Have you ever walked into the office on your birthday and felt a little “deflated”when nobody remembered it? Or perhaps you suspect that they know, but just don’t seem to care! Either way, most times it is not your choice to make a big deal out of it or keep quiet and hope nobody notices.
The truth is that having your co-workers recognize that it’s your birthday, can’t fail to make you feel a little bit special – and rightly so.
The importance of employee recognition
When you work fora big company, it can be easy to feel as if you’re just one among hundreds, that is why keeping a record of birthdays and acknowledging the occasion with a card signed by the whole team can help everyone feel valued and appreciated. After all, if you were just a worthless minion, surely your boss wouldn’t have bothered giving you a card that has been circulated and handwritten by all your colleagues.
Recognition is in fact a powerful motivator for employees and research has consistently shown that it isas important and effective as money if not more. Even for those on a minimum wage, or who feel that their worth isn’t reflected in their earnings, recognition from their teammates, managers and employers can go far towards ensuring a better performance and higher level of work satisfaction and engagement. It is a fact that when employees feel valued in the workplace, they are far likelier to contribute positively to team situations and work more smoothly alongside co-workers and clients.
How celebrating employees’ birthdays can benefit your business
As discussed above, individual recognition in the workplace – such as by celebrating a birthday in the office– is a fantastic tool for motivating employees, boosting their morale, and encouraging a sense of team spirit, yet so many businesses fail to take advantage of this simple tool, and routinely neglect to celebrate the birthdays of their workers.
Whereas this is not a universal practice, most offices find a way to celebrate employee birthdays in different ways. Prior to Covid, a colleague’s birthday was an occasion for cake in the break room or balloons by the watercooler. Most of the times, a card was passed around the office at the very last minute, reaching those who were there that day.
Today, technology like WishYoo group eCards has made it much easier and creative to make and share a card that is not only signed but can also contain images, stickers and voices.
But whetherin paper or electronic format, the truth is that all these rituals contribute to moral and comradery can actually have a multitude of benefits for businesses, and below are just a few of them:
Reduced turnover – because birthdays are viewed as milestones for many individuals, this often encourages them to think about their life as a whole, and the direction it’s going in, making them wonder if they could be doing better in another job, working for another company. By showing some recognition and gratitude to your employees on their birthdays however, you can make them feel valued both within their role and the company, and discourage them from wanting to quit their job.
Enhanced employee engagement – an engaged employee is typically one who feels respected and valued by their teammates and employer, and with the simple act of celebrating their birthday in the office, you can reward them and increase their emotional commitment to the company and its goals. This in turn, leads to improved work motivation and dedication, and ultimately, better results for your business!
Increased contentment and productivity – even if you don’t care about your birthday, knowing that someone else does, can be all it takes to make you feel a bit happier in your role at work. And what do happy workers equal? More productive workers. And what is that good for? Business!
Now that you know the extent to which celebrating birthdays in the office is good for business, it is time you checked your employee records and set a few reminders on your calendar. Probably someone else is doing the same for your special day.
