How Can We Celebrate Employee Birthdays Meaningfully Without Breaking the Bank?

Please suggest the simplest ways of celebrating employees' birthdays to "make them feel important" and ensure "they are being remembered and cared for" with minimal expenditure. The organization will not cover any costs, so only a team of four managers will need to handle this for 50 employees in a year.

Firstly, the HR has to make the list of employees' birthdays for the month and pin it on the Bulletin Board. It makes the employees feel special.

On the birthday, there are two options:
1) Email from the HR to the employee early in the morning before the employee opens his/her mail.
2) Cake at the office
3) Card from the company signed by the boss (Cost approx. $650 to $750)

OR

1) Give the employee a day off so that he/she can enjoy with the family.
2) Send some flowers and a card (signed by the boss) from the company to the employee's house in the morning (Cost approx. $175)

You can speak to the local dealer for the cake or flowers and get discounts.

Best Regards,
Lavena

Hi,

This is a nice and important topic. In this current recession, the management might not be keen on spending for birthday parties. My humble opinion is to make sure all the other employees in the division or the team wish the birthday person, probably sing a birthday song. I have a few suggestions.

In a month, whoever celebrates their birthday can get together and cut a cake every month on the last working day of the month (preferably during evenings). Management can sponsor cake and snacks and call it a Birthday Celebration Day. Alternatively, employees can contribute a small amount, get a gift voucher from the nearest shop, and give it to the birthday person to make them feel special.

Looking forward to your ideas too.

Regards,
Hari
Trainer,
Bangalore.

Firstly, put his name on the notice board with wishes. Invite available employees from his department, including his HOD. Finally, give him a card, flowers, and any sweets. It will cost around 300/-.

Chandni

Dear Friend,

Below is the draft of the policy that I have designed for my company. This might give you some direction in your project.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

OBJECTIVE

Remembering the birthday of the employee and celebrating and greeting the employee on their birthday to enable them to feel the rich environment of the company.

PROCEDURE

- The HR Department will maintain a master list of all employees with their date of birth.

- All employees who are on the company's payroll will be sent an electronic greeting from HR on behalf of the entire XYZ Company Family. A copy of this email will be sent to all employees across all branches for general information.

- Employees located in the Head Office will have an opportunity to spend time and celebrate their birthday with the Management Committee members.

- These celebrations will ideally take place in the middle of the month, where all employees whose birthdays fall in that particular month will be greeted by the Management Committee members with a birthday greeting and a packet of chocolates or any other token gift arranged by the company.

- The HR Department will communicate with the concerned employees and the Management Committee members by email three days prior to the celebration day and will have a birthday greeting printout signed by all employees, which will be handed over to the birthday boy/girl during the celebration by their Head of Department.

- On an employee's birthday, the HR Department will display the birthday message on the notice board for general information.

- If a birthday falls on a Sunday or holiday, birthday greetings will be displayed and emailed on the previous day.

Thank you.

Hi,

This is Ankit Pathak. Birthday celebration is a good example of "Employee Engagement," and it should be done every month (choose any day of the month). First of all, the HR Dept. should prepare an employee master list with birth dates, and secondly, stick the circular on the notice board with the names.

Celebrate the birthdays with cakes and pastries; the cost will be borne by management. For example, if there are 20 employees whose birthdays are coming in a month, then get 4 cakes and celebrate by cutting them. Also, get pastries for everyone and distribute them among all employees.

The cost for the celebration would be around Rs. 2500.

Regards, Ankit Pathak Suzlon Energy Ltd. Contact: 9879541461

Hi, Just to add a few points...

In our organization, we display the birthday celebrant's name on the intranet site, which all employees can access. This feature highlights the birthdays of the day for all employees, and automated birthday wishes are sent to the employee on their special day. In addition to the points mentioned here, you could also share the birthday dates with reporting supervisors. This way, departmental contributions can be collected, and a small, affordable gift can be organized for the birthday celebrants.

Thanks,
Mohan

I believe organizations should consider establishing a welfare trust to provide gift checks to employees on their birthdays. The gift checks could be accompanied by a covering letter from the organization's leader, and the employee's name should be prominently displayed on the notice board with well-wishes for their special day.

A birthday wish card signed by all members of the company is the simplest way of celebration. (to be signed by the MD to the down-level labor)

Rgds, Kps