What to Write in a Boss’s Day Card (and What Not To!)

Looking for what to write in a Boss’s Day card? Below you’ll find copy-and-paste examples, plus tips to personalise your message so it actually lands. If you’re organising the card on behalf of the team, start with a beautiful digital Boss’s Day card to collect messages in one link. 

We’ll even cover what NOT to write, because yes, there are things that should never make it into that card. (Trust us).

The bottom line:

• Avoid the cheap laugh - as tempting as it is to make fun of your boss, it’s rarely appreciated. Stay safe and complimentary. Remember the old adage, if you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all!
• Use a GroupTogether Group Card - everyone can add a message online and there’s an AI message writing tool to take your words and make them (much) better.

Inspirational messages for an amazing boss

Perfect for the boss who makes you want to bring your A-game every day:

• “Your leadership has been the secret sauce behind our wins this year — thanks for setting the bar so high (and helping us reach it)!”
• “Working with you makes me a better teammate, and honestly, a better human.”
• “Thanks for always leading with integrity and a little bit of humour — it’s why we actually like Monday mornings.”
• “Your vision inspires me to think bigger, be bolder and chase down ideas I didn’t think I could.”

Bonus: Sprinkle in some amazing boss quotes like:

“A good boss is a person who can tolerate my complaints and still manage to say hello to me every day.” – Byron Pulsifer

👉 Organising a Boss's Day card from the whole team? Use GroupTogether and let everyone add messages and photos online. Unlimited signees. You can even download it as a PDF to print. Nice! Browse Boss's Day cards today.

Funny messages for a boss with a sense of humour

If your boss appreciates a laugh (and maybe some light sarcasm):

• “Happy Boss’s Day! We’d get you a trophy, but we’re still waiting for approval.”
• “You’re the best boss I’ve ever had (and yes, I’ve had others - don’t tell them).”
• “Thanks for keeping us motivated and caffeinated.”
• “We were going to chip in for a gift, but we spent the budget on office snacks. Hope this card makes up for it!”

Short & sweet (for the minimalist boss)

Some bosses prefer brevity. These work when you want to keep it simple:

• “Thanks for being a great leader."
• “Happy Boss’s Day! Appreciate all you do.”
• “Grateful to work with you every day.”
• “You make work better — thank you.”

Heartfelt & warm messages

When you truly admire your boss, say it with heart:

• “Your support and encouragement have meant the world to me this year. Thank you for believing in me.”
• “You’ve created a workplace where we feel safe, challenged and appreciated — that’s rare and so valued.”
• “Your mentorship has shaped my career more than you know.”

Messages for the “Tough but Fair” Boss

Sometimes the best bosses are the ones who challenge you:

• “Thanks for pushing us out of our comfort zone — we’re better for it.”
• “Your high standards make us proud of the work we produce.”
• “You demand excellence but always have our backs. That’s true leadership.”

Group messages (from the whole team)

Perfect if the card is from the whole team:

• “We appreciate the way you champion our team — and celebrate our wins (big and small).”
• “Happy Boss’s Day! Thanks for keeping this team running smoothly — and keeping us laughing along the way.”
• “Your leadership turns a group of coworkers into a team. Thanks for that.”

What NOT to write in a Boss’s Day card

Even if you’re tempted, skip these:

🚫 Passive-aggressive jokes:

“Thanks for finally approving my PTO.”

🚫 Inside jokes that could backfire:

“Remember the time we almost missed that deadline? LOL!”

🚫 Anything about salary or promotions:

“Happy Boss’s Day! Now about that raise…”

🚫 Personal digs or oversharing:

“You remind me of my dad, which is weird, but cool.”

Keep it positive, professional and appropriate for a workplace setting.

Inspirational & funny boss quotes

Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel...just borrow a perfect line from someone clever. Here are famous quotes about bosses and leadership you can add to your card:

• “A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader; a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek
• “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” – Ralph Nader
• “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
• “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” – Peter Drucker
• “By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.” – Robert Frost
• “The key to being a good manager is keeping the people who hate you away from those who are still undecided.” – Casey Stengel
• “Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties.” – Doug Larson
• “If you think your boss is stupid, remember: you wouldn’t have a job if he was any smarter.” – John Gotti
• “People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything.” – Thomas Sowell 

Quotes to include about great leaders & leadership

These quotes go beyond “nice boss” and capture the qualities that make someone truly inspiring:

• “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
• “The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes.” – Tony Blair
• “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan
• “The highest of distinctions is service to others.” – King George VI
• “Leadership is not about being the best. It is about making everyone else better.” – Unknown
• “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.” – Andrew Carnegie
• “True leaders understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve.” – Simon Sinek
• “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill
• “You don’t lead by hitting people over the head — that’s assault, not leadership.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
• “The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionably integrity.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower
• “Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” – Bill Bradley
• “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch
• “Great leaders are willing to sacrifice the numbers to save the people. Poor leaders sacrifice the people to save the numbers.” – Simon Sinek
• “A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.” – Arnold H. Glasow

These quotes work beautifully as openers or closers for your Boss’s Day message — and they make even a quick card feel thoughtful and polished.

Pair your message with a beautiful, customisable digital group card. With GroupTogether’s Boss’s Day cards, everyone can add a heartfelt note, a funny GIF and even chip in for a gift.

Meet the experts

Ali + Julie

Co-Founders, GroupTogether.

Life’s busy. That’s why we’re here to make it easy for you to collect money from a group. Less wasted time, less packaging waste, and spending a little less but giving a lot better!