As an employer, do you know which employee’s birthday is next? Have you been giving the same gift to employees year after year?
In this post, we help you make every future birthday unforgettable. Not by spending extra money, but by letting your creativity run free... What do you get in return? Motivated and engaged employees! So keep reading!
There are many reasons to pause and celebrate each employee’s birthday. At first glance, it may seem trivial, but it offers your company the opportunity to show recognition and to get a little closer to your employees. Many studies also show that recognition has a direct effect on employee performance. Celebrating birthdays is therefore a simple way to show your employees that you care about them.
In this article, we give you a series of tips to give your employees’ happiness at work an extra boost. Let’s get started!
Birthday squad
If you think while reading the intro… “I’m too busy for this,” then our first tip is: look for volunteers who want to be part of the birthday squad. You’ll surely find some enthusiastic people who want to join you in making it happen.
Is the team formed? Then sit down together to further develop the ideas and initiatives. TIP: keep it realistic… it would be a shame to have to stop certain initiatives because they end up requiring too much work.
Below you will find our tips to get started.
A little bit of administration
Ask for the employee's birthday during the onboarding process and keep track of it in your HR software tool (Excel works too). For each employee, create an annually recurring calendar invitation. Just to make sure no one is forgotten!
Depending on your developed initiatives, you set multiple notifications, for example, a few days in advance to make the necessary preparations.
Written congratulations
Step away from the classic pre-printed birthday cards. Do a quick survey among those who work closely with him or her. Based on the input, write something personal that characterizes the person in question.
Something personal
If you want to go a step further, you can tailor the gift to the person in question, because nothing is as powerful as a personalized gift. You show the employee that you know and respect them.
Also ask colleagues around here. Inquire about interests, hobbies… or make the gift even stronger by playing on past conversations. Think of something the person can really use, something that can help in daily life... with that last one you’re sure to score!
Decorate the desk
Do you know that feeling... you arrive at the office assuming few people know it’s your birthday? But when you get there, suddenly your entire desk is decorated.... :-). Nice to be in the spotlight for a moment, right?
Go for balloons, streamers… and feel free to go over the top. As if a birthday bomb has exploded.
TIP: does the birthday person have a favorite color? Incorporate it into the decoration.
Is the birthday person always early at the office? Then make the necessary preparations the night before or in the morning when the birthday person often arrives a bit later.
Gamification
Want to take it a step further as a company and really raise awareness about birthdays? Then the next team meeting is the perfect opportunity. Set up a prize wheel at the front and let the recent birthday people spin it…
Go for a variety of prizes: gift cards, books, a day off... This makes for a fun way to liven up the team meeting.
Out of the box thinking
Sit down with the team and think about possible birthday gifts. A brainstorming session can lead to very fun and creative ideas. For example:
- An individual wellness or massage near the office
- A day off
- Lunch paid for by the company
- …
Or a healthy and personalized gift box... 😅
Discover the possibilities
How do you celebrate employees' / colleagues' birthdays?