3 Stellar Ways to Use Rewards for Employee Appreciation Day & Beyond

Employee Appreciation Day is more than a calendar date — it can be the launchpad for a year-round culture of recognition that drives engagement, retention, and productivity. Observed on the first Friday in March, this day was established to remind leaders how vital appreciation is to organizational success. Yet many companies still underinvest in recognition and rewards outside of special events.

Research consistently shows that effective recognition matters. Meaningful appreciation makes employees feel valued and significantly boosts engagement, even more than compensation increases alone.

Here are three ways to make your Employee Appreciation Day not just memorable, but strategic for business outcomes.

1. Pair a Reward with a Personal Message — Not Just a Token

Gift cards remain one of the most popular employee rewards because of their flexibility and broad appeal, both for everyday needs and experiences employees choose themselves. According to the 2024 IRF Trends Report, gift cards continue to outperform other rewards in preference and usage, and are expected to see increasing investment in the year ahead.

But the real impact happens when you combine that gift card with specific, sincere appreciation. General thank-yous are nice, but detailed acknowledgment of what an employee contributed signals genuine value and lifts the emotional weight of recognition beyond a transaction.

From a behavioral perspective, recognition paired with choice rewards deepens the emotional impact, connecting appreciation to autonomy and perceived organizational support, both of which correlate with stronger engagement and loyalty.

Example message: Jane, your precision on the Q1 product rollout helped us eliminate critical errors and beat our timeline. Thank you for your attention to detail. Please enjoy this home improvement store gift card to support that renovation project you’ve been planning!

2. Offer Flexible Hours or Work Options — A Reward Without a Price Tag

Flexible work arrangements continue to be a top driver of employee satisfaction and retention. Gallup data shows the majority of remote-capable employees expect flexible scheduling and remote/hybrid work options — and when employers deliver them, employees feel more valued and motivated.

This type of reward works especially well as an alternate or complement to traditional perks because it addresses psychological needs for autonomy and work-life integration: keys to job satisfaction and long-term engagement.

Ways to implement it:

• An extra remote-work Friday for the month of March
• One flexible half-day each week
• Early release on Employee Appreciation Day itself

Even short bursts of flexibility signal trust, respect for work-life balance, and appreciation for employee contributions.

3. Try a Non-Cash Bonus That Feels Like a Celebration

When many leaders think “bonus,” cash often comes to mind. But the latest incentive research shows that non-cash rewards — especially experiences and tangible options — are often more memorable and motivating for employees. The 2024 IRF data found that many employees prefer non-cash gift cards even over traditional cash awards.

Employee rewards don’t have to be expensive to make an impact. Team events, experience-based rewards, or tickets to local entertainment all reinforce appreciation in a way that employees personally remember and enjoy.

Why this matters: Employees who feel valued are significantly more likely to stay with a company — and lack of recognition is strongly linked to turnover. One Gallup survey found that employees who experience high-quality recognition are 45% less likely to look for a new job within two years.

Make Employee Appreciation Day a Catalyst — Not Just a One-Off

Meaningful recognition doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, frequent, sincere recognition coupled with flexible, choice-based rewards builds momentum, encouraging employees to feel appreciated all year long.

If you’ve been thinking about using rewards but haven’t yet taken that first step, Employee Appreciation Day offers a low-risk, high-impact opportunity to pilot a program that can scale as your confidence grows.

Ready to get started? We help organizations deliver flexible, personalized gift card rewards and build recognition programs that are simple to launch, easy to manage, and adaptable to teams of all sizes — from departments to enterprise-wide initiatives.

👉 Explore how thoughtful rewards can support your goals — talk with one of our team members today.