote-friendly: Virtual mixology classes or wine tastings are a fun, fresh way to enjoy happy hours—especially if you feel like the energy around your virtual happy hours is lagging. 

8. Take a field trip

Organize a field trip to a local museum, botanical garden, or park. Sign up for a factory, brewery, or winery tour. Use Employee Appreciation Day as an opportunity to better know your community and learn about your neighbors. It might even spark some new ideas!

Benefits include: Creating a memorable day, having fun, enjoying local attractions, and learning something new.

Make it remote-friendly: If you have a smaller team that's based in the same geographic location, it may be possible to meet up in a park or do some kind of outdoor activity.

9. Spruce up the workspace

You know what they say about March—it comes in like a lion.

This time of year is when a lot of employees get antsy about the dreary weather—especially when you're stuck inside, working remotely. Employee Appreciation Day is a perfect opportunity to help your employees with a spring refresh of their workspace. Pick up some new greenery for the office, or bring in new art for a fresh mindset. 

Make it remote-friendly:  Explore options like The Sill or Bloomscape for delivery of indoor potted plants. Also, consider implementing an office equipment stipend to make sure your employees have what they need to be productive and successful!

10. Film a short video

A few months after Bonusly started working remotely due to COVID-19, we kicked off a quick video project. Participating employees shot a selfie video thanking our leadership team for their care and flexibility as we transitioned to remote work, which was stitched together into a full appreciation video! We surprised them by playing it at our all-hands meeting, and it was a hit! Yes, there were happy tears.

This is an easy but meaningful way to show your appreciation, whether it’s on a company-wide or individual level. If you’re on a Mac, Apple iMovie will work in a pinch, but there’s also tons of free video editing software out there.

11. Send a postcard or letter

Postcards, letters, and other forms of snail mail are a special joy to receive during the pandemic. Write a letter of appreciation for your employees, and it's something they can pin up in their workspace.

12. Start a mentorship program

According to our State of Employee Engagement Workplace Report, employee engagement is inconsistent. One way to combat this is mentorship. Case in point: another recent engagement report found that 89% of Highly Engaged employees are satisfied with their professional development opportunities, compared to only 36% of Actively Disengaged employees.

Employee Appreciation Day is a great day to announce a new mentorship program. You should be thinking about how you can help your employees learn and grow, but there are many ways you can do this besides paying for expensive conferences and course tuition. Establishing an official mentoring program empowers employees to build relationships, shadow others in desirable roles, and find opportunities for growth.

13. Establish dedicated time off 

Time is a priceless resource, and it's one thing you can never get back. Why not offer some extra PTO to your team as part of Employee Appreciation Day? Even for people who love their jobs, a little extra free time is always welcome.

There are many time-based ways to reward your employees for their hard work, from flexible scheduling to sleep-in days and early releases!

Make it remote-friendly: At Bonusly, we’ve been dedicating one Friday a month as “Rest from Home Days”—a way for our leadership team to acknowledge how many employees are working longer and harder throughout the pandemic.

With the shift to more remote work, the lines between work and personal life have been heavily blurred. It’s important to make sure your employees have the time to actually rest and recharge. There's no better way to show your appreciation for your employees' hard work. 

14. Write a LinkedIn recommendation

Writing a LinkedIn recommendation is the perfect way to commemorate Employee Appreciation Day! It’s personal, meaningful, and an endorsement of someone’s hard work. It’s an underrated gesture that communicates your appreciation of a team member, but also that you care about their future success—even if it’s not at your company. Plus, it's free.

LinkedIn recommendations are the gold star of public recognition because it’s truly public.

Impact of employee recognition

How exactly are employees and companies positively impacted by recognition? When companies get recognition right, they create a thriving workplace where engagement, collaboration, and growth flourish. Here’s what meaningful recognition unlocks:

Stronger team connections‍

Frequent recognition strengthens bonds across teams, building trust and camaraderie. When employees feel valued, collaboration improves, support flows naturally, and teams work together more effectively.

Reinforcement of key skills and behaviors

‍Great recognition doesn’t just celebrate results—it highlights the actions that led to success. By consistently acknowledging impactful work, companies create a roadmap for high performance and continuous improvement.

A workplace where feedback thrives

‍Recognition lays the foundation for a healthy feedback culture. When employees know their contributions are valued, they’re more open to feedback, seeing it as a tool for growth rather than criticism.

Motivation that drives excellence

‍Feeling seen and appreciated fuels motivation. Employees don’t just maintain the status quo—they push themselves to grow, improve, and achieve even more.

Higher retention and lower turnover

‍Top talent stays where they feel valued. Consistent, meaningful recognition helps employees feel invested in their workplace, making them far less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Real business results

‍Engaged employees are productive employees. Companies that prioritize recognition see stronger performance, higher retention, and a culture that attracts top talent. Recognition isn’t just about appreciation—it’s a powerful business strategy.

Make every day Employee Appreciation Day

While it’s a great idea to celebrate Employee Appreciation Day, it’s important to understand that organizations shouldn’t limit employee appreciation to just one day. Every day should be Employee Appreciation Day.

If you haven’t already, start thinking about implementing an employee recognition program. These programs can be a great way to build connected teams and experience gains like increased employee growth, lower attrition, and stronger company performance. Using an employee recognition platform like Bonusly makes it easy to appreciate your team—and experience the benefits that come along with that—all year long.

Want more ideas to appreciate your employees throughout the year? Talk with one of our experts.

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