It seems like there’s a day for everything: National Pizza Day, National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, National Siblings Day…not to mention the actual National Holidays. How can reward & recognition programs leverage National Awareness Days?
Some National Awareness Days can feel manufactured, and in fact, some are created by the industries they promote. In an employee reward and recognition program, however, some of the Holidays can help to celebrate specific participant groups or client industries. Leveraging seasonal Holidays can also help to spur engagement and provide a new way to recognize employees around a specific topic.
Major traditional Holidays are well known of course, but some of the lesser-known awareness days or weeks can offer additional themes and a short-term focus for program boosts. Because many of the National Awareness Days are centered around causes and appreciation, they are a natural fit for reward and recognition programs. Others can just inject a little something different into the program, just for fun. For instance:
Diet Resolution Week in early January could tie in nicely with an employee wellness program.
National Skip the Straw day in February could offer the opportunity to incorporate “green” initiatives into the reward and recognition program.
International Women’s Day in March provides a chance to focus on women who have made an impact on the company or celebrate contributions of women throughout history.
National Volunteers Week in April could focus on a company cause or charity. Employees could earn additional program points or other perks for volunteering.
National Loyalty Day in March is a natural tie-in to recognize and celebrate clients, employees and other business partners.
June is National Safety Month; a perfect opportunity to focus on a safer workplace and focus on and reward specific safety activities.
National Mac-and-cheese Day in July (yes, it’s a thing!) could prompt a management cook-off with employees judging the best recipes.
National Non-Profit Day in August offers another opportunity to adopt a non-profit organization and earn additional program points by donating funds or volunteer hours.
National Self-Care Month in September offers the opportunity to incorporate strategies to reduce stress and adopt additional self-care habits.
National Work at Home Week is in October. If your company has remote employees, they could be invited to share best practices. If your company does not offer a work-from-home option, this week could be an experiment for those employees that could perform their work from home, even if just for this week.
National Donut Day in November. Enough said.
National Hand-Washing Awareness Week in December seems especially timely during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s equally important during a “regular” cold and flu season. Incorporating a focus on general personal health practices into your program will also encourage a healthier and safer workplace.
Employee reward and recognition programs contribute to a positive corporate culture and increase engagement. Incorporating National Awareness Days into your program can boost participation add a little excitement.
Contact one of our Incentive Professionals today to discuss the many benefits a reward and recognition program can reap for your organization.