Employee Appreciation Day is coming up – March 3, 2023, to be exact. Wondering how to express appreciation to your team? Here are some ideas that don’t cost a fortune but can go a long way in boosting morale and helping employees feel appreciated.

1. Shout out on social media

Going public with your appreciation of employees can help them feel extra recognized. Consider giving a shout out on social media to honor someone who went above and beyond to support a customer or be a team player. If they follow your company on the platform, you can tag them to make sure they see it.

2. Establish a way for employees to appreciate one another

Everyone loves to be recognized by the higher-ups, but it’s likely that coworkers will have more to say when it comes to being appreciated. After all, these are the people who interact and collaborate with one another every day. So, figure out how employees can express their appreciation for each other. Set up a Slack channel, establish a formal recognition program, or invest in an engagement solution that makes it easy to highlight another team member’s achievements.

3. Focus on individual interests

Rather than giving a one-size-fits-all gift, spend your employee appreciation budget on individual gifts that will be more appreciated. Figure out what each team member loves and try to find something that appeals to them. For example, if you have outdoor enthusiasts on your team, you could give a pair of ski goggles or a new beanie-style hat with the company logo.

4. Write a personal thank you note

Handwritten thank-you notes can help employees feel appreciated, and the cost is very minimal. Revive this practice by getting in the habit of penning a quick thank you to anyone within your company who does something great.

5. Provide something to eat

Go against the old adage, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, by treating your team to something tasty. You could bring in pizza or take the entire group out to a restaurant and pick up the tab. Even offering a special snack or treat can help your employees feel valued.

6. Offer development opportunities

Although development and educational opportunities might not seem too exciting, covering the cost of these can help employees advance and grow in their careers while learning valuable new skills. This can lead to increased earning potential and greater satisfaction. By investing in your employees, you can help them progress and achieve their goals.

7. Establish a suggestion box

Here’s the thing: It’s basically impossible to give employees what they want if you don’t know what that is. A suggestion box is a bit old-school, but the concept is still useful. A digital suggestion box that allows employees to remain anonymous can help your company get feedback, which you can use to influence how you appreciate employees.

8. Step up your swag game

Company swag is a great gift to give employees because it helps establish brand awareness and loyalty. But they’re less likely to use or wear cheap or unappealing items. Instead of giving another stress ball, why not invest in something that your employees would actually use? You could provide a laptop sleeve or travel bag, a jacket, or a cool reusable water bottle with the logo.

9. Give your break room a makeover

If your staff members work in the office, the break room is likely where they spend their downtime. Give the space a makeover with appealing furniture, new fridges and microwaves, and stocked drawers. Even something as simple as offering free drinks and snacks can help employees who work in-office feel excited about coming to work. You could also stock the shelves with board games or books to help employees truly break away from their work tasks.

Before Employee Appreciation Day comes and goes this year, make a plan to express your appreciation to your employees in a unique way!