How to Create a Successful Employee Appreciation Week

Originally published on the TalentWise blog August 4, 2015.

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Last Friday we finished up five incredible days of employee appreciation week at TalentWise, and I have to give some huge kudos to the Employee Engagement Committee for making it such a success. They provided an entire business week of activities and contests, snacks and smiles, and all the while we kept the wheels on the bus.

Looking back, I’ve learned a few things about how and why we are able to have so much fun alongside our continued hard work. But before we look at three takeaways, let’s first marvel at a couple of our daily costume contest winners: Sarah from Legal as Bret Michaels on “Throwback Thursday” and Kristin from Client Services as Princess Leia on “Trilogy Tuesday.” Incredible, right?

Now, here are three simple ways to ensure you deliver one heck of an employee appreciation week:

1. Less is more.

You may believe every one of your employees deserves a surprise concert or expensive gifts, but do you remember that old saying “it’s the thought that counts”? Turns out, it’s pretty effective thinking.  Providing lower-commitment activities spread out across a few days can assure everyone is able to participate at some level, because not every employee may be able to make it to a big party. Daily, themed costume contests were a huge hit for us this year, clearly! If you need a great idea to engage remote employees too, play Bingo and announce the numbers via email to include everyone in the organization. In short, just don’t overdo it.

2. Get leadership involved.

There’s nothing like executive participation to send the message that they value the hard work of their people. Employees like to know that the guys and gals at the top aren’t too busy to share in the appreciation of their hard work –and the fun. It helps to bridge that employee-employer gap when you can sink a VP in a dunk tank and laugh about it in your next meeting, or have your leadership team serve you breakfast one morning. Our CEO even shared some kind words with a gracious toast at our Friday social to finish off the week. It reminds us how important each of our roles are when he stands in front of the company and gives kudos to each department that’s a special cog in the TalentWise machine.

3. Give employees a voice.

Possibly the best part about employee appreciation week is just as Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg address: it’s “of the people, by the people, for the people!” The Employee Engagement Committee hosts great events because they are the pulse of the organization, and not only know our corporate culture so well, they are the best advocates for fostering and driving it. Through them, our employees have the ability to share suggestions to make the next event even better. From planning and communication to execution and clean up, it should be an incredible team effort that brings together folks from all corners of the company toward that single goal of showing some love. The more departments that are represented, the better success you’ll have.

I’ve been a member of the Employee Engagement Committee for almost a year now, and although I can’t take credit for the creativity of last week’s events, I am so proud to work with such passionate people and for an organization that empowers them with a whole week of appreciation!