Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. Your employees will be getting a ton of flowers and chocolate in the office, but that’s not the only way to celebrate Valentine’s Day at work. Today, we wanted to share five simple ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in your office so you can boost workplace morale, and celebrate your employees
Learn Their Love Language
Before you celebrate Valentine’s Day at work, you want to consider your employees and their love or appreciation language. There are five love languages, according to author Dr. Gary Chapman. You can use these languages in a variety of relationships. It’s important to realize that your employees will all feel love and appreciation in different ways. Here are the five love languages and how you can apply them at work.
Words Of Affirmation
Some people love being told they are appreciated. Letting these people know you value them makes a difference. Write it down, share your appreciation in meetings, write them a thoughtful LinkedIn recommendation, etc. Be considerate and choose your words carefully. You should always make sure that your words lift people up instead of tearing them down.
Quality Time
If you know someone values quality time, see how you can create small moments at work with them. For example, saying hello to everyone in the morning, hosting check-in meetings, and even mentoring someone who values quality time can make all the difference.
Acts Of Service
Helping out an employee can impact them more than you know. Take a few minutes each day to ask employees what they need help with. Hold some time in your day to be a sounding board or use your connections to find someone who can help them.
Tangible Gifts
Some people love gifts, but they don’t have to be expensive. Getting someone a fun new pen, a gift card to their favorite store, or even crafting something yourself is a fantastic way to show appreciation for people who value tangible gifts.
Appropriate Physical Touch
Physical touch at work can be a touchy subject, but as long as you make sure the contact is appropriate, you should be okay. Quick hugs, high fives, or a pat on the back in appreciation are all thoughtful ways to practice appropriate physical touch at work. Above all else, read the cues from your employees or coworkers. If they look or act uncomfortable, stop contact.
Every Employee Is Different, But Don’t Show Favorites
You may not need to write a note to every employee, because many employees won’t receive a note as appreciation. It’s essential to show up for your employees in a love language they can understand, but don’t show favorites. Find a way to juggle all the love languages and make sure you are showing everyone an equal amount of appreciation. Instead of guessing what love language appeals to your employees, ask them.
1. Exchange Valentine’s Day Notes
Do you remember in school when everyone would decorate a shoebox with hearts to take to school for Valentine’s Day? You would be so excited if you could get your parents to swing for the cool character cards with a heart-shaped sucker in them. Why don’t we do that anymore?
You can bring this tradition back. Get your employees to create a box for all of their Valentine’s Day notes. Assign employees a certain number of coworkers, or ask them to write letters for all of their employees. Writing notes can be rather time-consuming, especially if you have a lot of parents who are likely doing something similar for their kids. Exchanging Valentine’s Day notes will bring your employees a certain level of nostalgia, though.
2. Bake Or Buy Valentine’s Day Themed Snacks For The Office
We all love a tasty treat on Valentine’s Day. If you have some time, bake a bunch of snacks for the office. If you are running low on time, stores will have some cute Valentine’s Day-themed treats to purchase for the office.
Here are some examples of Valentine’s Day-themed snacks:
- Cookies
- Cupcakes
- Brownies
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate
- Candy
- Donuts
- Hot Chocolate
Create A Decorating Station
Do you have a lot of DIYers on your staff? Instead of finishing the cookies or candy bags, create a decorating station.
For a cookie decorating station could include things like edible glitter, icing, chocolate (it would need to be melted throughout the day), sprinkles, and more.
For your candy bag station, organize a bunch of candy like Fun Dip, Ring Pops, mini-chocolate bars, Hershey Kisses, and more along with fun Valentine’s Day candy bags.
Get creative and think about the kind of things your employees love. What kind of cookies are your employees drawn to in the breakroom? What’s the most stolen piece of candy in your candy bowl? Make sure you include those in your decoration station.
3. Get Everyone A Flower With A Sweet Note Attached
Flowers are such a staple on Valentine’s Day. Why can’t you do the same thing when celebrating Valentine’s Day at work? While you can’t get every employee a dozen roses, consider getting them a single flower (roses, orchids, tulips, daisies, whatever works for your budget.) On every flower you deliver, write a sweet note thanking your employees and letting them know how much you appreciate them.
4. Create A Wall Of Love
Sometimes it’s hard to notice how loved everyone is when you are just saying it. Have you ever seen the physical representation of something and understood it so much more?
Dedicate a wall in your office as the “wall of love” for Valentine’s Day. Create a bunch of heart-shaped cutouts on pink and red paper. Get every employee to write about someone in the office they appreciate and love. As employees fill out the hearts, tape them to the wall.
Throughout the week, let people add to the wall and watch it grow. If you notice someone needs a little extra love, add a note to the wall in their honor. At the end of it all, hand-deliver the hearts to everyone who got one.
5. Have A Door Or Desk Decorating Contest
Let everyone feel the love with a fun door or desk decorating contest. A decorating contest will get everyone’s spirits up. If you have offices where multiple employees work, this contest will be a fantastic team-bonding experience.
At the end of the contest, get someone like the CEO or a high-level executive to judge the competition. You can do something fun for the winner like a gift card to their favorite restaurant or a movie theater.
Since decorating a door or desk can be kind of expensive, consider giving them their budget and the money to do it. For example, give everyone $20 to buy all their decor and materials.
Conclusion
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to show your employees and coworkers how much you appreciate them. Pick 1-2 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day at work this year to make the workplace happier and shed the winter blues for a while. How will you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year?
