Spring and ‘employee appreciation’ are in the air! Can you feel it?

Employee Appreciation Day is here (yes, who knew?); actually it is slipping away, it’s nearly home time. But here’s hoping you were appreciated today.

The daffodils are in bloom, cherry trees are wreathed in pink and white blossom, birds are singing, and the sound of heavy rain pattering against the windows reminds us that, yes, spring is here – unless you’re one of those astronomically minded people who insist spring doesn’t happen until the Earth’s rotational axis tilt hits 23.5 degrees as it orbits the Sun. That would be 20 March this year. The meteorological spring starts today: 1st March, because it traditionally gets milder around this time, one presumes.

With the burst of optimism engendered by the end of winter comes Employee Appreciation Day. Perhaps 1st March was chosen because us employees are less unhappy than at any time since 2 January and will forget the lack of appreciation shown to us in the intervening period.

Sorry about my snarky tone, why be so neg you may be thinking? It’s all good. Us employees feel loved! And you only get back what you put in, right?

But, hmmm … you see, er … shouldn’t people be appreciated every day? And what if you are on zero hours and a “worker” not an “employee”? Do you get still get appreciated?

Good for Dr Bob

These weaknesses in the concept must have been put to one side by Dr Bob Nelson, a founding member of Recognition Professionals International in 1995, who created the day 29 years ago…