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10 Employee Appreciation Ideas for 2023

Ask any EHS professional and they'll tell you: Relationships are key to an effective safety culture.

Not only do strong EHS-employee relationships motivate workers to participate fully in your safety efforts, they also help keep the lines of communication open when something goes wrong.

Download the free 2023 Safety Calendar to easily plan your toolbox talks &  training

Of course, building these relationships takes time — but one of the best and fastest ways to strengthen your current connections is by showing your employees more appreciation.

Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday of March, but there's plenty you can do to show your gratitude for your employees' efforts and their impact on your safety performance all month long. Here are ten ideas to jumpstart your employee appreciation efforts:

10 Employee Appreciation Ideas

1. Start with the basics, like making sure workers have access to proper PPE and adequate time for rest. Any other employee appreciation efforts won’t matter if workers’ basic needs aren't being met.

2. Write a genuine thank you note to employees, not a mass corporate broadcast. A heartfelt thank you will go a long way toward showing your appreciation.

3. Catch workers being safe. Acknowledge employees who are wearing proper PPE or looking out for their coworkers with a simple ‘thank you’ or a small token of appreciation.

4. Reward workers for their involvement in your safety program. For example, OSHA permits companies to reward workers for reporting near-misses and hazards.

5. Put workers in the spotlight. Choose an employee of the week or month and highlight their safety efforts in your company newsletter or on social media. 

6. Give away company swag like hats, sweatshirts, tumblers and water bottles.

7. Thank employees with a gift card. Or, if that’s outside your budget, see if you can arrange employee discounts at local stores, restaurants, and gas stations.

8. Treat employees to a delicious lunch. It’s a great way to show your appreciation for their hard work and communicate that you truly care. 

9. Give employees a way to report safety concerns and ideas for improvement, such as a suggestion box or reporting app. Asking for feedback shows employees that you value their input and take their concerns seriously.

10. Survey your staff to find out what they want when it comes to employee appreciation. You might be surprised by the types of recognition workers are most interested in. 

Next steps: Download the free safety calendar

Celebrating Employee Appreciation is one way to show workers you care and thank them for their involvement in your safety program. For more events and observances, download Perillon’s free annual safety calendar.

Download the free 2023 workplace safety calendar