Comments on: Do You Celebrate Birthdays at the Office Anymore?

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:54:38 +0000

We celebrate every employee’s birthday. It used to be done individually (everyone got their own company-wide celebration). Now we celebrate by month (all the January birthdays, all the February birthdays, etc.). The company I work for has been in business for 20 years and started with a husband and wife team. It has grown to 60 employees now but that sense of family has remained. The celebrations are a part of our culture, and even in a time of shrinking budgets, we still have a reason to celebrate.

By: Ameda

Ameda — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:43:19 +0000

I do not celebrate my birthdays at my office, did celebrate my birthdays in my office a five years back though!

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:25:26 +0000

Eric, it's about doing the personal things like what you do that really matter. Excellent.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:13:18 +0000

My approach is to celebrate the birthday by taking that person to lunch. Not only are you recognizing an event in their life but you also get to spend some quality time getting to know them even better.

By: Frank

Frank — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:00:22 +0000

Hi Joanne,

It's about being genuine…I like how you say that. It's really meaningful
to people…and they remember how you made them feel long after the money
has been spent. It's the kind gestures…glad there are managers out there
like you.

By: Joanne Bintliff-Ritchie

Joanne Bintliff-Ritchie — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:13:38 +0000

I've always make a point of taking time to celebrate with my staff. Not to the point where the celebrations are meaningless, but to genuinely treat people. Monthly birthdays, an employee who graduates or gets certification, weddings and babies (for both male and female employees). If the company didn't cover it then I did. It's a chance to relax, mingle, laugh – we all need these things. And when you do it together you solidify the togetherness that is necessary to accomplish goals and do that happily.

By: Amey Kennedy

Amey Kennedy — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:10:42 +0000

Birthdays make people feel good. In today's market, I think everyone deserves a day (or maybe an hour) to feel good. For my last b-day I got to spend it as a juror in federal court. When I got back to work, my co-workers had a cake made with everyones faces super-imposed over people sitting in a jury box. The cake read “The jury is in!”. it was awesome. I've never been a fan of mine own b-day but having such a nice gesture made was cool. And I think every now and then we need that…A recognition. An acknowledgement. And what a simple way to do it. Have cake!

By: HR Minion

HR Minion — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:45:59 +0000

Happy Birthday to your wife!

At my company people receive a birthday card and most teams have treats. It's a small gesture but it makes a difference.

By: Paul Hebert

Paul Hebert — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:18:42 +0000

Funny you would post that today. My birthday is tomorrow and I was going to post on how in my 20+ years working in a corporate environment I never once had a birthday celebration and how that would have been a cool thing – if it were genuine.

Birthday wishes to your wife.