Celebrate Boss’s Day By Putting Your Employees First

Back in 1958, Patricia Bays Haroski was working for her father at the State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois. Inspired by her father as she watched him successfully run the company despite all challenges he faced, Patricia decided that she wanted to do something that would both honor him and motivate his employees at the same time. On October 16, Patricia registered the holiday with the US Chamber of Commerce and since then, Boss’s Day has been celebrated on that day in America, England, Australia and South Africa.

But it wasn’t until Hallmark started producing National Boss Day cards in 1979 that the holiday took on a whole new form. Generally, appreciating a boss on a Boss’s Day is shown through handing out greeting cards and buying funny or thoughtful gifts.

However, every good boss knows that celebrating Boss’s Day isn’t just about receiving gifts and feeling appreciated. It should really be about showing that appreciation back and meeting the expectations that your team has set for you as a business leader.

Bosses and employees have a special relationship that needs to be fostered properly – a relationship that should be celebrated all year long, not just on Employee Appreciation Day or National Boss’s Day.

If you’re looking to show thanks back to your employees this Boss’s Day and cement your status as a truly likable boss, here’s what you can do to celebrate this holiday, well, like a boss!

Spread the Love

Even though the day may be “technically” about you, be sure to also make it about your employees. It’s important to be appreciative of their work (and their thanks), so return the favor whenever possible.

Make the day about the team accomplishments and highlight how you couldn’t have done it without them. Praising your employees effectively can do wonders for team motivation and employee retention.

Openly discuss both things that they are doing well and things that you could be doing better in order to help them succeed. It’s important to be humble and appreciative, especially on a day when your employees are thanking you for being their leader. Talk about mistakes you may have made in the past, thank them for the support and ask them for feedback into ways in which your processes could stand to improve as well. A study conducted by Dale Carnegie Training shows that 84% of employees think it’s important their supervisors admit to their mistakes.

This shows that you are working on yourself and are open to making changes in the way you manage your team if it’s going to lead to positive business results.

Have Fun

No matter what you do, make sure you take some time out to have some fun with your staff. There really is no limit on what you can do. It really depends on the type of team you run and what your employees enjoy doing.

Whatever you do or plan, you can’t go wrong with the food. Whether you are bringing in something delicious or you decide to take them out for lunch, everyone can appreciate a good meal.

Eating with your team can be the perfect icebreaker when trying to casually spend time with them and get to know them. It’s an especially good idea if you have recently hired new employees who are still adjusting to you and your company. Having lunch with them is a good way to make them feel welcomed and getting to know them better.

Shared meals can help establish a great bond and help to build trust and comradery among the team members. It’s also a much safer option than going out for drinks because alcohol isn’t involved in the celebration and it can help you keep that perfect balance between being a boss and a friend.

Suggest Donations Instead of Gifts

While it’s great that your employees want to thank you for being a great boss, you can be an even greater boss and leader by showing them that you’d rather donate to a good cause than get a gift.

After thanking your staff for the gift, casually mention to them that it could be a cool idea to donate to a charity of your choice instead of buying you a gift. This will show you in a great light as a selfless leader who cares about his or her community.

Donations have added benefits for businesses. Not only do they increase the company’s presence in the community, they can be tax write-offs as well. That’s much more valuable than getting presents from your employees just for being their boss. Suggesting that you make a donation instead shows the real power of leadership – encouraging employees to participate and make a difference in their community.

You can also ask your team for input to find a cause that they would like to support.

Strive to Be a Role Model

Remember that your business is a reflection of who you are, which also means that there is always room for improvement. Always be sure that you are trying to reflect the values of your business and what you expect from your employees in your own behavior.

If you cut corners, your people will too. If you lie, your employees won’t tell the truth either. Make sure that your actions are doing the talking. Be a role model and a mentor to your team and make sure that they know on National Boss’s Day that you are giving your all to lead them and that you want them to feel proud of the work that they are doing in your company.

Show your employees that you are honest, fair and dependable. Do everything you can to justify the praise and love you receive on this special day and make sure to let your team know that you appreciate them and that you are interested in their success as much as you are interested in the success of your company.

Happy Boss’s Day!