How Can We Celebrate Employee Birthdays Economically While Keeping It Special?

Dear Friends,

Please suggest ways of celebrating "Employee Birthdays" in the most economical way. I am looking forward to your support at the earliest. I would appreciate your feedback on ideas for celebrating birthdays and messages from HR to employees, etc.

Regards,
Khyati

Hi Khyati :D

You can order a birthday cake as very few people cut cake at home once they are grown up. If cake cutting is celebrated in offices, employees feel good. If your budget permits, you can also arrange snacks or lunch on behalf of the organization.

Regards,
Preeti

Hi Kyati!!!

You have not mentioned the budget anywhere. However, you may buy a card, have it signed by his/her team members, and give it to him with a complementary gift (like a coffee mug, pen stand, etc., as per the budget). Also, have his/her name scrolled on the intranet throughout the day. This is the most economical way of celebrating an employee's birthday.

Thanks,
Karuna

Hi Khyati,

I think a birthday cake is a must to have the feeling of a birthday in any office. Apart from it, you can download a greeting, get it printed, and paste the same near the cabin with some colorful balloons. Hope it is economical :)

Regards,
Srilatha

Hi Khyati,

In my organization, the entire HR department, including the Head of HR, signs the birthday card, which is personally handed over to the concerned employee. In another company, the HR team arranges a bouquet for the employee and also wishes the employee by posting his/her name on the Intranet along with an e-card (as was also suggested by another member on this forum).

What I think is, apart from all this, if we can have a database of the employees' family members (wife/children) birthdays and anniversaries and can wish them by sending a card on their special day, the experience will be cherished by all and shall be an unforgettable one.

Thanks and regards,
Archana

Hi Team member,

Nowadays, birthday celebrations of employees are a common practice in most organizations. A simple way to do this is to send a birthday announcement to the person, marking a CC to all the employees so that they can also wish him/her. Alternatively, a small gift (flower, card, coffee mug) can be given on behalf of the entire team. If the company budget allows, a cake cutting can be done during the lunch break and distributed to everyone.

Anuradha Singh

The most economical way to celebrate an employee's birthday is by sending a birthday greeting from HR, followed by assembling the entire office for 5-10 minutes. This can include an address by HR and the concerned head, presenting a card duly signed by all employees along with a flower bouquet, and followed by some jokes or songs by the birthday employee.

This gesture would cost hardly 100 rupees but would involve a lot of personal touch and create a warm atmosphere.

Best wishes,
Pramod K Sinha

There are several ways to do this:

1. Cake cutting
2. Put the name on a common notice board with a photograph.
3. Reflect the birthdays on the intranet of the company.
4. Send a card from the company's side (most economical and effective too).
5. Celebrate the birthday one day earlier and give the person off on the birthday (make a policy on this.)

This could be one of the steps in improving employee relations. What say? 😊

Mohit

Hi Khyati,

The following is an economical way to celebrate birthdays. You can buy a card, have it signed by all the employees, and gift it to the birthday boy/girl. You can also include a cake with the card. The message on the card is worth cherishing for anyone. Make sure that you keep a standard practice for all the employees; otherwise, your action may convey a negative meaning to other employees.

I forgot to add that you can have a day assigned where all the birthdays for a month are celebrated. (That is also good.)

Regards

Hi,

The simplest thing you can do is to send an e-greeting to the employee. (The best thing about it is that it is free of cost.) You can economically greet him/her on other important occasions as well (like marriage anniversary, birth of a child). Also, the website helps you plan in advance. You can send the mail 6 months in advance.

You can also send small gift items (like coffee mugs, pens, etc., depending on your budget).

Regards,
Shyamali

Hi,

I have attached a birthday format which you can paste on the notice board. A birthday card signed by his head and his colleagues is the best idea.

Regards,
Minal :)

Hi Khyati,

In my organization, we give birthday cards with gifts to our HODs, and then the HOD personally gives these birthday cards and gifts to their employees on their birthdays. As the HR team, we personally wish them.

Regards,
Hemant Sailor

Hi,

In our organization, we will give a gift voucher worth Rs. 500 to every employee. On behalf of the team, we will arrange for cake and snacks. I think it's sufficient.

Regards,
Reena

Hi,

I agree that sending out a birthday email, marking a CC to all employees, is not only economical but also a nice way to make the employee feel special and important on their birthday.

Regards,
Chantelle

Hi,

We celebrate birthdays slightly differently in our organization:

1) A mail is sent by HR with a picture to the whole office a day in advance.
2) Balloons are put up in the respective person's place so that the whole office is aware.
3) A cake and a gift voucher worth 1,000/- INR are ordered.
4) All the employees gather to cut the cake, wish the individual, splash the cake on him/her, and present the gift voucher.
5) Organize 1-minute games with chocolate rewards.
6) Employees showcase their talents.

Thank you.

Hi Khyati,

I think having a cake cutting once a month and buying a card, getting it signed from the team members before you hand it over to them, will be a good and economical idea.

Regards,
Amith R.

Hi Khyati,

In our organization, we do the following to wish an employee on his birthday:

1) Display his name on the LCD screen at the reception.
2) HR team goes to meet the employee and wish him.
3) Hands over the birthday card and the gift card with a loaded amount to his manager.
4) The last Friday of the month is celebrated as the birthday for the month with cake cutting and some fun activities.

These are a few things that we do.

Cheers!!
Faiz Khan

Hi,

The most economical way is to put the employee's name on the notice board. In the morning, before the employee arrives, tie balloons to his seat. Later, the team leader can give sweets to him on behalf of everyone.

Saranya

Dear Khyati,

It is a nice idea to celebrate the birthday of an employee on his or her special day. It goes without saying that such celebrations foster a sense of belongingness among all employees when we acknowledge and celebrate each employee's birthday. As HR professionals, we have access to the dates of birth of all employees in our service records.

In some organizations, the expenses associated with birthday celebrations are covered by the management. However, in other organizations where the management does not contribute to such celebrations, the employees' association may take on this responsibility. In such cases, as HR professionals, it is crucial for us to make the management aware of the significance of these functions within the organization to maintain morale, satisfaction, and a sense of belongingness among all employees whose contributions are vital in achieving the organization's common goals.

Objectives

As we all know, we spend approximately 8-10 hours a day at the office, interacting with colleagues, supervisors, and subordinates. Therefore, having our birthdays celebrated by our colleagues and co-workers brings immense joy and happiness that cannot be measured in monetary terms.

Celebrating an employee's birthday does not require extravagant spending. It can be as simple as:
- One birthday cake, with the size based on the number of employees in a particular department or the entire organization
- Garlands and bouquets
- Sweet and snack packets
- Refreshments like cool drinks, coffee, or tea
- A birthday gift

In cases where the organization is unwilling to fund birthday celebrations, employees can collectively contribute through a subscription ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 100 per person. This amount is affordable for every employee and ensures that each employee's birthday is a memorable day in their life.

Yours sincerely,

NVRao
Hyderabad.

Dear Khyati,

It is a nice idea to celebrate the birthday of an employee on his or her birthday. It is needless to say that it brings a sense of belongingness among all employees if we celebrate a birthday function for all employees as and when their birthday falls. Being an HR professional, we have the data of employees' dates of birth in our service records.

In some organizations, the expenses incurred in connection with birthday celebrations are borne by the management. However, in some organizations where the management does not contribute to such celebrations, the employees' association contributes. In such cases, as HR professionals, we have to make the management aware of the importance of celebrating such functions within the organization to maintain morale, satisfaction, and a sense of belongingness among all employees whose contribution is essential to achieve the common goals of the organization.

Objectives

As we all know, we spend about 8-10 hours a day attending office work and have many friends among our colleagues, bosses, and subordinates within the organization.

Therefore, if our birthday is celebrated by our colleagues and co-employees as an employee, it brings a lot of pleasure and happiness, which cannot be measured in terms of monetary benefit.

We do not need to spend much money on the occasion of any employee's birthday celebration.

Items for celebration may include:
- One birthday cake - the size should be commensurate with the number of employees in a particular department or the whole organization.
- Garland and bouquet
- Sweet and hot packets
- Cool drinks/coffee or tea
- One birthday gift

In cases where the organization is unwilling to contribute to the celebration of employees' birthdays, employees themselves can contribute by subscribing an amount ranging from Rs 50-Rs 100 per person. Everyone knows that this amount is not significant for any employee.

Celebrating each employee's birthday in an organization in this manner can make it a memorable day in his or her life.

Your sincerely,

NVRao
Hyderabad.

Hi Khyati,

You can celebrate the birthday by cutting the cake with all the members of the HR dept, including the head, and also order snacks.

One more innovative idea is to make a movie about that person's work life. It would be innovative and economical.

Hope this was useful.

Reema

Hi,

1) You can organize some cakes.
2) Fun games for half an hour.
3) Gift/Card.

Regards,
Gayathri

Hi Khyati,

The best way to celebrate the employees' birthdays in an economical way is to find the number of employees whose birthdays fall in the same month. Have some snacks with them, or sometimes, the birthday boy/girl may provide some snacks. Additionally, organize activities or games to add some fun to the celebration.

In our company, we celebrate birthdays monthly. At the end of each month, we buy a big cake and have a celebration. Additionally, we provide a birthday card signed by the Head of Department (HOD) and team members.