Employee Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday of March in the US. In 2026, it falls on March 6th.
But does one day really do justice to the value employees bring every single day?
Not at all. At WorkTango, we believe employee appreciation shouldn't be confined to one day. Consistent recognition creates a culture where employees feel valued every day, not just on Employee Appreciation Day.
Employee Appreciation Should Happen Every Day, Not Just Once A Year
Imagine watering a plant only once a year. It wouldn’t survive, right? The same goes for employee appreciation. Employees need consistent appreciation to feel valued and motivated. A single day can’t make up for months of being overlooked.
Impactful employee appreciation goes beyond grand gestures. It’s about small, meaningful actions that make team members feel valued every day.
Here’s why consistent recognition is essential:
- It reinforces effort and boosts performance
Consistent recognition helps employees see the value of their contributions, reinforcing their sense of purpose. This motivates them to continue giving their best effort. It empowers employees to take on challenges and exceed expectations. - It strengthens relationships
Genuine appreciation fosters trust and connection between employees, their peers, and their leaders. This trust leads to a stronger and more cohesive workplace culture. - It shapes workplace culture
Consistent recognition reinforces positive behaviors and sets the tone for a culture of appreciation. When employees see recognition as a core value, they’re more likely to adopt and promote those behaviors themselves, creating a more supportive and collaborative environment. - It boosts engagement, loyalty, and retention
Regular, meaningful recognition fuels employee engagement and loyalty, driving long-term retention. In fact, a Gallup study found that employees who receive regular recognition are more likely to be engaged and less likely to leave their jobs.
Building a culture of daily appreciation takes effort and intentionality, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a clear strategy and simple steps, you can create a structured program that makes recognition a natural and impactful part of your organization.
Let’s explore actionable best practices to help get you started.
Best practice #1: real-time, peer-to-peer recognition
Real-time recognition, combined with timely feedback, is one of the most effective ways to drive engagement, motivation, and performance. When an employee is recognized in a timely manner for their contribution, it reinforces the behavior and emphasizes the value of their work. Timely recognition highlights the importance of employees’ contributions and fosters a sense of excitement, motivating them when it matters most. Whether it’s a “thank you” during a meeting or an instant shoutout on a recognition platform, real-time responding makes employees feel appreciated when it matters most.
Peer-to-peer and cross-departmental recognition reinforces collaboration and connection, amplifying the impact of appreciation. For example, a marketing team member might recognize a customer success team member on a company call for their helpful feedback on a recent campaign. These actions build camaraderie and demonstrate the value of everyday contributions.
When employees can recognize the efforts of their teammates or colleagues, even from other departments, their relationships with one another are strengthened. Encouraging recognition at all levels—not just from managers— will help you create a workplace where appreciation becomes a natural part of daily interactions, building a better sense of community within your culture.
At the end of the day, relying on Employee Appreciation Day alone to appreciate your team falls short of building a real culture of recognition. By making recognition part of daily interactions and encouraging it to come from all levels, employees feel appreciated every day—not just once a year.
Best practice #2: offer meaningful Incentives
Incentives are a powerful tool to drive key behaviors, foster engagement, and reinforce your organization's culture. They're not just for sales teams—employees across all departments can benefit from an incentive program.
Incentives encourage ongoing engagement by involving employees in meaningful activities throughout the year. Forward-thinking companies leverage recognition platforms to support incentive programs seamlessly. These tools make it easier to reward actions that align with organizational goals and values.
For instance, Schoox achieved an impressive 99% compliance training completion in just 10 days using WorkTango’s Incentives feature. Linking Incentives directly to these behaviors ensures they align with your goals, fostering a culture of appreciation that drives motivation and supports employee development.
Here are some examples of activities you can incentivize to drive engagement:
- Completing training or certification programs
- Participating in wellness initiatives
- Leading team-building events or projects
- Contributing to cross-departmental collaboration
- Engaging in coaching or mentoring programs
- Providing feedback through surveys
- Attending skill-building workshops or lunch-and-learns
Offering incentives for these activities drives key behaviors, encourages participation, and motivates employees to stay engaged with organizational goals.
Best Practice #3: Use ongoing employee awards
Awards are a common way to celebrate employees’ achievements, such as safety records, sales goals, or customer feedback. While organizations may choose to highlight Employee of the Month, Top Performer, or Years of Service Awards on Employee Appreciation Day, this, too, doesn’t need to be limited to a single day.
Embedding ongoing award nominations into your culture can be an innovative way to recognize hard work and foster a positive work environment. These programs encourage participation from all team members, creating a sense of community and shared purpose. Including fun and lighthearted awards alongside traditional ones can add a unique and engaging element to your recognition efforts. For example, awards celebrating creativity, humor, or unique contributions can help foster positivity and camaraderie.
By making award nominations a regular practice, you can reinforce company values, highlight exceptional efforts, and strengthen team morale year-round.
Here are some examples of ongoing awards to consider:
Quarterly Core Values Award
Celebrate employees who exemplify your organization’s core values. Create a simple nomination form for employees to highlight a peer who best represented a specific value during the quarter. You can select one overall winner or one for each core value.
Helping Hand Award
Recognize employees who go above and beyond to support their colleagues. Open nominations monthly or quarterly to highlight acts of guidance, collaboration, or mentorship.
Customer Excellence Award
Use feedback from customer reviews or surveys to reward employees who deliver outstanding service. Managers can nominate team members based on submitted praise, selecting a winner each month or quarter.
Creative Superlatives
Add fun to your awards program with lighthearted superlatives. Employees can nominate their peers for categories like:
- Muted Award: For the person most likely to talk on video while muted.
- Rookie of the Year: For employees with less than a year in the organization.
- Human Encyclopedia: For the go-to person with all the answers.
- Top Chef: For the team member who brings the best snacks or dishes.
- Surprise Guest Cameo award: For the employee who brings joy to Zoom calls with unexpected and delightful on-screen appearances from family, pets, or roommates.
A recognition platform that enables managers to create custom awards and simplifies peer nominations can be key to making this process consistent and impactful. By implementing ongoing awards that align with your culture and values, you can make every day feel like Employee Appreciation Day.
Best practice #4: use employee feedback
Listening to employee feedback is key to creating a culture of appreciation that lasts all year. Employee pulse surveys are an excellent tool to gather feedback on your recognition and appreciation practices. Use these insights to understand what’s working, identify gaps, and tailor your program to meet employee needs better.
Acting on feedback shows employees that their voices are valued, strengthening trust and fostering deeper engagement. When employees see their input shaping recognition efforts, it reinforces the idea that appreciation is a daily priority—not just a one-time event.
Make every day count
Celebrating Employee Appreciation Day on the first Friday of March is a great start, but true appreciation doesn’t stop there. By investing in ongoing employee recognition programs, using tools like pulse surveys to listen to employee feedback, and aligning appreciation efforts with your organization’s values, you can make every day feel like Employee Appreciation Day.
Looking for ideas to get started? Check out our Employee Appreciation Day Toolkit for inspiration to celebrate your team on the day and year-round.
