Gratitude in Action: How Top Entrepreneurs Recognize Their Teams on Employee Appreciation Day

Successful entrepreneurs know that when you treat employees well, they are more likely to treat your customers well. Thriving companies are built on a foundation of genuine appreciation.
As a result, employee appreciation is fast becoming the crown jewel of company culture.

“Investing in our people is arguably the most important investment we can make,” said Ken Jurina, an EO Edmonton member who is CEO and president of Top Draw Digital Marketing. “A culture of appreciation not only boosts morale and productivity but also strengthens our company culture and attracts top talent.”

As we approach Employee Appreciation Day on the first Friday in March, EO members shared their unique ideas for celebrating your team to ensure they feel seen, heard, and appreciated.

Empower Team Members to Recognize Each Other’s Wins

While monetary rewards are valuable for specific goals and accomplishments, many EO members report that their employees enjoy public recognition and peer shout-outs just as (if not more) highly:

“After an EO learning event with Sarah McVanel, whose presentation was all about appreciation, I asked my team how they best like to be rewarded. We started a Slack shout-out channel where team members can recognize each other based on performance and embodiment of our core values. It has led the team to pay attention to each other’s wins, celebrate great ideas, and help each other.” -- Seth Greene, EO Western New York, founder of Market Domination

“To build a culture of appreciation, we use our social platforms to highlight individual successes, share team milestones, and showcase collaborative spirit. Our appreciation is public and genuine — building a narrative that shows how much we value each person's contribution.”  -- Marcia Zaruba O’Connor, EO Philadelphia, founder and CEO of The O’Connor Group

“We empower team members to nominate and acknowledge each other when they are performing well, celebrating successes, or going through tough times. We polled staff for personal preferences on gift certificate awards. Celebrating greatness has been a wonderful and simple way to recognize our people, create a positive culture, and empower the whole team to support each other.”  -- Bryan Smith, EO Edmonton, founder and president of Bluetrain

“We foster a culture where appreciation flows freely between team members, creating a more authentic and impactful experience. Our internal rewards system recognizes and celebrates team members in real-time by awarding each other "doughnuts" -- points that acknowledge exceptional work or embodying our core values. Points can be redeemed for a variety of rewards, providing tangible recognition for outstanding contributions.” -- Ken Jurina, EO Edmonton Member, president and CEO of Top Draw Digital Marketing

Measure Impact Both Subjectively and Objectively

How well do employee appreciation initiatives work? EO members survey team members to check whether employees are satisfied with the company’s recognition programs. Overall, they report noticeable increases in employee morale, stronger team cohesion, and overall job satisfaction.

“Since learning the power of "thank you" (thanks to EO), I have seen a tremendous increase in celebrating and team collaboration among our team. I want them to win and I want them to want each other to win. With our recognition system in place, everyone can be confident that their work is seen and appreciated.”  -- Seth Greene, EO Western New York

“Our White Glove Service gifts employees and clients to let them know we are thinking of them for a birthday, illness, or death in the family, and extends deeply into how we appreciate our team. We measure impact through regular surveys, which show a 92% satisfaction rate with our recognition programs. More importantly, we see it in the way our team pays it forward, creating a ripple effect of appreciation throughout the organization.” -- Marcia Zaruba O’Connor, EO Philadelphia

“We share ‘Team Wins’ around our core values in monthly town hall meetings. The person who submitted presents their win to the whole group, creating great team interactions and connections. It feels amazing to hear colleagues celebrating how teammates lived our core values. Some even bring tears to our eyes; it has become a journal of all the remarkable things we do together as a team throughout the year.” --Bryan Smith, EO Edmonton

“Authentic appreciation is so important for connecting with your team. In my upcoming book, The Leader-Shift Playbook, one tactic I teach is to answer three questions everyone on your team wants to know but never asks:
1.    Do you like me?
2.    Do you think I have what it takes?
3.    Do you think I'm worth the effort?
“Your interactions should answer one or more of those questions – but don’t just blurt out “I like you” – that’s creepy. Instead, highlight examples of how their actions make people like them. It’s a great way to show appreciation.” – Phil Wilson, EO Tulsa, founder of Labor Relations Institute Consulting

Show Employees How Important They Are

Appreciation is the crown jewel of company culture because it directly impacts customer experience.

“The cost of employee turnover goes beyond hiring and training. When good people leave, it can negatively impact the morale of other employees, and when people aren’t happy working for a company, the customers can sense it. That can cause customers to leave as well,” explained Shep Hyken, an EO St. Louis member and customer experience expert. “So, for Employee Appreciation Day (and every other day of the year), find ways to show your employees how important they are.”

Hyken suggests both verbal and written appreciation. “Handwritten notes are powerful. I’ve seen employees keep a note from their boss for years,” he said. “Some even display it on their desks.” 

Hyken also shared an out-of-the box way to show employee appreciation: “One of my clients shared that once a year, the executives from their company wash the employees’ cars. It’s a fun time that ‘humanizes’ the executive team.”

O’Connor summarized the best practices for whatever path you might take to show your team they are appreciated this week: “Employee appreciation must be genuine, consistent, and woven into the fabric of everything we do. Today's world needs a lot more empathetic leaders — you have to show that you care and it's not always about stuff; it's about checking in to make sure they are okay!”

Photo by Canva.