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.

You can get bars of chocolate made from Tony's Chocolonely website with whatever message you like. Lots of flavours including vegan. Lovely chocolate too.

I would feel insulted to be given a five pound note. Wouldn’t make me feel appreciated or feel that any thought had been given

A fiver? Blimey, they’re not appreciated very much, are they?

Thing is, it’s a fruitless task because £5/head by definition, isn’t appreciating anyone, is it?

I think people will moan whatever you try and the gesture (and £1000 budget) will be lost.

Is there a lack of appreciation show towards staff by management in general? - if so, then a £5 gesture isn't going to work.

If staff are being expected to work extra time for free, treated badly, work in poor quality environment or management aren't dealing with underlying issues such as work stress/bullying then this is going to be what needs to change.

I'm liking the mugs and the personalised chocolate idea.
I've also got International Women's Day to plan as well but it's a far less moany group 😉

I would just get crisps/ biscuits/cake for the staff room at the various sites. £5 isn’t going to make many people feel appreciated.

I think that the management response has rather proved their point, they aren't appreciated so getting them something for £5 isn't going to cut it.

I worked in one place where the boss provided a snack for everybody once a week. As long as they weren't vegetarian, vegan, Coeliac or diabetic. They had to go without.

Made those people feel really great about it, that did.

£5 worth of ‘appreciation’ is a bit of a backhanded insult really.
It would be better not to bother and wait until there was a more appropriate amount available to spend

This is the first year we've ever done something for this specific day. Christmas is usually a £20 supermarket voucher, a physical tangible one. I went digital this year as the logistics of coordinating it is a nightmare. Everyone lost their heads and refused to open the links as I'd "sold their data" 🙄

But then you'll need to spend money on postcards telling the blokes when International Men's Day is. Because they're going to say it. They always do.

OP, I commend your enthusiasm, but if you have any input into decisions around this, there's a growing mindset around corporate gestures like this, and more of a focus on what really matters to employees.

For a fiver I think the cake suggestion is the best.

No, not everyone will like it but there is nothing that will please everyone. The same dilemma comes up on the secret Santa threads every single year.

@NeverDropYourMooncup yes, we're planning on doing something for men's day too. Although, as we know, it's every bloody day 🫠

Thanks @crumpet, that sounds brilliant.

I think for a fiver you are really limited. You can't get much for a fiver at all.
I don't really think a mug with your name on it really shouts appreciation. It wouldn't in my workplace anyway.
I think wine or chocs would be your best bet - yeah it won't suit everyone but at least it's something.

Otherwise I would do nice snacks/treats in a communal area on a set day - told in advance so people have the option to come in for it if normally off site.

Stop trying to please everyone

Let management know that no one is going to feel appreciated with a £5 spend.

commit to periodic but regular ”treats”:

• donuts and pastries
• pizza and salads for lunch
• keep cups
• Naice pens and notebooks
• power banks and chargers
• chocolate with messages

if you really want to make people feel appreciated an extra day off before a bank holiday weekend or letting everyone finish up a couple of hours early is the only way to go.

I know water and fruit isn't exciting but it avoids a lot of dietary issues, it's healthy, it's nice to have a bottle of water rather than tap. Or other soft drinks. Fruit bowls are nice if they are clean and fresh.
Cake is limiting (is it vegan/GF/people on a diet) as is chocolate and alcohol.

Buying bottled water is environmentallly dubious, that feels about 20 years out of date too!

Leaving work an hour earlier one day, say on Maundy Thursday, would be a simpler way to show appreciation, and probably valued more.

Honestly I really would go back to the management and tell them that this budget is worse than no budget.

I feel your pain @justlikebuses you can never please everyone on these circumstances, and no matter what you do, it's wrong!

We use Hugg Gifts at my workplace and although all people are still aren't happy, each individual can choose from 3/4 items & its much easier for the organiser!

The choices change regularly but usually have options of sweets, plants, boooks, donation to charity, gift voucher etc.

As an additional positive, you can set a timeframe for the items to be claimed and if it isn't used, the money is returned to the pot, so not wasted

I’d be so insulted with a fiver. Sorry @justlikebuses, you have a thankless task.

Dominoes ordered to each site?