Top 5 Appreciation Days to Add to Your Calendar for Better Workplace Culture

Workplace culture isn’t just built in all-hands meetings or strategy decks. It’s built in moments – the small, intentional ones where people feel valued. And while appreciation shouldn’t be limited to certain dates, having a few key dates in your calendar makes it far more likely to actually happen.

Think of these days as helpful nudges: reminders to pause, say thank you and strengthen the kind of culture people want to be part of.

Because here’s the thing – appreciation days aren’t just symbolic, they’re backed by strong research showing the real impact of recognition on workplace culture and performance. We know that team recognition significantly increases engagement, motivation and retention, while its absence is a leading factor in disengagement and turnover. So, really, not celebrating is actually costing you! 

Appreciation days create intentional opportunities to recognize people in ways that are visible and thoughtful – counteracting the forgotten thanks and invisible work that can tear your team apart. Making appreciation a regular, visible priority isn’t about grand gestures or expensive rewards. What matters most – both in research and in practice – is consistent, sincere recognition. Appreciation days just help make sure those moments actually happen.

Here are five appreciation days worth adding to your calendar – not because they’re trendy, but because they genuinely work.

1. Employee Appreciation Day

When: First Friday in March

If you only choose one, make it this one.

Employee Appreciation Day is the simplest, most effective way to recognize the people who show up, contribute and keep things moving every day. It doesn’t require grand gestures – a thoughtful message, a small eGift Card or even just their favorite coffee order can go a long way. And just because you’ve got a remote or hybrid team, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out! 

Why it matters: Appreciation is linked to higher engagement, stronger retention and better morale. This day gives you a clear, low-pressure reason to say “we see you.”

Studies have found that organisations with strong recognition cultures experience lower voluntary turnover and higher productivity, largely because appreciation reinforces a sense of purpose and belonging. Some research suggests that companies with strong recognition cultures have as much as 31% lower voluntary turnover than their peers, with employees who feel recognized more likely to be engaged in their work. Employee Appreciation Day works so well because it creates a shared moment of recognition – reminding people that their effort is noticed and valued, not just expected.

What you can do: Send out bulk eGift Cards to your team, take the team out for lunch, send Employee Appreciation cards.

2. Administrative Professionals Day

When: Last Wednesday in April

Often overlooked. Always essential.

Administrative professionals, EAs, office managers and coordinators are the quiet backbone of most organisations – managing details, people and problems before anyone else notices. This day is your chance to acknowledge the workers that make everyone else’s job easier.

Why it matters: Recognizing behind-the-scenes contributions builds trust, respect and loyalty – especially for roles where the best work often goes unseen.

Administrative professionals often perform what researchers call invisible labor – work that is essential but not always noticed. Research into role recognition shows that when behind-the-scenes contributors are acknowledged, it improves job satisfaction, psychological safety and trust in leadership.  

What you can do: Send an Admin Professionals Day card signed by the whole team, give an eGift Card from the company, or give them a shoutout in your next meeting. 

3. Random Acts of Kindness Day

When: February 17

This one’s less about formal recognition and more about human connection across the board – whether it’s your work team, your family or a complete stranger. 

Random Acts of Kindness Day encourages small, spontaneous gestures – a thank-you note, a shout-out, a kind message that wasn’t asked for. It’s the appreciation equivalent of a surprise coffee: unexpected, but deeply appreciated.

Why it matters: Kindness reduces stress, boosts wellbeing and helps teams feel more connected – particularly in remote or hybrid workplaces.

Acts of kindness have been shown to positively impact mental health, stress levels and social connection. Research in positive psychology suggests that even small gestures of kindness can increase feelings of happiness for both the giver and the receiver, while also reducing burnout and emotional fatigue. Random Acts of Kindness Day works because it lowers the barrier to appreciation – encouraging simple, human gestures that strengthen relationships and create a more supportive workplace environment. And that is just as important as the more formal appreciation days. 

What you can do: Write a sweet message, buy a stranger’s coffee, send someone a thoughtful eGift Card.

4. Boss’s Day

When: October 16

Boss’s Day isn’t about flattery – it’s about strengthening relationships. When teams acknowledge good leadership, communication improves, trust grows and feedback flows both ways.

Why it matters: Healthy cultures are built on mutual respect – a simple note of appreciation or a message in a card can reinforce positive leadership behaviours and open the door to better collaboration year-round.

Research into leadership and feedback shows that when employees feel safe expressing appreciation toward leaders, communication improves and trust deepens. Boss’s Day helps normalize gratitude both ways, reinforcing positive leadership behaviours and encouraging more open, respectful working relationships throughout the year. Win, win! 

What you can do: Send your boss a Boss’s Day group card from the team, acknowledge their leadership and efforts during the day’s meeting, pitch in together to buy them a Lavender Spa Day Basket.

5. Work Anniversaries

When: Varies

Not a single day for everyone – but arguably the most meaningful.

Work anniversaries recognize commitment, growth and shared history. They’re personal, specific and often far more impactful than generic celebrations.

Why they matter: People want to feel like their time and loyalty count. Acknowledging milestones shows employees they’re not just passing through – they’re part of something.

Work anniversaries tap into something psychologists call “identity and continuity” – the feeling that your time and contribution matter – and they’re not just pulling it out of thin air! Years of research back them up, showing that acknowledging tenure and milestones increases feelings of loyalty and belonging, particularly when recognition is personalized. Celebrating anniversaries reinforces that feeling of belonging and being seen – so be sure to pencil in your team’s anniversary dates! 

What you can do: Recognize their anniversary in a meeting, write them a Work Anniversary group card with messages from the team, offer them an AnyCard to spend wherever they’d like – freedom of choice = the ultimate gift card. 

The Bigger Picture: Appreciation Builds Culture

Adding these days to your calendar isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about creating a rhythm of recognition – one that feels intentional rather than reactive. 

When appreciation becomes part of how your organisation operates, culture improves naturally. People feel valued. Relationships strengthen. And work becomes a place people actually want to be.

Because culture isn’t what you say it is – it’s how people feel when they’re part of it.

Meet the experts

Melissa Evans

Content Writer

Ali + Julie

Co-Founders, GroupTogether.

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