8.png)
15 Great Ideas to Celebrate Birthdays at Work
If your birthday falls on a weekday, chances are you don’t have any plans whatsoever. This doesn’t mean your colleagues can’t celebrate this special day with you at work.
Birthdays are the perfect occasion for companies to celebrate their employees. It also gives them a great chance to recognize and reward them, helping them to engage with them better and create a highly motivated workforce.
Many of us believe that birthday celebrations end when we become adults. However, they are amongst the few occasions where you can honor and commemorate a person. Companies must seize the opportunity and celebrate birthdays at work to reap the long-term benefits.
If you’re confused about the best ways to celebrate birthdays at work, then worry not! We suggest some classic and novel ways to make birthday celebrations a moment to cherish in the workplace.
Why Celebrate Employee Birthdays?
Employee birthdays are public knowledge to most employers. It is a day to celebrate the future that lies ahead but also to reflect on a person’s journey so far. This can be crucial for many adults who rethink and re-evaluate their careers so far on this day.
As an employer, there are certain benefits that you can take advantage of by celebrating this occasion which are listed below.
Boosts Morale: Most employees find birthdays boring and make no plans to celebrate the day. However, celebrating at work can bring about a sense of anticipation and excitement to their day. It also allows them to interact with their colleagues in a semi-professional environment. This creates a relaxed environment that can boost morale and productivity in your workplace.
Enhances Engagement: Employees least expect their colleagues to celebrate their birthdays at work. Despite these beliefs, employers can use this opportunity to express gratitude and care for their employees. Personalizing the celebrations can convey a level of understanding beyond professional boundaries. This interest shown by the company can motivate employees and increase their engagement at work.
Improves Retention: When companies celebrate employees and their birthdays at work, it shows the initiative to take care of their own. It helps build a special rapport and loyalty over the years. As a result, these employees may think long and hard before exploring new career opportunities outside of the organization.
Best Ways to Celebrate Birthdays at Work
Here are the most popular ways to celebrate an employee’s birthday at work. We discuss a variety of options that range from in-person celebrations at work to remote plans. This will help you make the day special for your employee in a manner that best suits their personality.
Personalization is Key
This works for those employees who shy away from public attention. They prefer to keep to themselves but could do with a little show of appreciation.
1. Personalized Notes and Cards
What better way to celebrate birthdays at work than to leave a heartfelt note or a thoughtful card? Encourage coworkers who interact with the birthday baby to express their best wishes in a card or note. If you want to make it more impactful, make sure that these notes are handwritten to add the perfect personal touch.
Tip to remember: Create a message board or large card with everyone’s wishes in a single location.
2. Custom Gifts
All of us have a certain item that we have our eyes on for a while. If the employee you are celebrating has something they are passionate about, then getting a gift along those lines is a great idea. Have your coworkers pool in some cash and make it the perfect group gift from a close set of colleagues.
Tip to remember: Make sure that your gifts adhere to company policy to avoid trouble
In-Office Celebration Ideas
Most of us spend a large chunk of our days at work. It only makes sense that birthdays are celebrated in the office along with the people who are an integral part of your professional life.
1. Decorate Their Workspace
Take the time out to create a festive atmosphere to kick off birthday celebrations at work. Add beautiful touches like photos of them with colleagues and loved ones to make them feel special. Also, add party poppers and lighting to increase the ambiance and make them feel the love on this special day.
Tip to remember: Decorate a part of the office without their knowledge to make it the perfect surprise for those celebrating their birthday.
2. Team Lunches or Cake Parties
Food is one of the best ways to bond with your colleagues outside of work. Invite the team for a lunch gathering. Make sure to arrange a special felicitation of the birthday baby by having the staff bring in cake to make it a celebration to remember.
You could also have parties within the office if you have budget constraints. You could arrange for light refreshments like snacks and pastries while still giving colleagues the chance to wish and celebrate a birthday at work.
Tip to remember: Arrange a potluck to increase the involvement of all employees as part of the celebration.
3. Surprise Meetings
If your employee has been a part of the company for a long time, then organize a surprise meeting with former colleagues and bosses. This will help them reconnect with old friends and make the day one they will never forget.
You can also plan to have a small celebration during team meetings. It gives you the perfect opportunity to have team members felicitate and celebrate the employee, making them feel great to be a part of the team and the organization.
Tip to remember: Keep it short and sweet to make sure everyone involved feels engaged.
Remote Celebration Ideas
In our modern times, employees are not only based in the office but also in remote locations far away from where the company is based. In these cases, you can still celebrate birthdays during work hours in a meaningful manner.
1. Virtual Parties
Plan out virtual parties for those celebrating their birthdays from remote locations. Create a thoughtful video celebrating their best moments and get a few of their close colleagues to say something nice about them. You can also have a small DJ session where everyone can sing and dance to the music from the comfort of their homes.
Tip to remember: Have theme parties and encourage colleagues to dress up for the event.
2. Deliver Treats
If you are looking to reach out to your employees on their birthdays, then food is the best way to do so. You can deliver their favorite sweets, snacks or chocolates depending on what they prefer. You can also send a small cake to help them celebrate their birthday with their loved ones from the comfort of their homes.
Tip to remember: Add a heartfelt message along with the company logo to make the maximum impact
3. Digital Gift Cards
If you are looking to cater to individual preferences without too much of a hassle, then gift cards are the way to go. They offer the convenience of choice and can be easily emailed to your employee on their birthday. They can also be easily redeemed at a store of their choice, making it a valuable proposition for companies to consider.
Tip to consider: Make sure to send e-gift cards to do your bit to save the environment.
Fun and Unique Ideas
Looking to break the mold when it comes to celebrating birthdays? Here are some new ideas that help you celebrate birthdays at work in a unique way that makes it fun and exciting for all involved.
1. Office Swag
Office swag is a great gift to give your employees while celebrating their birthdays at work. They allow you to build loyalty among your employees while also allowing you to promote your brand in unique ways. Make sure you gift them the coolest goodies so that the next time they use them in public, people will surely take notice.
Tip to remember: Make sure to have your logo placed prominently so that it can be easily viewed and identified in public.
2. Extra Day Off
For those employees who want to spend some time with their loved ones, getting the day off on their birthday can mean the world to them. It makes them feel grateful for having employers who understand and respect their personal space, making them loyal and dedicated to your corporate goals in the long run.
Tip to remember: Make sure the only communications from work are from colleagues sending their best wishes. Nothing professional.
3. Donation to Charity
Some employees may feel awkward and embarrassed by a public celebration of their birthdays at work. It is also possible for some employees to spend their free time volunteering for a social cause that is close to their heart.
Ask colleagues to volunteer along with them on their birthday. You can also ask colleagues to pitch in and use the money collected to make a charitable donation in their name to social welfare schemes. This will leave a lasting impression on them and make their birthday a truly rewarding experience.
Tip to remember: Discuss the charity that the employee wants to make a donation to and ensure it is done in their name.
Group Activities
Birthdays present the perfect opportunity for colleagues to bond outside of work. Here are the most popular activities to enjoy as a team to celebrate a birthday.
1. Team Outings
Have a fun day out with your colleagues as a part of the birthday celebration. This could be a quiet picnic at the nearby park or a fun outing with adventure activities like paintball or bowling. This will give you the perfect opportunity to bond outside of your professional responsibilities and make it a birthday celebration for everyone to remember.
Tip to remember: Make sure that everyone chips in to cover the expenses of the person celebrating their birthday.
2. Office Games or Competitions
Does anyone remember the Office Olympics from the famous sitcom aptly named “The Office”? Celebrating a birthday by creating a sporting event in the office could be a great idea. Pitch teams against each other in commonly played sports like cricket and table tennis. You can also get creative and create unique sports that can be played and enjoyed indoors.
Doing so will allow your employees to bond and relax for a bit during work hours. It will also lighten up the environment and build morale over time. The best part? You can make birthday celebrations at work an event that allows everyone to participate.
Tip to remember: Create memorable trophies or medals and make sure the person celebrating their birthday gets a special trophy.
3. Company-wide Announcements
If you have a weekly newsletter distributed across the company, then have a section where you can celebrate the birthdays in the coming week. This will remind their colleagues to wish them on this special day at work. You could also add a collage of their best work moments, making it fun for them to enjoy and reminisce about with their coworkers.
Tip to remember: Make sure to add a few nice comments from colleagues to reiterate their importance in the workplace.
4. Monthly Birthday Celebrations
Organize a company-wide party on a selected day of the month where you have a mass celebration for all those who had their birthdays. This will bring different groups of people together in a social setting, helping colleagues build new relationships and improve the interaction amongst your workforce.
Tip to remember: Document these celebrations for future use in company promotional material.
Conclusion
Even as we grow older, birthdays are memorable occasions that must be celebrated at work. It also presents corporate organizations with the perfect opportunity to celebrate their employees and help coworkers form and strengthen new bonds.
In return, you have a loyal and dedicated workforce that is engaged and motivated to do their best during office hours. This can boost productivity and help companies grow quickly and achieve their long-term goals.
If you are looking for the perfect corporate gifting solutions to celebrate birthdays at work, then head over to Swageazy. Our extensive catalog offers you a wide range of products. We also provide customization and inventory service, helping you streamline your corporate gifting needs.
Start today and make the process of corporate gifting a stress-free and rewarding one!