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10 Ways To Remind Your Staff You Value Them On Employee Appreciation Day

It's that time of the year again! Employee Appreciation Day is fast-approaching and if you're looking for simple yet meaningful ways to demonstrate how much your business appreciates its staff, you've come to the right place. 

Employee Appreciation Day typically takes place on the first Friday in March, meaning that this year it falls on Friday 3rd March 2023.

However, why limit celebrating your staff to just one day? Whether you're planning to reward your team on March 3rd or perhaps want to organise your very own appreciation event later in the spring, showing your employees you value them can only be a good thing, regardless of the time of year.


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What Is Employee Appreciation Day?

Whilst it's largely celebrated in America and Canada, it's arguably never been more important for UK businesses to consider adding Employee Appreciation Day to their corporate calendar.

The awareness event is all about honouring the hard work, time and loyalty that your employees give your business, offering bosses the chance to show their staff that their contribution is truly noticed and valued.

Wondering how, exactly, you can celebrate Employee Appreciation Day with your team? We've got a few ideas...

  • Arrange a team meal: whether it's a virtual pizza hosted over Zoom or heading to the nearby pub, this is a simple way to show your appreciation to your team.
  • Hold an awards ceremony: for a tongue-in-cheek twist on Hollywood's various glittering award ceremonies, invite your staff to don their finery and host your very own office awards.
  • Donate to their chosen charity: ask your staff to nominate good causes that mean a lot to them and make donations to show your support.
  • Organise a team event: if you can spare a few hours out the office, plan a team-bonding event. Whether you head to a nearby escape room or check in for a few rounds of crazy golf, it's a great way to encourage your team to have fun together. 
  • Let everyone leave early: if your business allows for it, consider allowing your staff to leave early. Employee Appreciation Day is on a Friday, after all...

And of course, there's gifting. Whether they work remotely or are based in the office, we've got corporate gift ideas that are perfect for reminding your team how much they mean to your business. 

With options available to suit every industry and budget, read on for our pick of the best ideas for Employee Appreciation Day 2023. You can also browse our full range of promotional products to show gratitude to staff for more ideas.

Iced Cupcake Boxes

Ideal for: Smaller teams - these boxes of six can be ordered from just 10 units.

Our Iced Cupcake Boxes can be delivered to your office premises or, for a small extra cost, can be sent directly to the individual home addresses of your remote-working employees. However you plan to distribute them, these cupcakes are the perfect way to add a tasty touch to Employee Appreciation Day, with your logo printed in edible ink to the top of each cupcake.  

For an extra special touch, you can also select the colour you'd like for each cupcake's paper case, with a palette of shades to suit any corporate identity. Available with vanilla frosting by default, these cupcakes can also be ordered with chocolate or vanilla icing should you wish; simply get in touch to find out more and prepare to seriously brighten up your team's elevenses!

For more sweet treat inspiration, take a look at our Millionaire Shortcake Snack Boxes and Brownie Brew Boxes

Reusable Calypso Metal Bottles

Great for: Encouraging your staff to keep hydrated throughout the day.

Available in stylish black or chic grey, our Reusable Calypso Metal Bottles can be ordered from just 25 units and will be printed or engraved with your design. 

Suitable for keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks - you guessed it! - cold, these must-have reusable bottles will join your employees throughout the day. Whether they're enjoying a cuppa while they work on a presentation or are sipping a smoothie while they power through their emails, the Calypso is a great gifting choice that you can be assured your team will use day after day. 

Interested in other drinkware solutions for your office? We've got ceramic mugs, water bottles and travel mugs, all ready to order today. Browse our full range of promo mugs and bottles today.

Real Wood Column Awards

Perfect if... You're looking to take your appreciation to the next level.

Considering hosting an in-house awards ceremony for your team? We love that idea - and we've got a huge range of branded trophies available to order today, including these sophisticated Real Wood Column Awards.

Printed or engraved with your artwork, these UK-made trophies are a great way to celebrate your team in style. They can be ordered from just five units, making them a great pick for teams of any size.

For more award-winning ideas, take a look at our full range of engraved trophies.

The Little Brown Tube Work From Home Kit

Choose it for: A thoughtful giveaway for your remote-working team.

Filled with items that will make your colleagues' remote-working experience that bit easier, this handy kit features your branding printed in full colour to the external label.

Each set contains a pack of tissues, a pocket-sized face spray, mints, a screen cleaner and a microfibre cloth. 

Gold Elise Ballpens

Perfect if... You're looking for something your staff can use day after day.

Our stunning Gold Elise Ballpens can be ordered from just 50 units and are available in your choice of five different colour combinations. 

Your design can be printed or engraved to the pen, with the option to order sleek presentation boxes for an extra cost.

For more ideas, take a look at our range of promotional premium pens.

Mini Prosecco Bottles

Ideal for: Raising a glass to the brilliance of your colleagues.

Whether you're planning a virtual office get-together or simply want to give your team something bubbly they can enjoy after-hours, our Mini Prosecco Bottles are the perfect pick.

Printed in full colour with your design, these shimmering gold bottles will add a touch of sophistication to your appreciation - and we can even arrange to have them delivered to your employees' individual home addresses for that extra impressive touch. Cheers!

TWS Pro4 Airbuds

Great for... Adding a smart tech-y touch to your corporate gifting.

Whether your team work remotely or are in the office, a pair of earbuds are perfect for everything from joining team calls to listening to music while on a lunchbreak walk.

The charging cases of our neat TWS Pro4 Airbuds are printed with your design in up to full colour, ensuring an on-brand look that your staff can use whether they're at their desks or out and about. 

Candle Gift Sets

Choose these if... You want to treat your staff to something a little bit luxurious.

Keen to remind your staff that switching off at home is just as important as being productive while at work? Our Candle Gift Sets might be able to help. 

Ready to order from just 10 units, these decadent candles are available in four heavenly scents are presented in a stylish box that will feature your full-colour design on the label. 

Cadbury Chocolate Hampers

Ideal for: Smaller teams that want to make a serious statement.

Finally! For a decadent option that will keep your team seriously sweet, search no further than our Cadbury Chocolate Hampers.

These delicious treasure troves are packed with a wide range of tasty treats: we're talking bars and boxes of chocolates, as well as biscuits and even a Toblerone. Not for the faint-hearted but certainly for the sweet-toothed, they can be ordered from just 10 units and printed with up to 16 characters. 

This post was originally published in 2021 and has been updated for 2023. Want more ideas for staff gifting? Browse our full range of promotional products that are perfect for showing gratitude to your team. Need help finding a specific item? Simply contact a member of our friendly and experienced Sales team on 01376 509092 or email info@totalmerchandise.co.uk! Main image via Pexels.

Written by

Katie Clark | Head of Digital Marketing

With over a decade in print and digital journalism, Katie possesses a wide skill-set that incorporates everything from SEO to PR. Joining the team in early 2019, her expertise lies in writing sparkling copy about promotional merchandise and related topics, as well as managing social media activity and developing creative solutions to keep the Total Merchandise brand at the forefront of people’s minds. With a background that includes event-planning and volunteering for charitable organisations, she has a first-hand appreciation for the needs and questions a customer might have when acquiring promotional products for their organisation. In her spare time, she loves reading, going to the cinema and learning to cook.

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