Creative Ways to Show Employee Appreciation

Everyone deserves to know how much they’re appreciated. It’s no doubt, then, that employee appreciation is an important thing to consider in the workplace. Studies show that employee recognition boosts employee retention rates as well as productivity, trust, and morale. Beyond tangible benefits like increased productivity, employee appreciation programs and events create great work environments company wide.

Whether you’re celebrating work anniversaries, encouraging work life balance, or boosting company culture, we’ve got ideas for all.

Company picnics and corporate excursions are a tried-and-true method of giving back to your team. We have plenty of ideas for them, as well as employee appreciation ideas for your day-to-day workweek. Here at A Company Picnic, we’re in the business of appreciation. We’d like to give you some of our favorite creative ways to show employee appreciation for your team.

Team Playing Casino Games as a Creative Way to Show Employee Appreciation

Unique Employee Appreciation Ideas for the Office:

Giving back to your team is not just planning big, exciting things. The little things matter every bit as much! Thank you notes, little gifts, and time spent having lunch as a team are all important in making your employees feel appreciated. You can recognize employees and boost morale through social media posts, gift cards, or something even more unique.

If you’re looking for something out-of-the-box you can do for your team during the workweek, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few of our favorite employee recognition ideas for around the office:

Have a Bring-Your-Pet-to-Work Day
Have a Video Game Session
Have Office Karaoke
Bring in a Masseuse
Hold a Puppy Playdate
Bring in an Ice Cream Sundae Station
Have a Board Game Session
Have a VR Day
Bring in Food Trucks
Have an Office Pizza Party
Bring in a Caricature Artist
Hold a Concert in the Office
Bring in a Game of Mini Golf
Bring Games into the Break Room
Bring in a Slushie Station
Give Out Magazine Subscriptions as Gifts
Close the Office Early
Have a Team Happy Hour
Put Together a Dessert Buffet
Set Up a Game Table (ping pong, foosball) In the Break Room

Colleagues Playing Ping Pong at an Employee Appreciation Picnic

Creative Employee Appreciation Ideas for a Company Picnic

Here at A Company Picnic, we specialize in one-of-a-kind staff outing ideas. We love planning unique, memorable company outings.

Over the past 40 years, we’ve collected loads of unique experiences you can give your team.

Want to go to the zoo in Santa Ana? Picnic in a good picnic spot in Anaheim like Pearson Park? What about a Hollywood company picnic in a mansion? We can do all that and more.

Company picnics are popular for a reason. They’re an amazing way to give back to your team and give them a fun, relaxing day out. Here are a few of our favorite unique employee appreciation ideas for company picnics:

Make Your Own Carnival
Host it at a Private Mansion
Bring in a Swimming Pool
Set Up an Ice-Skating Rink
Set Up Your Own Arcade
Visit a Corn Maze
Make it a Costume Party
Turn it into a Drive-In Theater
Hold Your Picnic at a Lighthouse
Turn Your Picnic into a Fair
Have a Laser Tag Battle
Hold an Ugly Sweater Contest with Prizes
Turn it into a Tea Party
Ride Horses
Bring in Carnival Rides
Take an Educational Picnic at a Wildlife Reserve
Make it a Pajama Party
Have Camel Rides
Picnic at a Nearby Natural Destination (local canyon, in the mountains, etc)
Picnic at a Ghost Town

Turtle Sitting on a Table at a Safari Employee Appreciation Picnic with Animal Guests

Unique Employee Appreciation Ideas for a Company Outing:

Days out of the office, bonding with your team members and sharing a once-in-a-lifetime experience are amazing. We find it’s a great way to develop connections and rapport with your coworkers. Something about company outings removes the formalities and brings your team closer together.

We have a lot of popular excursion options. Griffith Observatory picnics, an LA Zoo picnic, or an Irvine Regional Park event are some. However, if you’re looking to encourage employees’ adventurous spirit, we’ve got even more extraordinary ideas. Here are a few of our favorite creative ideas for your next day out:

Go on a Group Scavenger Hunt
Volunteer as a Team
Take a Guided Tour of Your City
Go Paddleboarding
Go to a Haunted House
Visit an Escape Room
Go Panning for Gold
Visit a Local Landmark
Go Snorkeling
Go Ziplining
Take a Snow Day
Go Berry Picking
Take Surfing Lessons
Go for a Hot Air Balloon Ride
Take the Team Sea Fishing
Go Wine-Tasting
Go Off-Roading
Go Rafting
Fossil Hunting
Visit a Racetrack

Paddle Boarding: Creative Ways to Show Employee Appreciation

Creative Employee Appreciation Ideas for Every Occasion

We can’t understate the importance of employee appreciation. Appreciation is a crucial part of the workplace, and has so many benefits to your company and your employees.

You likely already give your staff ongoing words of appreciation and formal recognition programs. However, it’s every bit as important to spice things up now and again to give your staff members a boost! Whether it’s in the office or out of it, fun experiences are a perfect way to show your appreciation to your team.

Looking for further creative ways to show employee appreciation? Check out our blog about unique ways to give back to your team! No matter what you do, we know your team will feel appreciated.