March is more than green beer and shamrocks. Discover how your office can celebrate each unique holiday this month!
The first Friday of March is Employee Appreciation Day. Savvy companies know their greatest differentiator is their employees. So, it makes sense the holiday is a big deal for many companies.
But appreciation doesn't have to fade after just one day. Carry that momentum forward all month by finding other ways to recognize employees throughout March.
National Freelancers Day (March 14) lets you recognize the independent professionals who help your business thrive. Equal Pay Day (March 25) is a chance to reaffirm your company’s commitment to fairness and inclusion. And lighter holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and National Cocktail Day give your team reasons to connect, unwind, and have fun together.
This year, don’t let appreciation stop at a single day. Keep the gratitude going all month long with these creative ways to celebrate your employees.
Friday, March 7, 2025
Dr. Bob Nelson created Employee Appreciation Day in 1995. As a founding member of the nonprofit association Recognition Professionals International, Nelson believed in the positive effects of employee recognition on company performance.
On this day, employers give thanks or recognition to their employees and honor their achievements and contributions.
Some ways employers show appreciation to employees on National Employee Appreciation Day include hosting a company lunch to recognize and reward employees. Hire a catered meal, hand out treats, and provide personalized gifts or gift cards to show gratitude.
This is also a great time to launch a new employee of the month program if you don’t have one already.
Friday, March 14, 2025
More than one-third of the U.S. workforce takes on freelance work. Americans emerged from Covid and started a record 5.4 million businesses in 2022. In all, they contributed $1.3 trillion to the economy.
Robinhood thought those accomplishments were worth celebrating. So, they launched a holiday dedicated to freelancers.
Your company likely works hand-in-hand with freelancers every day. And, even if you don’t, there are freelancers among your employees and their families.
This is a great opportunity to support that community. Try hosting networking events to connect freelancers with each other, with potential clients, and with professional development opportunities.
Take to social media to cheer about the value freelance workers bring to your company and your customers.
Be sure to include your freelancers in a company celebration, and include a thank you card, or even a digital cash card, to show your appreciation.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Equal Pay Day is celebrated on a different day each year. That’s because the holiday was created to mark how far into the next year women have to work before their pay catches up to what their male peers made in one year.
This pay disparity is known as the wage gap.
Despite federal legislation signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, that wage gap persists. The National Committee on Pay Equity launched Equal Pay Day in 1996 to heighten awareness of the issue.
More recently, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to strengthen some of the laws around discrimination and pay disparity of women in the workforce. However, more work remains.
This holiday is a good reason to conduct compensation reviews to ensure there is no gender-based wage gaps within your company. It’s also a good time to raise awareness of your organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and encourage employees to participate.
Your company can also make donations to organizations fighting and advocating for equal pay.
Monday, March 17, 2025
Irish immigrants in New York City held the first official parade honoring St. Patrick in 1762. However, historians have discovered evidence of small, informal celebrations in the U.S. dating back to 1601 in St. Augustine, Florida — several decades before the Catholic Church officially made him a saint!
Today, millions of spectators line the streets of the Big Apple every March 17.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by decorating the office with green decorations, shamrocks, and other Irish symbols. Encourage employees to wear green, and hold a potluck with Irish-themed food like soda bread, corned beef, and stew.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Nurses Association co-founded Certified Nurses Day in 2008.
The organizations chose March 10 to honor Dr. Gretta Styles who pushed for certified standards for nurses all the way back in the 1970s. She was a founding member of the ANCC
March 19 was chosen because it was the birthdate of Dr. Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN — a pioneer in the area of nursing certification. Dr. Styles began pushing for stricter standards of credentialing to validate expertise in the 1970s. Later, she was instrumental in the foundation of the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Healthcare providers should take the time on this day to publicly acknowledge and appreciate their cadre of certified nurses.
One idea is to put together an award ceremony highlighting the care, compassion, and professionalism of the staff during a luncheon. You should also share stories on social media that highlight the impact certified nurses have on patients and their families.
Monday, March 24, 2025
Freelance writer Jace Shoemaker-Galloway often wrote about holidays. In 2013, she decided to invent one of her own. And so, National Cocktail Day was born.
The first mention of a cocktail was found in an old agricultural magazine called “The Famer’s Cabinet” in 1803.
This is a great chance to build camaraderie among your employees. Take everybody out for a happy hour and buy the first round. Or, if you’re a remote-first or hybrid company, encourage your employees to knock off early and enjoy a drink on you with the help of a digital cash gift card.
Gifts & Rewards Perfectly Suited to Your Business. Easy to send. Awesome to receive.
Gifts & Rewards Perfectly Suited to Your Business. Easy to send. Awesome to receive.
