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Celebrate the big wins and the small wins. Everything counts in the workplace.
Keeping teams engaged is about making people feel seen and appreciated — whether that recognition comes from the top down or peer-to-peer.
With companies desperately looking for an edge, you can boost your culture by throwing memorable celebrations at work.
Is it an employee’s birthday? Is it your coworker’s work anniversary? Perhaps it’s a holiday (even National Pancake Day counts)?
Any way you flip it, you’ve got reason enough to break out the party hats, snack boxes, and any other treats you can think of!
The reality is, it’s not just money or promotions that keep teams engaged anymore (although, a raise never hurts). Employee engagement hinges on team members feeling connected to one another by bonding over special moments and memories.
So check out this carefully curated list of 14 memorable celebrations at work for engaged teams in 2022!
But first… what is a work celebration?
A celebration at work is a designated event for recognizing team members’ successes and wins. Additionally, a celebration at work doesn’t necessarily have to be merit-based. These events can also just be about taking the time to enjoy your employees or coworkers as people.
Now that we’ve established a baseline to understand what exactly a celebration at work is, let’s hop into our curated list!
Memorable Celebrations At Work
1. Employee Milestone / Years of Service
Employee milestones are a big deal — a really big deal — and they should be treated that way. It takes a lot of work to achieve goals and that deserves some major cheering. An employee milestone celebration lets your employees or coworkers know that their efforts and accomplishments are appreciated.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: An employee milestone celebration is a great chance to boost morale, recognition, retention, and feelings of belonging within your organization.
2. Office Party
An office party is a party for the workplace that can be done virtually or in person. This social event is an opportunity for team members to connect in as close to a real-world setting as they might otherwise have the chance to.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Besides having fun for fun’s sake, office parties help boost employee satisfaction, retention, and coworker chemistry. Making memories is the point of office parties and that’s something not even money can buy!
Pro-Tip: For more ideas check out SnackNation’s Best Corporate Office Party Games, Activities, & Ideas For Work
3. Work Anniversary
Work anniversaries are like birthdays but with a corporate twist. At first glance, you might wonder how fun that could be — the answer: an absolute blast! You can do a highlight reel of your employees’ or coworkers’ biggest wins and your best memories with them. Any way you decide to take it, they’ll appreciate the work anniversary love!
Why this work celebration benefits employees: The truth is, this work celebration is perfect for reducing high turnover and the costs that come with it (estimated at around $15,000 per worker). Work anniversary celebrations bump up employee loyalty and remind employees how far they’ve come!
Pro-Tip: For more ideas check out SnackNation’s Unforgettable Work Anniversary Ideas
4. Holiday Party
A Holiday Party is that perfect seasonal celebration for bringing the whole crew together! Whether it’s a Christmas party, a New Year’s Bash, a St. Patty’s Day Celebration, or a Halloween Party, you can turn the office energy up a notch or ten!
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Perhaps the better question is, who doesn’t like an office holiday party? Of course, it always helps to bring a DJ and outside entertainment to elevate the holiday cheer!
5. Employee Birthday Party
Employee birthday parties are must-have events. During their special day, employees just want to feel cared about. Get them a cake, write cards, or some other thoughtful gesture. The important thing is to make sure to acknowledge it.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: An employee birthday party will let that particular person know that they are being thought about on yet another trip around the sun! You’d be surprised at how far that goes with employees and coworkers.
6. Engagement / Wedding Announcement
Business can and often is personal, so don’t forget to celebrate your coworker’s or employee’s important life moments.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Hopefully, you only get one wedding and engagement, which means you’re going to want it to be celebrated. Whether it’s sending a gift box or sending them on an adventure, doing anything at all is what really counts.
7. Employee Appreciation Day
What’s a better way to show your employees how much you value them than having an Employee Appreciation Day? You can make the most of this event by praising and thanking your team for all their hard work and take this celebration to the next level by sending them care packages or customized gift boxes that will make them feel valued and cared for.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Employees who feel appreciated will develop a sense of belonging to the company they’re working for and feel more engaged and satisfied; thus, they will be less likely to leave their job. Employee appreciation boosts productivity and prevents employee burnout and turnover.
Pro-Tip: For more appreciation ideas check out SnackNation’s Employee Appreciation Day Idea
8. Scavenger Hunt
Bring your team together and promote team bonding by adding fun and games to your next office event. Scavenger Hunt is a creative and exciting way to promote collaboration and boost morale among employees.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Scavenger Hunt in the workplace promotes teamwork and has employees appreciate each other’s strong points. It can create a true company culture by strengthening the bond between employees and having them view each other as teammates.
Pro-Tip: For more ideas check out SnackNation’s Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas to Find Adventure
9. Office Awards Night
Have your own red carpet event at work by hosting an “Office Awards Night.” Ask employees to “dress to impress”, set up decorations, good music, and entertainment, cater delicious food, and get employees excited to join in the fun. After all, recognizing your employees for their skills and contributions should never be overlooked.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Office Awards Night will develop a culture of appreciation and gratitude that reflects positively on employees’ sense of belonging to the company, and productivity and also results in increased staff retention.
10. Local Happy Hour
Local Happy Hour is a great way to provide a stress-free work environment. It’s an excellent opportunity for employees to unwind, loosen up and get to know each other better.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Corporate happy hour will allow coworkers to learn new things about each other, get more comfortable, and develop friendships. It will lighten the mood, improve morale and encourage team building and bonding.
11. Team Building Activity
Team building activities are designed to get employees interacting with one another, having fun, celebrating wins at work, and developing chemistry along the way.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: Team building activities improve communication, break down department silos, and boost a variety of valuable workplace stats like retention, satisfaction, and feelings of recognition.
Pro-Tip: For more team building ideas for your company check out SnackNation’s Insanely Fun Team Building Activities & Games
12. Company Anniversary
A company anniversary is a company-wide event that celebrates a corporate milestone like — let’s say — 10 years in business or the 10,000th transaction.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: It’s just another great excuse to get the party started! Break the monotony of work and bust out the karaoke and the dance moves. Not to mention, this can be orchestrated as a virtual team celebration for remote employees to join in and party with everyone.
13. Retirement Party
Throwing a retirement party is a must-do work celebration. When a new hire is brought on board, companies tend to pull out all of the stops to make them feel welcome. However, it’s less common that retirees are given a proper farewell tour. Instead of celebrating at work, they often end up doing it alone.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: A retirement party sets a major precedent because it shows that even when there’s nothing to be gained, your company will do the right thing and honor all of its employees — present and past.
Pro-Tip: For more ideas check out SnackNation’s Company Retirement Party Ideas to Send Your Coworker Off In Style
14. Spirit Week
Think of this as a corporate pep rally. This is the ultimate culture-building celebration for work! Bust out the cornhole, the corporate swag, and the insanely good times.
Why this work celebration benefits employees: This is a great way to let everyone be themselves, enjoy team-building activities, and perhaps do a little good with some of the philanthropic twists down below!
Pro-Tip: For more ideas check out SnackNation’s Spirit Week Ideas for Work That Uplift and Energize Teams
