5 Unique Ways to Show Your Team Gratitude This Employee Appreciation Day Try these fresh ways to show your gratitude.

Employees are the lifeblood of any company, and the vast majority of staffers have continued to demonstrate their value, whether they're back in the office full time, hybrid, or working remotely. Recognizing and showing gratitude to team members has long been one mark of a great manager, but it's even more important now, considering that employee retention is top-of-mind. A 2022 hiring report by Goodtime found that 30% of talent and HR professionals cited employee retention as their biggest challenge in the previous year and expected it to continue in 2023. It stands to reason that staffers who feel appreciated are likely to stick around and grow.

While you probably dole out kudos and high-fives throughout the year, Employee Appreciation Day (Friday, March 3) offers an excellent opportunity to show your appreciation in new ways. Finding out-of-the-box ways to celebrate your employees is especially welcome.

Keeping office life interesting not only makes a better workplace, it reminds existing employees why they chose to work there. Like any relationship, the one you forge with your team requires some intention and focus to continue to be rewarding. Building a culture where your team deeply understands that they matter is good for the spirit, and it also makes good financial sense: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates keeping an employee happy can save the company up to nine months of that person's salary that they would have spent finding a replacement.

The good news is Employee Appreciation Day can be a catalyst for cultivating a culture of gratitude. Use this occasion to recognize your team members for their hard work, and surprise and delight them. Try these fresh ideas to show your gratitude.

1. Share your thanks and a Starbucks gift card Gifting Starbucks Cards on Employee Appreciation Day is a great way to shower employees, consultants and other team members with recognition. You can buy digital and physical Starbucks Cards in bulk, so they fit every team and every working situation. Monica Iriarte, an HR consultant who helps her clients identify ways to celebrate employees, says Starbucks Cards are a foolproof way to show employees you care. "Everyone has their own Starbucks order, and there are locations everywhere, so it's always appreciated," Iriarte says. To add to that element of delight, tie each card you give to a moment where your employee went above and beyond the call of duty, identified a way to better serve your customers, or otherwise contributed to the company's bottom line. Either jot down the praise, or say a few words of thanks when you give the card.
   
   For Employee Appreciation Day, Starbucks is offering 5% off total bulk card values of $1,000 or more with special code EADFIVE from 2/20-3/5. Offer is valid for one time use at starbuckscardb2b.com and cannot be combined with any other offers.

2. Surprise staffers with lunch and unique games. Lee Rubin, CEO and founder of corporate event company Confetti, suggests you pull the element of surprise, by starting with lunch—catered, enjoyed at a nearby restaurant, or delivered to remote employees—and then playing a fun game. Confetti creates games like "Workplace Gratitude" and "Guess Who" for clients that highlight individual employees and recognize them for their contributions. "Unexpected activities are huge for morale because your employees feel like you're thinking about them on your own time and want to do something special for them," Rubin says.
3. Focus on your employee's wants and needs. Iriarte counsels her clients to ensure their Employee Appreciation Day activities don't feel self-serving. One year, for instance, she downscaled the budget for a party to instead purchase employee gifts. These meaningful presents were more lasting and tangible than the temporary thrill of a lavish party. Remember, too, she says, that employees crave recognition and want to know that their company cares for them, not just on Employee Appreciation Day, but at other milestones in their lives. For example, if you know a team member's child is graduating high school, "drop them a Starbucks Card with a note to take their kid for a coffee date" in celebration, she says. You can also keep a stash of cards on hand year-round to give on the spot when good work deserves recognition.
4. Turn your executive team into office genies. And give employees the thrill of "bossing" around their bosses. How it works: Each staffer gets three wishes they can use on the management team. You can create a list of "wishes" for employees to pull from, such as making a Starbucks run, taking notes at an upcoming meeting, or switching desks for the day. It's a low-stakes way to reinforce that your whole team is in this together and—that the bosses have a good sense of humor.
5. Celebrate the diversity of your team through food and drink. For a fresh spin on the standard employee luncheon, shake up the menu and spark storytelling and sharing with this approach: Give employees a stipend to either prepare food from their family's culture or to order delivery from a restaurant specializing in cuisine from their home countries this Employee Appreciation Day. Along with their favorite dishes, encourage employees to share some facts about their culture.

While strong leaders focus on making their team feel supported and engaged every day, there's nothing like Employee Appreciation Day to pause and recognize great work. Let the above ideas inspire you to go above and beyond for your employees, as they so often do for your company throughout the year.