National Boss Appreciation Day is an opportunity for employees to recognize and thank managers for their leadership, support, and impact on team success. This guide shares seven thoughtful ways to celebrate your boss—ranging from handwritten or digital cards and small treats to public recognition, acts of service, professional development opportunities, and team-based gifts. Whether your team is in-office, remote, or hybrid, intentional appreciation helps strengthen relationships, boost morale, and reinforce a culture of gratitude. Using employee recognition tools like Motivosity makes boss appreciation easy, inclusive, and impactful by enabling public shoutouts, group recognition, and meaningful rewards that deepen connection and improve workplace culture year-round.
Thinking of the best way to celebrate your boss this year? Look no further! Motivosity has crafted a comprehensive guide on how to express appreciation and recognition for your boss. Whether it's a simple "Thank you," or the most elaborate gift, we got you covered with creative ideas that fit every style and budget. This is a fantastic opportunity to show your boss how much they mean to the team and celebrate their contributions.
Wednesday, October 16th, marks National Boss Appreciation Day. According to the Chambers of Commerce, the official holiday was founded by Patricia Bays Haroski in 1958. Haroski was an employee at State Farm Insurance Company and wanted to thank her boss for his exemplary management; her boss was also her father (aw...adorable)! The idea behind the holiday is for employees to show appreciation for their boss for being kind and fair throughout the year.
Let me guess your first idea: a card! It's the first thing that comes to mind for a reason. A handwritten card is one of the most meaningful ways to show how they support you and improve your team's daily work. Include a specific example of times they've made an impact as a manager so they know what means the most to you.
Find a printable card online and have the entire team sign it, or grab one at the local store that they might find funny. Group cards are a great way to have everyone involved, especially if the approval rating varies throughout the office… "Best Boss Ever!"
Digital cards are an excellent alternative for remote/hybrid workers and a fun way to involve the entire team in wishing your manager a happy Boss's Day. Dancing cutout faces can lighten the mood of heavy workloads and don’t require much effort. Hallmark offers a free catalog of digital cards on their website. A remote workplace might require some email-focused workarounds.
If your company uses a recognition solution like Motivosity, attach a GIF that expresses anything your heart desires. With Motivosity, attaching a gift card or dollar amount to the thank you note is easy and seamless. Share the kudos publicly or privately, and anyone can add their reaction or comment to the post in case they forgot.
Brainstorm some meaningful prompts that fit your boss. They can be as serious or unserious as you want! Grab a piece of printer paper from the copy machine and write it by hand for an authentic appeal, but if you have lousy handwriting like me, find a groovy font and sign the bottom.
Who doesn't feel special with a warm chocolate chip cookie? Find a baker on your team who would go the extra mile, or choose your favorite store-bought cookie. (A little life hack? Put any store-bought item onto a different plate; nobody can tell the difference!)
Has your boss mentioned what sweet treat they were craving last week? It could also be a coffee, local lunch special, or something as small as a candy bar to show that you were thinking of them. The most sincere thanks often come with a little bit of sugar...or at least that's what we tell ourselves!
Motivosity makes it easy to purchase work-related gifts with Motivosity Bucks. You can redeem rewards with your ThanksMatters card or, if you're remote, send your boss a little something from Amazon directly from the Motivosity store. That's a pretty great way to use your rewards dollars!
Special gifts can also show your listening skills, gather funds from the whole team, and buy something that's been on their mind for a while. The new Stanley color isn't going to buy itself, so why not gift the value of hydration?
A treat could also be meaningful gestures or acts of service. For example, you might find a lost task that you can take off their to-do list or find out what project they are working on and lend a hand. A great boss can see when you need a hand with a project, but often, helping them out gets overlooked. Think of a thoughtful workplace action that might brighten their day and relieve stress.
Leaving a gift basket on your boss's desk in the morning is another gift idea. Find items that reflect their interests or hobbies, such as a high-quality notebook for the boss who enjoys writing or a gourmet coffee set for the caffeine lover.
Make it personal! Custom swag or a framed team photo is a work-friendly way of showing recognition with a personal touch.
If you struggle to find funds for a group gift, crowdsourcing can reach higher-priced gifts without a huge commitment. Ask around the department for small contributions, around $5/10 a person, and see how quickly you can achieve your goals. Remember, this isn't a registry, so one significant gift is more than enough to acknowledge the whole team's efforts.
Motivosity has an expansive global rewards marketplace that surely has a thoughtful gift for your manager. Spending Motivosity Bucks might feel better than spending them from your own pocket. If you can't think of that perfect item, purchase a gift card from the digital store. This way, it's nearly impossible to lose and can be accessed by email when it gets "digitally" lost.
Acknowledge their support during a team meeting or email. Showcasing appreciation in a group setting is an excellent way to start the day of Thanks. Open appreciation is also a perfect way to shape company culture; bosses should celebrate their team year-round and set a precedent because Thanks Matters. Specific examples convey greater gratitude. Also, think about character complements and big wins that the teams have had in the last year.
Little things like endorsing a skill on LinkedIn to show appreciation for their leadership dedication. If your company has an employee recognition program, share your kudos there. We love to use Motivosity for this, but we are also a little biased.
As another gesture of goodwill, suggest that your boss attend a workshop, conference, or seminar that aligns with their future work goals. This shows your appreciation for their leadership and commitment to their professional growth.
Another way to do this is through team training or offsite. Team lunches might happen few and far between, but they're an excellent way to mingle with all levels of your organization. Ask HR if there is a budget for a group lunch outing. They can give every member of the team a few dollars on their ThanksMatters card to grab lunch together. Keep focused on building relationships within teams and how they could be improved. Changing the social setting might help get different feedback than in the office.
The best managers do more than their job requires them to. Some examples of good leadership are consistent expectations, visibility, assistance, support rather than directing and delegating, leading by example, and, most of all, recognizing achievements. Boss Appreciation Day is a perfect excuse to celebrate these exceptional qualities, highlighting outstanding leadership's impact on team morale and success. Taking the time to acknowledge their contributions can help strengthen workplace culture and foster loyalty and motivation among the team.
Another hat that a great leader wears is a career coach. Employees want to see improvement in their work and advancement in position, and a good manager can help them achieve this. These managers can change how you look at a problem and turn hard work into easy work. Managers deserve to be celebrated and recognized for these actions.
Great bosses should treat every day like Employee Appreciation Day, but let's be real: Everyone can think of a manager or boss who was anything but great. Thanks can get lost in a list of tasks and deadlines, so it's important for the whole team to feel valued. Employees want to be recognized and appreciated for their hard work year-round. Let your manager know their feedback does matter, and the thanks don't go unnoticed.
'Thanks!' This is a necessary statement in every productive workplace. It should come from the boss, the managers, and the employees. Celebrate everyone's wins and help turn any negative outcome into new growth ideas.
1. Send some recognition with Motovosity, the people-first Recognition & Rewards software, and give a quick shoutout in seconds. Create a personal message with a funny GIF, and send it to your Boss! These appreciations will be shared on the company-wide feed, reminding others to share their appreciation.
2. Attach a monetary value to the Thanks. Motivosity has multiple ways to include a little extra token of appreciation. Directly attach Motivosity Bucks to the message, and the manager can get the gift of their choice.
3. Post a highlight with a photo for your Boss! Share that team photo from the company lunch or a funny picture from the sales conference. The highlight will stay pinned until the end of the day so everyone can admire it.
4. Come together as a team to share your shoutouts. Group messages are even more special and will be perfect for making that manager feel appreciated. Don't dump all the thanks at 9 a.m.; schedule shoutouts throughout the day to fill every hour with gratitude.
5. Get together with your HR team to create a Boss Day award in Motivosity! Be sure to attach some dollars to it and maybe even a custom gift. Then, give it to them in Motivosity on the big day.
