What is Boss Day?
Boss Day, or Boss’s Day, is an opportunity to acknowledge managers and thank them for their hard work throughout the year. It is generally celebrated on 16 October each year. Although the day originated in the United States in 1958, it is now observed in various countries around the world, including Australia.
In addition to showing how much you appreciate your manager, Boss’s Day is also intended to improve relationships between managers and their employees. As a manager, on Boss’s Day, it’s important to respect boundaries and maintain professionalism, and as such to reinforce appropriate etiquette and conduct for employees and managers.
Related: How to Develop an Effective Code of Conduct for Your Business
Why celebrate Boss Day?
When it comes to recognition, the focus is usually on employee recognition and its well-known benefits: improved morale, productivity, employee retention and more creativity, to name but a few. Boss’s Day shows that this can work in reverse as well – the same benefits apply to showing appreciation to managers.
Leaders in an organisation can carry multiple responsibilities – overseeing employees, motivating them, providing guidance and creating a positive workplace environment. Acknowledging them for their efforts can help to strengthen workplace relations and boost morale.
How to celebrate Boss Day
Even if you are a manager yourself, it might be that you also have a manager who you can celebrate. Here are seven ways to say thank you to your manager this Boss’s Day:
1. Thank-you card
It’s a simple gesture but sending a thank-you card is one of the most effective ways to make your manager feel appreciated. You can send the card to all your colleagues in the office and ask them to write a personalised message expressing their gratitude and appreciation for your manager’s hard work and dedication.
2. Gifts
Consider giving your manager a gift as a way to show your appreciation. It could be a small, simple little thought. Here are some gift ideas to consider:
- a bag of their favourite coffee or tea
- tickets to a concert, live show or sporting event
- a gift basket with an assortment of different treats.
These are relatively safe options because they are somewhat impersonal and therefore appropriate for a professional workplace. However, if you have a close relationship with your manager, you could also give them a more personalised gift, such as a gift card for one of their favourite shops or a book they have been talking about wanting to read.
Consider giving the gift as a team. Giving personal gifts may create the impression that you are trying to gain special attention or preferential treatment from your manager.
3. Thank-you party
Throwing your manager a party is a fun and memorable way to say thank you to them on Boss’s Day. It could be a simple morning tea with snacks, pastries, coffee and a cake. Alternatively, hosting a potluck lunch party is a great way to get everyone in the office involved. You may wish to use the opportunity to present your manager with a card or gift from the team.
4. Leader award
Consider giving your manager a customised award and presenting them with an accompanying trophy, pin or jewellery. This can be a great way to give your manager a tangible reminder of your appreciation that will stay with them well beyond Boss Day. Here are some ideas for customised awards:
- Funniest Manager
- Heaviest Coffee Drinker
- Manager Most Likely To Be In A Meeting.
Aim to keep the award light and fun, while avoiding references to physical appearance, as this may make your manager feel uncomfortable.
You could also nominate your manager for an official leadership award, such as The Leadership Collective’s Outstanding Leadership Awards. If your manager goes above and beyond as a leader, this can be a great way to acknowledge their efforts.
Related: 4 Leadership Styles (and When They’re Best)
5. Office outing
Why not get out of the office and treat your manager to an office outing? You could arrange a lunch at their favourite restaurant or café. Or you might like to organise a team-building activity, such as an office sports match, escape room or group painting session. Getting out of the office can help everyone to feel more comfortable and relaxed.
Related: United Through Sport: How to Use Major Sports Events to Promote Team Bonding
6. Thank-you video
Another way to present personalised thank-you messages to your managers is with a video. Consider walking around the office and recording each of your colleagues as they say a few words of gratitude or praise. There are various free video editing programs that you can use to edit the footage. You can then upload the video to your company intranet or company chat.
Considerations for managers on Boss Day
Knowing what to do on Boss Day can be tricky for managers. Here are some considerations to be aware of:
- Don’t expect gifts: Avoid hinting to your staff that they should buy you gifts on Boss’s Day. This can put undue pressure on them, as they may feel obligated to give you a gift because of the power imbalance between managers and staff. Leave it up to your staff to decide if they’d like to give you a gift or not. If they do, you can accept it graciously.
- Be professional and impartial: Be aware that some employees may put more effort into showing you their appreciation than others. While you should show your gratitude, it’s important to remain professional and impartial to avoid creating the impression that you are showing favouritism to certain employees.
- Give back to your employees: Just because it’s Boss Day, that doesn’t mean you can’t also show your employees that you appreciate all they do for you as their manager. Consider bringing in some treats or coffee for morning or afternoon tea as a small gesture. This can help to foster a sense of equality in the workplace.
Related: Nepotism in the Workplace and How to Avoid It
While Boss Day should be a fun, light-hearted time for everyone, organising it can be an added stress for your already busy employees. Consider letting your HR department take care of everything. They can give employees guidelines about what is appropriate, arrange gifts and organise any office parties or lunches. This can help to maintain positive relationships between management and staff and ensure everyone is relaxed, comfortable and able to enjoy the day.
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