15 Office Birthday Ideas to Celebrate Employees (2023)

HR

Annie Shapiro 04.01.22

Celebrating employee birthdays never gets old. Between the confetti, balloons, and cake, office birthday parties offer employees a brief respite from their day-to-day, not to mention an opportunity to appreciate peers.


With early autumn accounting for the majority of birthdays—Namely’s database shows that September 14 is the most popular birthday date—what better time to unwrap how companies are celebrating? We asked professionals across different industries how they celebrated birthdays in the office:

(Video) How to Celebrate Employee Birthdays in the Workplace? by #SamMoments

1. Enjoy a Team Lunch

“We celebrate each employee’s birthday with lunch at the office (from the place of their choice) and dessert. We decorate the conference room and give the honoree a birthday card signed by everyone in the office. During lunch, we talk about the honoree’s birthday plans and enjoy each other’s company.”

— Vladimir Gendelman, Company Folders


2. Remember Remote Workers

“Each month, our offices have monthly birthday parties to celebrate those who had a birthday that month. However, we also have a number of home-based workers who we aren’t able to celebrate in the office. We do something extra special for them to ensure they know they are loved and made to feel special on their birthday. Each of our home-based employees is sent a custom mug with a hand-illustrated portrait and card wishing them a happy birthday. While we know it’s not the same as being able to celebrate their special day with others, we hope it makes them feel a little more part of our Inuvo family.”

— Amanda Hughes Propst, Inuvo


3. Recognize Employees at All-Hands

“Our company has a monthly all-hands meeting in our common area. We go over exciting things happening, have a different department present what they’re working on, and [cover] the usual housekeeping stuff. At the end of each meeting, our CEO reads off a list of everyone with a birthday that month and has them come to the front of the room. As a group they’re sung to and everyone enjoys some kind of company-provided treat. With 130+ employees, we’re just big enough to keep it fun and still make sure it’s a little awkward for those being sung to.”

— Heather Mercier, ExpertVoice

4. Be Creative

“I like to surprise my contractors with something creative...The latest present [I gave] was a spa package for one of my writers. She’s a mom that works from home, and I thought she could use some me time. It really meant a lot to her that I made the extra effort to think of something she might like. With so many options online, there's really no excuse. Nowadays, you can send a SendOutCard, a gift basket, flowers, movie passes, even legendary pizza from Chicago or New York (I'm planning on doing that this Christmas)...it's really endless.”

James Heidebrecht, Policy Architects

(Video) How to celebrate employee birthdays and other workplace occasions


5. Give Extra Time-Off

"At our digital marketing agency, birthdays are acknowledged by giving a free day of paid vacation within your birthday month. Although the office doesn't do a group event or celebration, it enables our staff to spend their birthday doing whatever they like most!"

— Christine Kilbride,Majux Marketing


6. Go for the Gifs

“At Aceable, one team member will realize it's another team members birthday and will call it out in a Slack channel. Then, all employees will proceed to share a birthday or celebration themed gif based on the birthday honoree's personal likes and interests (or just the weirdest gif we can find).”

— Amanda Hagley, Aceable


7. Host a Cake Day

At Trupanion, there are more than 500 employees (not to mention 300 dogs and a few brave cats that come into the office). With so many team members, we celebrate employee birthdays once a month with a highly anticipated Cake Day. Imagine, once a month a lunchroom is filled with 20-30 cakes of all shapes, sizes and varieties – carrot cake, ice cream cake, chocolate cake, cheesecake, fudge cake, Boston cream pie, coconut cake and more. We also make sure to have a few vegan cakes on hand!

We also list all the employees who have birthdays during that particular month in a company-wide email so if people spot them they can give them a birthday high five as they go grab a piece of cake.”

— Michael Nank, Trupanion


8. Personalize a Thoughtful Note

“At Blueboard, we love recognizing top employees, so we make a big deal out of birthdays and anniversaries. Because we're still a growing company (~50 employees), we have the ability make each one personalized. Volunteer Culture Crews across our main offices are tasked with gathering submissions for a shared Kudoboard, dedicated to the birthday guy or gal (an interactive birthday card where anyone can post notes, videos, gifs, or photos), as well as organize a gathering break centered around the employee's favorite food or snack. We'll unveil the Kudoboard as we gather to sing happy birthday, and give the employee time to read through the wall of notes.

(Video) BOSS Birthday Celebration| CEO Birthday Party Celebration with Employees | Mayank Sir Birthday Bash

— Morgan Chaney, Blueboard


9. Offer a Birthday Breakfast

“Our birthday tradition is largely breakfast-based. The birthday boy or girl gets to choose what they want for breakfast and the whole office benefits. This usually takes the form of bagels or donuts—though I don't think there is a requirement that the food be round and holey. If that wasn't enough, someone usually queues up the heavy metal happy birthday song unique to the name of the special person for the Sonos.”

— Sean Flannigan, coolblueweb


10. Give a Customizable Gift

“Our birthday tradition is two-fold! On our birthday the entire team goes out to lunch at the restaurant of our choice! The second part (my favorite) is a $150 credit towards shoes. Last month for my birthday I got to design some custom Nike's that I'd been eyeing for months.”

— Devin Stagg, Pupford


11. Involve Senior Management

“We like to make our employees feel special on their birthdays by sending a personalized birthday card. For each employee, a member of our senior management writes a personalized note—either the CEO, COO or CTO—to indicate how important they are to the team. The rest of the team in the office signs as well.”

— Lindsay Lutz, TenantBase

12. Decorate Desks

"Our team members celebrate birthdays in the office by decorating desks for the occasion. They cover the computer screens with taped on, cut out memes, add a 'happy birthday!' banner, and include fun accessories like flowers and little sweet treats all around their keypads."

(Video) 100 Office Gifts for Work Colleagues | Gifts for Boss | Birthday Gift Ideas for Coworker Men & Women

— Deborah Sweeney, MyCorporation.com

13. Other Local Treats

The day before the employee’s birthday, we order cookies from a legendary local cookie chain here in Austin called Tiff’s Treats. It’s something everyone in the office looks forward to and is a fun way to celebrate birthdays with a really awesome local treat to break up the day in the middle of the afternoon.”

— Kris Hughes, ProjectManager.com

14. Group Birthdays by Month

“When we were small, celebrating birthdays was pretty easy, but as we grew we had to figure out a scalable way to recognize everybody. I got an idea from reading the book Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg—she talks about how at Facebook, as they scaled, the company adopted a monthly birthday party with a sheet cake with a square with everybody’s name on it. We started doing that this year, and it’s turned out to be a great way to recognize everybody on their birthday month—without wearing everybody out with multiple birthday parties every day.”

— Zach Hendrix, GreenPal


15. Make a Charitable Donation

“At GoodHire, each location has its own traditions, but celebration and recognition are important. At the Bay Area office, we have a monthly celebration of birthdays and anniversaries with cake and snacks. We also decorate the team members’ workspace on their birthday (and anniversary) with balloons and such, and they receive a greeting card and a small donation to a charity they support.”

— Marielle Smith, GoodHire


And if those fifteen ideas don’t inspire you, one of our favorite traditions comes from across the pond—Alistair Dodds of Smoking Chili Media in the UK shared that every company he’s worked for flips the equation: “It's always up to the employee whose birthday it is to bring in cakes for the rest of the office! I've always found it rather bemusing, but it’s what employees and the team expect, so I'm happy to go along with it… ‘Happy birthday! Now where's our cake?!!’”

(Video) Birthday Celebrations and Employee Engagement Activities at Burjeel Hospital Dubai - March 2022


Want to easily track employee birthdays on your own? Namely’s HR software allows teams to easily track and celebrate important milestones like work anniversaries and birthdays. See it in action by watching our product video here.

FAQs

Why is it important to celebrate employee birthdays? ›

A morale-booster

Seeking joy and finding reasons to celebrate, such as a birthday, also has the valuable business benefit of increasing morale. It makes people feel appreciated and brings staff together, both of which help to form deeper relationships between team members and across the organisation.

How can you make employees fun at work? ›

They are:
  1. Create "happiness-boosting traditions" with your coworkers. ...
  2. Take a few minutes every day to get up and walk around. ...
  3. Make your workspace a place you enjoy being. ...
  4. Laugh. ...
  5. Compliment someone every day. ...
  6. Check in with your colleagues and your network. ...
  7. Be appreciative. ...
  8. Create or join an office team or club.
31 Oct 2014

What are examples of recognition for employees in the workplace? ›

But while some of these next ideas might sound quite basic, do not underestimate how effective they can be.
  • Say thanks more often. ...
  • Give sincere compliments. ...
  • Send a “thank you” card. ...
  • Provide a pad of sticky notes. ...
  • Have a company thanks feed. ...
  • Store gift cards. ...
  • Company “town hall” meetings. ...
  • Award certificates.
11 Sept 2020

What is the best quotes for birthday? ›

Short & Sweet Birthday Messages
  • “Hope all your birthday wishes come true!”
  • “It's your special day — get out there and celebrate!”
  • “Wishing you the biggest slice of happy today.”
  • “I hope your celebration gives you many happy memories!”
  • “Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us!”
7 Jan 2022

How do I start a birthday club at work? ›

Work Birthday Clubs

Organize a birthday club for your co-workers. Ask twenty people to contribute $25 per person. The fee will go toward providing a cake and office party (during the lunch break, of course) once a month. Get co-workers to sign a birthday card for each birthday person during each month.

Why is it important to celebrate your employees? ›

Celebrating team accomplishments and having workplace celebrations gives employees a chance to bond and get to know each other. Personal connections help people work together better. The break from a day to day work day helps to recharge the staff and keep them focused and better able to focus when they return to work.

What are the benefits of celebrating? ›

People who take time to reflect on — and celebrate — their successes are generally more optimistic, take better care of themselves and tend to be less stressed. Celebrations increase people's sense of well-being, regardless of socioeconomic factors, education, age or gender.

Should you celebrate birthdays at work? ›

Group recognition and team building are excellent tools for boosting morale, but one of the most effective, and yet often overlooked ways to recognize employees is to celebrate their birthday and their work anniversary.

What can I do instead of a birthday party? ›

Suggest some of these ideas to your child (or brainstorm your own non-party activities) for a fun and memorable birthday.
  • Go Camping. ...
  • Fly Somewhere for the Weekend. ...
  • Take in a Movie. ...
  • Host a Family Dinner. ...
  • Let Your Child Decide. ...
  • Hit the Skating Rink. ...
  • Go to a Sporting Venue. ...
  • Play at the Amusement Park.
26 Jan 2022

How can I make my office life exciting? ›

For new ideas to heighten enthusiasm in your organization, here are 26 ways you can make work fun:
  1. Organize an office sports team. ...
  2. Build a game room. ...
  3. Design a workplace vision board. ...
  4. Decorate the office space. ...
  5. Share jokes with your coworkers. ...
  6. Create an office book club. ...
  7. Start an office band. ...
  8. Gather after work hours.
26 Apr 2021

How do I make my staff happy? ›

How to Keep Employees Happy—and Productive
  1. Prioritize Work-Life Balance. ...
  2. Allow Flexible Working Schedules. ...
  3. Listen to Your Employees. ...
  4. Create Career Mobility. ...
  5. Build a Positive Work Environment. ...
  6. Recognize Employees for Their Hard Work—and Reward Them. ...
  7. Offer Extensive Benefits. ...
  8. Encourage Breaks.

How do you celebrate your team? ›

Next steps for celebrating success on your team
  1. Take a hard-working employee out to lunch.
  2. Cater lunch for the office.
  3. Hand out gift cards for a local coffee or spa.
  4. Print out unique awards for each team member and schedule an awards ceremony.
  5. Offer a special PTO day as an award or recognition.

How do you celebrate a coworker? ›

11 Ways to Celebrate your Coworkers
  1. Just Celebrate it in the moment. Say It!
  2. Shout It Out to the Team.
  3. Send a Celebration Email.
  4. Post the Celebration on Social Media.
  5. Celebrate with Snacks and Candy.
  6. Decorate their Workspace.
  7. Order Lunch to Celebrate.
  8. Surprise Coffee Break.
25 Jun 2019

How do you praise an employee in words? ›

55 Recognition and Appreciation Words for Employees
  1. I admire your… I was pleased to see… I want to commend you… I am constantly impressed... The customer was delighted… ...
  2. energetic. thoughtfulI value… I appreciate… Thank you for… Sensational job… ...
  3. impressive. extraordinary. brilliant. exceptional. amazing/amazed.

How do you reward employees for well done? ›

Here are 9 low-cost ways to reward employees:
  1. Express thanks with a public thank you. ...
  2. Give a hand-written note. ...
  3. Offer time off. ...
  4. Give small gifts. ...
  5. Cover commuting costs. ...
  6. Offer chair massages. ...
  7. Feature top employees on your company blog or newsletter. ...
  8. Schedule an all-company activity.

How do you reward and recognize employees? ›

  1. Handwrite a letter. ...
  2. Make a personalized employee recognition certificate. ...
  3. Try awards and employee recognition plaques. ...
  4. Give positive feedback in meetings. ...
  5. Use employee feedback tools. ...
  6. Mix it up with gift cards and physical rewards. ...
  7. Take your team out and share a meal. ...
  8. Let employees take an extra day off.
4 Mar 2020

What is the best short message for birthday? ›

Short & Sweet Happy Birthday Messages
  • Hope all your birthday wishes come true.
  • You bring light and love into my life. ...
  • Forget the past; look forward to the future, for the best things are yet to come.
  • Life is a journey. ...
  • Happy birthday! ...
  • You have to get older, but you don't have to grow up.
  • Happy moments.
30 Nov 2021

How do you write a heart touching birthday? ›

Wishing you a very happy birthday! The Strength You Carry Within Touches My Soul Too, So On Your Very Special Day, I Wish You The Universe Of Happiness, A Very Happy Birthday. Someone as special as you deserve happiness every single day, but even more so on your birthday.

How do you say happy birthday in 2022? ›

May you be blessed with a long, healthy life that brings you joy and happiness. In this season of your birth, I am excited to celebrate the amazing person I get to call my best friend. As you turn a year older and wiser, I wish you nothing but an overflowing fountain of love. Happy birthday, friend.

How do you celebrate a big birthday? ›

The Best Way to Celebrate a Milestone Birthday
  1. A weekend away. For those wanting to swap the hustle and bustle of modern life for a bit of peace and quiet, a weekend away is a great way to switch off, recharge and relax with friends. ...
  2. An adventure activity break. ...
  3. Holiday with extended family. ...
  4. Go on a road trip. ...
  5. Have a party.

What is a birthday club? ›

Birthday clubs are clubs established for the purpose of tracking and scheduling birthday celebrations. There are actually three main incarnations of the birthday club that are found in various settings. The most common example of birthday clubs is programs sponsored by retail vendors and offered to their clientele.

How do you say nice celebration? ›

  1. jamboree,
  2. jollification,
  3. jollity.
  4. [British],
  5. merriment,
  6. merrymaking,
  7. rejoicing,
  8. revel,

How do you celebrate small wins? ›

How to celebrate your small wins
  1. Keep a journal of small wins. Perhaps the easiest way to highlight your small wins is to keep track of them, so they don't float by without any recognition. ...
  2. Tell a friend. It's okay to be proud of progress! ...
  3. Treat yourself.
29 Dec 2021

What is the sentence of celebrate? ›

Examples of celebrate in a Sentence

We are celebrating my birthday by going out to dinner. The family gathered to celebrate Christmas. We are celebrating our anniversary next week. They are celebrating the birth of their third child.

How do you celebrate your hard work at office? ›

22 ideas for how to celebrate wins at work
  1. Have a lunch. ...
  2. CEO or management praise. ...
  3. Private praise. ...
  4. Decorate. ...
  5. Throw a party. ...
  6. Gift or take PTO. ...
  7. Spotlight during meetings. ...
  8. Financial bonus.
15 Feb 2021

What is the value of celebrating? ›

If you want the next moment to be unhappy, you will have to become unhappy in this moment, because out of unhappiness, unhappiness is born; out of happiness, happiness is born. In this world of consciousness, nothing is as helpful as celebration. Celebration is like watering a plant.

Why it is important to celebrate special occasions together? ›

The main reason we celebrate is to honor an important detail in our life and share that special moment with the people we love. Special occasions bring people together in unity, harmony, and peace. Celebrating with friends, colleagues, and our loved ones can make us forget the troubles and stress of life.

Why we should celebrate small wins? ›

It's, therefore, important to make sure you celebrate your small goals along the way. Acknowledging small wins sparks the reward circuits of our brains and releases chemicals that give us a feeling of pride and a happiness factor, making us want to go further towards our next achievement.

How do you wish a coworker happy birthday? ›

Birthday Wishes for Colleague
  1. An inspirational colleague and friend. ...
  2. Happy birthday to a colleague and friend. ...
  3. A great colleague and an even better friend. ...
  4. You are more than a colleague to me. ...
  5. You're more than just a colleague. ...
  6. I am blessed to have such an amazing work partner. ...
  7. I am proud to work alongside you.

How do you say thank you to colleagues for birthday wishes? ›

Thank You Messages for Coworkers
  1. Thank you so much for the birthday wishes! ...
  2. Thank you to all of my coworkers for the birthday wishes. ...
  3. I love all of the birthday wishes I got from my coworkers. ...
  4. Thank you for all of the birthday wishes! ...
  5. Seeing the birthday wishes from my coworkers has made me so happy.
11 Mar 2022

How do you celebrate someone? ›

Send flowers to a friend you haven't talked to in a while just to let them know you were thinking about them. “Kidnap” them for an impromptu girl's day. Go to lunch, have a drink, and go window shopping. Celebrate your friendship by taking a girl's trip somewhere fun at the same time of year, every year.

How can I make my 13th birthday special? ›

13 Fun Birthday Ideas For Your 13-Year-Old, No Matter What They're Into
  1. Go on a scavenger hunt. ...
  2. Hotel night. ...
  3. Manicure or spa party. ...
  4. Host a waffle party. ...
  5. Head to a baseball game. ...
  6. Movie night. ...
  7. At-home camping slumber party. ...
  8. Amusement park.
13 Jun 2022

What should I plan for my birthday? ›

Then, here are some great birthday ideas.
  • Go For A Picnic. Picnics are very popular for a summer birthday, and it's a great way to celebrate someone's birthday. ...
  • Go To An Amusement Park. ...
  • Go Camping. ...
  • Drive-in Movie Night. ...
  • Go To The Beach. ...
  • Go For A Drive. ...
  • Go To The Zoo.
9 Apr 2022

How do you make a party fun for adults? ›

20 Fun Things to Do at Any Party
  1. 01 of 20. Have a Themed Dance-Off. ...
  2. 02 of 20. Plan an At-Home Trivia Night. ...
  3. 03 of 20. Opt for Board Games. ...
  4. 04 of 20. Turn Your Place into a Casino. ...
  5. 05 of 20. On a Budget? ...
  6. 06 of 20. Put on a Scavenger Hunt. ...
  7. 07 of 20. Throw a Pizza or Cheeseboard Making Party. ...
  8. 08 of 20.
5 Jul 2022

How do you celebrate a low budget birthday? ›

How to Throw a Birthday Party on a Budget
  1. Keep your guest list small. ...
  2. Make your own invitations. ...
  3. Use free printables to decorate. ...
  4. Pick a theme you already have decorations for. ...
  5. Have the party at your house. ...
  6. Don't party at meal time. ...
  7. Make or decorate your own cake. ...
  8. Use the dollar store for party supplies.
26 Aug 2021

Should employers celebrate birthdays? ›

Even though not unlawful, some employees may feel that announcing their birthday is a violation of their privacy when this information is taken from their employee records. To smooth over this potential employee relations issue, an employee's birthday information should not be used without the employee's permission.

How do you wish a coworker happy birthday? ›

Birthday Wishes for Colleague
  1. An inspirational colleague and friend. ...
  2. Happy birthday to a colleague and friend. ...
  3. A great colleague and an even better friend. ...
  4. You are more than a colleague to me. ...
  5. You're more than just a colleague. ...
  6. I am blessed to have such an amazing work partner. ...
  7. I am proud to work alongside you.

How do you celebrate someone's birthday? ›

Here are 5 creative ways you can celebrate someone's birthday, even if you still can't be there in person.
  1. Order a home-delivered birthday meal. ...
  2. Schedule a happy-birthday singalong via video call. ...
  3. Organise a virtual cake-baking party. ...
  4. Buy the gift of health. ...
  5. Send a care pack full of their favourite things.
7 Apr 2020

Why is it important to celebrate your employees? ›

Celebrating team accomplishments and having workplace celebrations gives employees a chance to bond and get to know each other. Personal connections help people work together better. The break from a day to day work day helps to recharge the staff and keep them focused and better able to focus when they return to work.

How do you celebrate someone? ›

Send flowers to a friend you haven't talked to in a while just to let them know you were thinking about them. “Kidnap” them for an impromptu girl's day. Go to lunch, have a drink, and go window shopping. Celebrate your friendship by taking a girl's trip somewhere fun at the same time of year, every year.

What is the benefit of celebration? ›

People who take time to reflect on — and celebrate — their successes are generally more optimistic, take better care of themselves and tend to be less stressed. Celebrations increase people's sense of well-being, regardless of socioeconomic factors, education, age or gender.

How do you say happy birthday professionally? ›

How to Say Happy Birthday 50 Different Ways
  1. You sustained one more year. ...
  2. I wish you a happier birthday than anyone else has wished you.
  3. Didn't we just celebrate this like a year ago?
  4. You sustained one more year. ...
  5. Don't count the candles, enjoy your day.
  6. Happy you day.
  7. Age is just a number.
  8. I'm glad you were born.
20 Sept 2022

What is the best short message for birthday? ›

Short & Sweet Birthday Messages
  • “The day is all yours — have fun!”
  • “Happy birthday to my ride or die. ...
  • “Thinking of you on your birthday and wishing you everything happy.”
  • “Best wishes on your birthday – may you have many, many more.”
  • “Cheers to you for another trip around the sun!”
  • “Today is about you. ...
  • “Happy birthday!
7 Jan 2022

How do you say happy birthday in unique style? ›

Examples
  1. “I'm so grateful you came into the world because you make my world better every day. ...
  2. “Thanks for you being you and being mine.”
  3. “It's your day, and I can't wait to celebrate it with you.”
  4. “I hope your birthday is the happiest.”
  5. “Happy Birthday, Beautiful.”
  6. “Wish you were here for me to spoil today.”

What is a good quote for a birthday? ›

Short & Sweet Happy Birthday Messages
  • Hope all your birthday wishes come true.
  • You bring light and love into my life. ...
  • Forget the past; look forward to the future, for the best things are yet to come.
  • Life is a journey. ...
  • Happy birthday! ...
  • You have to get older, but you don't have to grow up.
  • Happy moments.
30 Nov 2021

What makes a birthday special? ›

Birthdays are a chance to celebrate, commemorate past years and what's to come, and connect with friends. Make your birthday matter with these expert tips. Every year, we all have a special day when we're showered with gifts, well-wishes, greeting cards, and congratulatory social media posts.

How do you write a heart touching birthday? ›

Wishing you a very happy birthday! The Strength You Carry Within Touches My Soul Too, So On Your Very Special Day, I Wish You The Universe Of Happiness, A Very Happy Birthday. Someone as special as you deserve happiness every single day, but even more so on your birthday.

What is the sentence of celebrate? ›

Examples of celebrate in a Sentence

We are celebrating my birthday by going out to dinner. The family gathered to celebrate Christmas. We are celebrating our anniversary next week. They are celebrating the birth of their third child.

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