Valentine’s Day is a wonderful excuse to show some appreciation to those around you. Whether its your friends, your partner or your colleagues, when done appropriately, Valentines can bring people together. However, Valentine’s day can cause a whole host of problems. For one thing it can be depressing for the newly single or the indifferent, but it can also result in awkward conversations and inappropriate displays of affection. If you’re stuck in the office this valentines day, you can still try some of our fun ideas to celebrate – without crossing the line. Read our top 5 ways to celebrate Valentines day at work, below.
1. Food
Everyone, literally everyone, eats food. And if they don’t want to, they don’t have to! Offer your colleagues some sweet treats to show you care and brighten their day! Now remember to check if anyone has any nut allergies in the office, but we’d recommend something sweet. Why not bring in some cupcakes, love heart sweets or if you really care, why not bake a cake yourself get started with this Valentines recipe!
2. A Compliment Wall
They say sharing is caring, and if nothing else, a happy workforce makes for a more productive business. If you’ve always admired Susan’s work ethic, or appreciate Pete’s positive attitude in the office – tell them. Make an area for employees to show their support for each other by writing compliments they can stick to the wall. You can use post-it notes, a pin board, white boards or get inventive and see what you can put together yourself! This idea doesn’t have to end on valentines day, positive feedback is always useful in the office! Here’s an example of one company’s compliment board:
3. Get in some drinks
Chances are your staff are leaving at 5 on the dot today, but why not bring in a little something to be enjoyed during a 10 minute break. Not everyone drinks, but everyone appreciates a breather! Bring a bottle of bubbly and some soft drinks and take a minute to celebrate your team. Cheers!
4. Hire some entertainment
It’s Valentines day, so teach your colleagues to love themselves! Hire a masseuse to help your team relax, or decorate a zone for people to chill out in. By allowing your team to take a few minutes of the day for themselves, they’ll be all fired up to get back to work, and be more inclined to enjoy their job. Making this little effort will go along way with your staff, so you may want to treat your team a few times in the year.
5. Free lunch
Food is one of the easiest ways to your colleagues heart, and it’s a great way to bond with your team. Take them out for lunch, or bring some food in. Even if it’s just a cheeky Nando’s, a good meal can set you up for the rest of the day. Plus, if you’re booking a lunchtime meeting, a free lunch will keep everyone happy. Again, think about the vegans, vegetarians and allergies in the office, and get enough for everyone!
These ideas will help you celebrate and your staff will be thankful you did. Remember to encourage openness, but be aware of what’s appropriate. For a list of do’s and don’ts on Valentines day, we’ve added a useful article for some more information.
If you really want to treat your staff, think about upgrading your office space. With the recent focus on staff well-being and flexibility, companies can increase productivity and retain their talent with an innovative new work space. If you’re interested in what’s available, have a look through our office listings here.
We’d love to see what you end up doing, don’t forget to share with us your office valentines day on social – @officefreedom.
