Employee Appreciation Day 2017 Ideas: 5 Ways To Thank Your Workers

GettyImages-89212015 — Workers at one of the 19 national pandemic flu service call centers in the country answer calls from people concerned about swine flu on July 23, 2009. Getty Images

Friday is more than a chance to say "TGIF" to your coworkers while you count down the hours until you can drink beer at the bar — it's Employee Appreciation Day, an annual holiday intended to recognize workers everywhere for their efforts.

If you're an employee, you should be prepared to see a little extra love Friday from the higher-ups. And if you're the boss, now is your time to shine and show your workers you truly appreciate them.

How, exactly, should you do that? Well, we've got ideas. Here are some actions you can take for Employee Appreciation Day — or, really, any day — collected from JustWorks, TINYpulse and Forbes:

Bring them food. The adage about "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" also applies to employees. Buy a box of doughnuts, bake a batch of cookies or plan a team meal. Not only this keep your workers fed and happy, it'll also provide an opportunity for your team to sit together outside of a board room.

Showing associates how much we appreciate them on Employee Appreciation Day #VOA @Lorrainbutler @JohnRolison @TammySaunders24 @MAEngagement pic.twitter.com/X7pqQBZlkU
— Jenn Potter (@Jenn_Potter81) March 3, 2017

Start a Summer Friday tradition. Sure, it's winter, but everyone's minds are on the warmer days ahead. If you work in a city, instituting Summer Fridays — or workdays that end at 1 p.m. in May, June and July — can perk up your employees.

Hire a massage therapist. See if there's a massage therapy school near you with students you can hire for two or three hours. Then let them loose on your staff to rub the necks and knead the backs of your employees, who likely have been sitting for hours in front of their computers.

Give your office a makeover. A fresh coat of paint can make all the difference, but the changes don't have to be that drastic. Redecorate with motivational posters, fake plants or cool artwork to reinvigorate your space.

Let your workers bring dogs to the office. Hanging out with pets reduces stress, improves morale and could even increase productivity — who wouldn't perform better with Fido at their feet? If you want to minimize cleanup and fanfare, watch for a promotion like UberPUPPIES to come around, then rent some pups for your peers.