How to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day for Remote and Hybrid Teams

Employee Appreciation Day is your perfect excuse to turn everyday “thanks!” into something your team can actually feel. And when your people are spread across home offices, coworking spaces, and multiple time zones, the goal is simple: make it inclusive, easy to pull off, and genuinely meaningful—without chasing shipping addresses or wrestling with size spreadsheets.

Here’s a fun, upbeat (but still professional) step-by-step guide for celebrating Employee Appreciation Day across remote, hybrid, and global teams, complete with timing tips, logistics, and gifting ideas that don’t require spreadsheet chaos.

Step 1 Set the vibe and pick your celebration style

Before you choose gifts or plan activities, decide what you want employees to walk away thinking.

Pick one main message:

• Recognition: “Your work made a real difference.”

• Belonging: “You’re part of this team, wherever you work.”

• Momentum: “We’re excited about what we’re building together.”

Then match it with a celebration style that fits your team:

• Moment-based: A shared live celebration (great for smaller teams).

• Window-based: A 24–72 hour appreciation window where people can redeem gifts and join optional activities (ideal for global teams).

• Week-long: Great for larger teams that want multiple touchpoints without cramming calendars.

Step 2 Plan timing that works for remote, hybrid, and global teams

Nothing kills the magic faster than half the company seeing the announcement while the other half is asleep.

Use a simple timeline:

• 10 days before: Lock budget, gifting method, and activities.

• 7 days before: Prep messaging, redemption links, and manager notes.

• 2 days before: Schedule announcements to land during overlapping work hours.

• Employee Appreciation Day: Host the moment (or open the appreciation window).

• 3 days after: Send a friendly reminder to anyone who hasn’t redeemed their gift.

Timing tip: If you’re global, either launch at two different times (to cover major regions) or run a redemption window so no one misses out.

Step 3 Make recognition feel real not generic

“Thanks for all you do” is nice. A specific shoutout is memorable.

Use this quick formula:

• Impact: What improved because of their work?

• Effort: What did they do that stood out?

• Outcome: Who benefited—customers, teammates, the business?

Examples:

• “Your support coverage shortened response time and helped us keep a key customer on track.”

• “You took scattered feedback and turned it into a plan the whole team could rally around.”

Manager move: block 20 minutes and write 3–5 personal notes. People Ops move: give managers a template and a deadline. Everyone wins.

Step 4 Choose gifting that doesn’t require shipping spreadsheets

Remote and hybrid celebrations often get stuck here: addresses, sizes, preferences, international shipping, and the dreaded “please fill out this form.”

Instead, go for choice-based gifting so employees can pick what they actually want. It’s easier for you and better for them.

Here are three options that scale beautifully:

Option A Offer a curated company swag store with employee credit

Set up a store with branded items people genuinely want—premium tees, hoodies, drinkware, backpacks, and name-brand options—then give employees a credit to redeem. Employees choose their own sizes and styles, so you’re not chasing spreadsheets.

Option B Let employees choose a themed appreciation kit

Create a few mini collections (like “Cozy Workday,” “Desk Upgrade,” or “Travel Ready”) and let employees choose one. It feels thoughtful and personal, without becoming a logistics marathon.

Option C Keep it flexible with gift cards plus a branded option

For highly global teams, a digital gift card can be the simplest route. Pair it with store credit or a branded pick so the experience still feels connected to your company.

Where Merchloop fits: Merchloop helps teams run an on-demand swag store so employees can redeem their gift themselves—no collecting sizes, no shipping spreadsheets, and no leftover boxes gathering dust. It’s a clean way to gift across remote and hybrid teams while keeping the brand experience consistent.

Step 5 Create one shared moment even if it’s not live

You don’t need a two-hour video call to make Employee Appreciation Day feel special. You just need one shared moment that feels collective and warm.

Easy ideas:

• A short kickoff video from leadership that’s specific and human

• A Slack or Teams “Appreciation Wall” where people post shoutouts using prompts

• Micro-awards like “Customer Hero,” “Most Helpful Teammate,” or “Calm-in-the-Storm”

Keep it optional, friendly, and asynchronous-friendly.

Step 6 Get hybrid details right so nobody feels like the “other” group

Hybrid celebrations can accidentally turn into two different experiences: in-office gets the fun, remote gets the link. The fix is simple: design remote-first.

A few rules that help:

• Any activity should be doable from anywhere

• Any gift should be redeemable by anyone

• Any recognition should be visible across channels (Slack or Teams plus an email recap)

If there’s an in-office treat (like lunch), offer a parallel remote option (meal credit, coffee credit, or store credit).

Step 7 Wrap it up well and make next year even easier

Employee Appreciation Day shouldn’t end with “okay, done.” Close the loop and gather quick feedback so you can keep improving.

Track:

• Gift redemption rate (did people claim it?)

• Participation rate (did they join the shared moment?)

• A one-question pulse survey: “Did you feel appreciated this week?”

Then save what worked into a repeatable playbook for other moments—onboarding, anniversaries, project milestones, and end-of-quarter wins.

Quick checklist for a smooth celebration

• Pick a recognition theme and format

• Plan a time zone-friendly schedule

• Prep manager templates for shoutouts

• Set up choice-based gifting (no spreadsheets)

• Announce, remind, and keep a redemption window open

• Share a recap and a one-question pulse check

Employee Appreciation Day can be genuinely fun to plan when the logistics don’t fight you. With a clear timeline, inclusive timing, and gifting that lets employees choose what they actually want, you’ll create a celebration that’s easy to run and hard to forget.