Employee Appreciation Day - £5 per head

[justlikebuses]

I need some ideas. I have a budget of £5 per head to show appreciation for our employees.
In the workforce we have:
Multiple sites
Workers who will be off shift
Workers who will be on night shift
Day workers
Management against vouchers for costa etc.

I'm coming up with cake. That's all. Please could you sling some ideas my way.

Cake would not make me feel appreciated 🤷‍♀️ But with £5 per head you are very limited. Think I would prefer the Costa voucher tbh...

This! A fiver is nothing but at least they could get a coffee at a time of their chosing instead of a slice of cake in the office!

Management suck.
A £5 Costa voucher sounds perfect for this.

I can't get vouchers sadly.

£5? I’d tell management where to shove it, it’s not worth having.
I wouldn’t want a costa voucher either

Well then don't expect staff to be very appreciative of the "appreciation" from management.

You could maybe do a buffet and get all the management to help make it instead of outside caterers. That would show a bit of humility from the managers to staff that they do appreciate them and are willing to do that. Something from your responses says that management won't do that though.

Shop around and see if you can get a good deal on some half decent prosecco? Perhaps not very original (but what is for a fiver?) It has a suggestion of celebration, can be given away as a gift if not wanted, can be used as a mixer if straight prosecco isn’t liked, won’t go off if there is a delay in giving it etc.

I would be really annoyed with anything other than a voucher as any gift will be shit.

Why does it fall to you?

I imagine you're not allowed to just give them the fiver? That would be my favourite option personally - I can do quite a lot with £5.

Otherwise - one job gave us all personalised covered coffee mugs - it was in covid to prevent us sharing. They were well used.

Or save the money and see if you can engineer a half day’s leave? Dress it up as a wellness time, so it’s not “official” leave.

We used to have an occasional “Spirit Day”

My workplace did a Chinese buffet that worked out £5/6 per head. You could get it delivered to multiple sites/for the different shifts. You may have a local takeaway that will do free delivery.

Giving alcohol is so bloody outdated.

What about the recovering alcoholics?
Those who do not drink for religious reasons?

What does this involve 😄

Fridges full of a mix of still and sparkling water and loads of fruit in fruit bowls?

But the problem is that water and fruit hardly makes you feel appreciated.

I think it's an empty gesture. It isn't enough to feel like a real gift, and actually other things are more important to feel appreciated anyway.

Water and fruit 😂 just no.

It's more to do with the staff constantly moaning about everything we try and do.
They ask for something, benefits, discounts schemes etc.
I put the plans in place to do what they ask, then at least 40% will go "no, not that" or "you used my email without permission" or "I want a card voucher" or "I want a digital voucher" or "I don't want a voucher, can I have the cash".
The staff organised a bring and share buffet, I said to management at that time of year people are strapped for cash (we don't have a Christmas do because of the hassle of trying to please everyone). I said to the staff that I'll organise a buffet and pay for it. People still moaned and then brought their own food in anyway 😂

It was effectively a day off. You could join in an online yoga session or something the company had organised, use the time for additional learning, but it was also emphasised that spending time with the family was just as legitimate. Whatever you wanted to promote your own well being

The problem with any food drink is that many people will be on a diet/have food preferences/limitations.

Add to that some people will take more than their fair share, leaving others with nothing.

There's also the problem of food hygiene/keeping the food hot/fresh

It could lead to resentment amongst staff and reduced team morale rather than what is being attempted.

How many people are we talking about? Why not find top 10/20 workers and give them £50 gift instead. Nobody will appreciate a £5 honestly it will cause more issues than nothing at all. But chance of something bigger for being recognised would feel more of a recognition. I mean they can’t value everyone equally that’s not how a workforce works someone always does less and gets away with it.

Give me a fiver in an envelope. Then I can choose what I spend it on.

There's 200 staff across a handful of sites.

I’m not forcing anyone to take up my suggestion… and there are also non alcoholic versions available. But it will be horses for courses and depend on the group in question