Do you know this week is National Police Week? According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund:

"In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15th falls, as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others." 

Boss’s Day 2012 is October 16, only two weeks from today. Are you planning to do something for your boss? Boss’s Day is an annual recognition holiday, and it’s important for recognizing managers and supervisors in your organization. If you haven’t planned anything for Boss’s Day, it’s time to start! Recognizing your boss on October 16 can have several benefits in the office and your career. Here are three reasons you should celebrate:
 

Was traffic a little light on your drive to work this morning? It was for me. It felt like one of those mornings when I question if I have my days mixed up. Perhaps, I think to myself, I am mistakenly driving to work on a Sunday. Oops!

However in West Michigan, students are on spring break and several businesses are closed for the Good Friday holiday. If you made the trip into work this morning, you may feel like you’re the only one in the universe who has to work today (although I have no idea how that feels - honestly). That kind of feeling can bring down morale and productivity for the day, but you can combat the disengagement with a small and sincere expression of employee appreciation.

Friends of mine are optometrists at a private practice here in Grand Rapids. When schools and businesses are closed, for example on Good Friday, they are swamped! Everyone wants to get their eye exam or order their new pair of glasses on their day off. As a result, the office staff has to work on a day that’s a holiday for many.

Today, the doctors in the office have planned a little employee appreciation to help the day go by smoothly. They’re bringing in a pizza lunch and giving each staff member a Thanks For All You Do Twist Top Tumbler. It’s all part of an effort to keep the staff feeling appreciated and motivated on a day when it can be tough to be at work.
 

The optometrist office really gets it. Their message of appreciation will be timely, sincere, and personal to their staff. I have a feeling the staff will love the pizza lunch and their new tumblers (they’re a big hit around Baudville!). More importantly, they’ll feel a renewed dedication and loyalty to their employer who recognizes their efforts on a tough day.

If you’re at work today, it may be a great opportunity to show a little extra employee appreciation to your team. It can be something as easy as a free ePraise card that says “thanks for being here today!” to dropping off a bag of their favorite Easter candy in the afternoon (we've been crazy about Cadbury Mini eggs lately!). Your sincere gesture of appreciation will be a great start to their weekend! 

Employee Appreciation Day is March 2, 2012, so you have one month to plan a celebration for your team. If you’re looking for theme ideas, register for our upcoming Recognition TV webisode. Lindsay, Baudville Product Manager, will share her favorite Employee Appreciation Day themes in a video broadcast on Wednesday, February 15. She’ll probably share her picks for Employee Appreciation Day gifts this year, too. Don’t miss it!

Employee Appreciation Day is all about your employees. Celebrating the value they bring to your organization as individuals is a great way to increase employee engagement, commitment, and motivation.

Does this title sound familiar? Gary Chapman, the author of "The Five Love Languages," recently partnered with Dr. Paul White to create a workplace application of his popular relationship book. The new book, just released in August, dives into the value and benefit of making employees, volunteers, and members of your organization feel appreciated. (Disclosure: I was given an advanced copy of the book to review.)