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Explore 10 thoughtful employee appreciation ideas for the Thanksgiving season to boost morale and foster a positive work culture.
As Thanksgiving approaches, it's a perfect time to express gratitude and appreciation to your employees who keep the workplace thriving. Thoughtful gestures during this season can strengthen relationships, foster a positive culture, and boost morale. Below are creative and meaningful ways for HR professionals, managers, team leaders, and business owners to show appreciation and create a festive atmosphere of gratitude during the Thanksgiving season.
Whether you're looking for ways to create a festive atmosphere or simply want to recognize your team in meaningful ways, these thoughtful gestures can make a lasting impact. Here are ten creative and impactful employee appreciation ideas to help you celebrate Thanksgiving in a way that shows genuine gratitude.
Bringing employees together for a Thanksgiving meal is a warm and inclusive way to celebrate the season. Whether it’s a catered lunch, dinner, or an office potluck, this event encourages team bonding over good food and conversation. As part of the meal, take the opportunity to recognize individual and team contributions through speeches or toasts. Thank employees for their dedication, highlight key achievements, and create a space for peer-to-peer recognition, allowing everyone to feel valued.
Tip: For remote teams, consider organizing a virtual Thanksgiving celebration where food is delivered to employees’ homes, and a virtual toast can be shared via video call.
A handwritten or personalized note can make a lasting impact. Encourage managers to write thank-you notes for each employee, acknowledging specific contributions and efforts throughout the year. These notes should be personal, highlighting what makes each team member valuable to the company. Writing thoughtful messages shows sincerity and reinforces that each employee's efforts are noticed and appreciated.
Tip: Make this more special by pairing thank-you notes with a small token of appreciation, such as a gift card or a holiday treat.
Thanksgiving gift baskets filled with seasonal goodies are a festive and thoughtful way to show gratitude. Fill the baskets with holiday treats like pies, cookies, hot chocolate, or even practical items like cozy blankets or scented candles. For a more personalized touch, consider tailoring the baskets to employees’ individual preferences or incorporating local items that reflect regional traditions.
Tip: You can also include items that support relaxation and wellness, allowing employees to unwind and recharge during the holiday break.
Create a "Gratitude Wall" in the office where employees can post messages of thanks to each other. This could include expressions of gratitude for teamwork, support, or simple acts of kindness. For remote or hybrid teams, set up a virtual Gratitude Board using online platforms where employees can leave positive notes for their colleagues.
Tip: Turn this into a tradition by having employees anonymously share messages that highlight what they appreciate about their colleagues. The act of sharing gratitude can cultivate a more connected and supportive workplace culture.
One of the most appreciated gestures during the Thanksgiving season is extra time off. Offering employees a day off, early dismissal, or flexible work hours allows them to spend more quality time with their loved ones. This shows gratitude and promotes work-life balance, enhancing employee satisfaction.
Tip: Consider giving employees the Friday after Thanksgiving off, or provide flexible scheduling options in the days leading up to the holiday.
Giving back to the community during Thanksgiving is a meaningful way to recognize employees' social responsibility and team spirit. Organize a company-wide charity drive or volunteer event where employees can participate together in giving back. Whether collecting food for a local food bank or volunteering at a shelter, these activities foster a sense of shared purpose and demonstrate the company’s commitment to social impact.
Tip: For remote teams, you can sponsor donations to employees' chosen charities or organize virtual volunteering opportunities.
Infuse some fun into the workplace with Thanksgiving-themed contests and games. Host a pie-baking competition, a "best fall decoration" challenge, or a turkey costume contest. Offer small prizes or simply recognize participation, creativity, and team spirit. These lighthearted activities encourage bonding and add a festive touch to the work environment.
Tip: Make it more engaging by allowing employees to vote on their favorite entries, or encourage family members to join the fun in a virtual contest for remote teams.
Public recognition is a powerful motivator. Use internal newsletters, company-wide emails, or social media channels to highlight individual and team achievements. Share stories of employees who have gone above and beyond, emphasizing their contributions and impact on the company’s success. Public acknowledgment boosts morale and reinforces a culture of appreciation and recognition.
Tip: Feature a “Gratitude Spotlight” in the company newsletter where managers and peers can nominate employees for recognition during the Thanksgiving season.
The holiday season can be joyful and stressful, making wellness-oriented gifts a thoughtful way to show appreciation. Put together wellness packages that include items like spa vouchers, essential oils, relaxation kits, or subscriptions to wellness apps. These gifts encourage employees to take time for themselves, helping them return to work refreshed and energized.
Tip: Consider offering group wellness activities such as yoga or mindfulness workshops leading up to the Thanksgiving break to help employees de-stress before the holidays.
A heartfelt thank-you video message from leadership can go a long way in expressing appreciation. Record personalized video messages where company leaders thank employees for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Highlight specific accomplishments, express gratitude, and share excitement for the year ahead. Distributing these videos can make employees feel valued on a personal level, especially in larger organizations where in-person recognition may be more challenging.
Tip: Encourage department heads and team leaders to create their own short thank-you videos for their teams to make the gesture more personal.
Thanksgiving is an ideal time to reflect on and celebrate the contributions of your employees. By implementing creative and thoughtful appreciation ideas, businesses can foster a culture of gratitude, strengthen employee morale, and create lasting connections within the team. Whether through public recognition, personalized gestures, or fun team activities, these actions can leave employees feeling valued and appreciated. Schedule a demo today with Assembly to learn how to extend your appreciation through employee recognition—not just during the holiday season, but throughout the year.
One creative way to show employee appreciation during Thanksgiving is to host a Thanksgiving-themed lunch or dinner, allowing employees to bond over a festive meal. Personalized thank-you notes can also be impactful, acknowledging individual contributions. Also offering Thanksgiving gift baskets filled with seasonal treats or creating a Gratitude Wall for peer-to-peer recognition fosters a culture of appreciation.
For remote teams, virtual Thanksgiving celebrations can bring everyone together. You could organize a virtual Thanksgiving-themed lunch where food is delivered to employees' homes, and everyone shares a meal via video call. Another option is to set up a virtual Gratitude Board where team members can post messages of thanks to their colleagues, creating a festive and connected atmosphere even from afar.
Thoughtful Thanksgiving gifts include personalized thank-you notes paired with small tokens like gift cards, wellness packages with spa vouchers, or Thanksgiving-themed gift baskets filled with seasonal treats. These gestures show genuine gratitude while offering something meaningful and enjoyable for the holiday season.
Public recognition can significantly boost morale by making employees feel valued and appreciated. Sharing employees’ achievements via internal newsletters, company-wide emails, or social media during Thanksgiving highlights their contributions and creates a sense of pride. A “Gratitude Spotlight” in the company newsletter is an excellent way to recognize standout efforts and encourage a culture of appreciation.
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Yes, at Assembly, security is a top priority. Each quarter, we have ongoing security work that is everyone’s responsibility. While we maintain a strong security posture, it was important for us to prove to our customers that we do everything we claim to do. This led us to pursue a SOC 2 Type II report that would provide evidence of our compliance with industry gold-standard security practice.
There is study after study showing that employee recognition leads to increased engagement. This in return creates an environment where employees are happier and more motivated which increase productivity and reduces voluntary turnover significantly. In order to filled critical roles, companies tend to spend nearly twice the value of an annual salary. Assembly is an investment in your employees that supports your bottom line.
Yes, we will offer contracts for companies with longer-term agreements to help larger customers have more certainty around future costs.
The minimum agreement term is a 12-month subscription.
We do and for FREE! Any new customer needing further support to get started with Assembly to ensure you're set up for success can request custom onboarding support. Improving your employee experience is about much more than just using our amazing software; it’s about transforming your business to create a workplace that people love. That’s much easier to do with the personal support and advice from our passionate people experts.
At the time of redemption (when your employees exchange their points for a paid reward) you'll pay face value. If a reward is a $10 Amazon gift card, your cost will be $10. All paid rewards are billed for on a monthly basis.
The good news is that you don't have to pay for rewards upfront because we only charge you when points are redeemed, not when they're earned.
We offer discounts or educational or charitable organizations. In order to secure a discount, you'll first need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.
For all other organizations, we are willing to consider longer-term agreements in exchange for discounts. To set up annual plans or longer, you will need to book a demo with a customer support specialist.
If you're on a month to month plan, you can go here and cancel anytime. If you're having concerns or need help setting up your account for success, you can always book a demo with a customer support specialist.
If you're on a longer-term custom plan, you'll need to reach out to your customer support specialist to cancel your account or email us at support@joinassembly.com.
Great question! You can customize your core values to match your organization's to boost and track alignment. You can change your currency from the 🏆 emoji (our default) to any emoji of your choice. You can swap our logo for your own. You can also set up company culture rewards such as, "Lunch with the CEO," "Buy a book on us," and so much more!
While we recommend a peer to peer set up where anyone in your organization can give or receive recognition, you can set up Assembly however you want. If you need to limit the people who can give or receive recognition, that's perfectly fine and can be done from your Admin, here.
Assembly connects to the tools your employees use every day to offer an easy, seamless experience with minimal change management.
Assembly has integrations with HCM/HRIS systems like ADP, Google, Office 365, and Slack. We also integrate with communication tools like Slack and Teams so you and your employees can access Assembly wherever they work now.
That depends on the company's permissions set up. That said, over 90% of the employees on Assembly's platform are recognized on a monthly basis. That means nearly every employee across all of our customers are receiving regular recognition from their peers, managers, or leadership. We're extremely proud of this.
They are not required. You can use Assembly without having rewards set up. However, we don't recommend it if you intend to have a high adoption and usage rate. You can always keep the costs down by offering internal culture rewards that are fulfilled by you internally.
No, you can remove allowances from anyone or everyone. It's up to you but we do recommend using points whether they're worth a real dollar value or not. Companies that use points have a much higher engagement rate even if those points don't exchange for real dollars.
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