Each department may organize and fund their celebrations differently – some by management and others by social committees working with management. Please feel free to use these ideas collected from agency recognition coordinators:
Site visits from leadership: Thank employees in person by visiting their worksite.
Personal message from leadership: Send an email, letter, or video to agency employees; send handwritten notes to individual employees or give them a call.
Casual Days: Allow employees to wear jeans (but still dress appropriately) for a day, week, or month, if the agency does not already allow for Jeans Days.
Food:
- Provide food (e.g., donuts and bagels, pizza, hot dogs, taco bar, ice cream social, BBQ, etc.) for employees;
- Organize an office potluck or picnic and invite employees to bring in dishes;
- Coordinate snack days throughout the week, or intermittently throughout the month;
- Arrange an employee run to pick up ice cream (Sonic Happy Hour, DQ, Central Dairy, etc.) in the middle of the day. Schedule a food truck to stop by your office, and if possible arrange for special offers.
Contests:
- Office decorating contest,
- Greatest memory of state service,
- Pet or baby photo contest, etc.
Gifts: Place small gifts, gift bags, t-shirts, silly socks, office swag (pens, coffee cups, key chains, bags, etc.), popcorn, and/or candy in common spaces or on individual desks.
Activities: Organize an office activity or a team building activity (e.g., Zoom, Treasure Hunt).
Note: We realize that some agencies may have already celebrated their state employee recognition weeks. Feel free to opt out of this celebration if you wish. Also, if you have an idea you would like to share please send it to Julie Schlup.