HR Mavericks

Eddy’s HR Mavericks Encyclopedia

Workplace Celebrations

Do you have a company celebration that your employees love? If not, it might be time to start one! The benefits of the celebrations go beyond the enjoyment of the celebration itself. Your employees gain intangible rewards from the group events, whether they take place during work or after hours. Understanding the benefits of the company celebrations helps you justify spending the time and money on the events.

What Are Workplace Celebrations?

Workplace celebrations range from monthly birthday parties to rewards for achieving milestones or major accomplishments in the workplace. They also have other benefits that can't be measured by just how much joy they bring individuals on an emotional level. These intangible benefits can really improve your business.

Benefits of Organizing Celebrations in the Workplace

Celebrations for the workplace are a great way to reward employees and make them feel appreciated. If you plan them right, employees will anticipate the next event, which can improve employee retention. The positive atmosphere of workplace celebrations can also boost productivity.

Employees Feel Valued

To be happy at work, your employees need to know that you appreciate their hard work and dedication. Celebrations show them they matter. When employees feel like what they do is appreciated, it boosts morale and strengthens company culture.

Improved Employee Retention

Happy workers stay longer! Periodically rewarding staff with parties shows them how much you value their efforts and makes coming into work each day more fun and enjoyable than stressful and unpleasant. A celebration could even reward an excellent performance review, which will encourage continued success in the future.

Boost Productivity

Celebrating the wins along with your employees will encourage them to work harder and seek out more opportunities for success in future months, which improves overall company performance.

Workplace Celebration Ideas

Research done by the Global Culture Report shows that when news of success is spread across an organization, there is a 57% increase in feelings of appreciation. This is why your company’s achievements are just as worthy of celebration as any other important life event. Celebrating team anniversaries and milestones helps your employees unite over their collaborative efforts. Celebrations also reinforce how much those efforts contribute to your company’s success. Here are a few occasions to celebrate along with ideas for how to celebrate them.

Project Completions

Celebrating project completions at work is important for employees because it helps them feel motivated and excited about what they do. Below are a few ideas to reward their efforts, which will keep your team pushing forward.
  • Public Acknowledgement. Make a point of acknowledging people when they deserve it. Tell the team in person or via email to everyone when someone makes a project go smoothly. This is not only a nice gesture but it also encourages the team to keep up their good work.
  • Small Gifts. You can even give out small rewards, such as gift cards or movie tickets for the team’s extra hard work to complete their project.
  • Simple Notes. What a better way to say thank you than by leaving notes on your employees' desks or computer monitors? Post an inspirational sticky note that says Thank You! and explain why they are appreciated. It's simple but effective!

New Hires

Hiring a new employee is an exciting time for any company. To make this moment extra special, why not do something fun? Consider a company celebration for the new hire, whether it takes place during work hours or outside of them. This is also a great time to bring together your employees and celebrate their roles — big or small — in making all this possible.
  • The “Welcome Aboard!” lunch. When you onboard a new employee, take them out to lunch on day one. This is both a nice gesture and also allows you to get to know the new employee. This will help your company start off on the right foot, with everyone feeling welcome. You can even go out as a group or bring in lunch for an all-company event if there are multiple employees joining your organization at once.
  • Desk decoration. Make a sign welcoming the new hire and decorate their desk. The decorations don’t have to go overboard — they can be as simple as a handmade poster or card at the new employee's workstation. Even a small decoration will make your staff feel valued.
  • Shout it to the world. New employees are the key to your company's success. With their consent, take pictures during their first week and share them on your company’s social media page. They will feel special, like they're part of something great. This is an easy way to welcome a new hire into the workforce.

Holidays

A company holiday party is an opportunity for employees to get together and celebrate their success. These events also provide the chance for new hires or those just starting out on the job to get to know their co-workers. Consider adding the following activities or installations at your next holiday celebration.
  • Party games. Even though most people associate party games with kids' birthday parties or college dorms, games can be useful when you're looking at building bridges between co-workers who might never cross paths otherwise. With so many different party games available it’s easy to find one that'll suit everyone’s interests.
  • Photo booth. Encourage your staff to capture their own Kodak moments by setting up a photo booth for the important occasion. If renting a photo booth is too expensive, think about what you have at home and make an imitation of it! Make sure everyone gets a chance to grab a photo if they want one.
  • Get out of the office. While your employees will probably appreciate a great office party, they'll enjoy an afternoon off the following day even more. Getting out of town and doing something enjoyable together is often the best way to strengthen relationships between co-workers because it provides time away from work while still being involved in each other's lives. Active outings closer to home, such as bowling or laser tag, are usually a hit as well.
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Steven Farber

Steven Farber

I spent much of my working life in a whirlwind of uncertainty wondering when I would find a career that would make me happy. After spending 23 years trying to find that 'dream career' I came to a sobering conclusion. I realized that I wasn't looking for a career, but for a purpose and that I would never be happy until I figured out what that purpose was. After a long hard road of trial and error, I concluded that my purpose, the very activity that brought me happiness was when I could bring that happiness to others first. Removing the vast amounts of uncertainty this life can bring for others and replacing it with true peace of mind, gave me my much sought-after peace of mind.
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Frequently asked questions
Other Related Terms
All-Hands Company Meeting
Company April Fool's Day Party
Company Christmas Party
Company Events
Company Halloween Party
Company Independence Day Celebration
Company Labor Day Celebration
Company Valentine's Day Party
Company Veteran's Day Celebration
Daily Standup Meeting
Easter Company Party
Employee Birthdays
Juneteenth Workplace Celebration
New Year's Eve Company Party
St. Patrick's Day Office Party
Thanksgiving Company Party
Virtual Workplace Events
Workplace Fundraising Events
Workplace Traditions
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