Today, October 16, is National Boss’s Day, and you might be looking to take advantage of the holiday to score some bonus points with your boss or supervisor. However, chances are you don’t have much bookmarked in your budget like you do for other major holidays. So how can you impress the boss without breaking the bank?
Boss’s Day doesn’t need to be a high pressure holiday where you need to spend a lot of money. I recommend using today to connect further with your supervisor or employees, show your appreciation and spend time thinking about how to improve someone else’s work day. These small gestures can go a long way towards improving your working relationships and boosting morale.
Send a message:
This is a holiday where gesture and sentiment can go much farther than material goods. There are a few risks with buying your supervisor an actual gift: You might cause tension with your coworkers or teammates who will feel a sense of competition or you might make your boss feel uncomfortable and at risk of favoring you over others.
Rather than put yourself in a potentially awkward situation, think about what feedback or praise you can offer to your supervisor that would be valuable. Consider sending them an email or delivering a nice handwritten note expressing your thanks and appreciation in celebration of the day.
Not sure what to say, or how to say it, but want to let your boss know they’re appreciated? There are plenty of free and inexpensive e-card services online with clever sentiments that will take out the guesswork.
Offer your time:
Another way to show your gratitude to your boss on this holiday is to check in on their workload and see how you can help. If you have room on your plate, see what else you could take on to ease your boss’s workload.
You can also volunteer to be a sounding board for other projects or brainstorm sessions and provide a fresh perspective. This gives you and your boss a chance to work on new things together and for you to show your ideas in a new context, potentially displaying your capabilities in a new light and advancing your career.
Get together:
If you work closely with a team under one supervisor, see if everyone might want to band together to thank the boss. This is where spending a little money might be more appropriate; everyone contributes an equal (small) amount that doesn’t cost more than a few cups of coffee. A few ideas include: a gift certificate to a favorite lunch spot or coffee shop, a great card signed by everyone on the team or a special dessert brought in for the boss and team to enjoy together.
Local restaurants and eateries might have special Boss’s Day events or promotions today to celebrate the occasion. Check the social media profiles of your local lunch spot to see if there might be a promotion to cut down the cost of a meal, and then take your boss out to a surprise lunch with the team. On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is one restaurant that already announced they will offer guests a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entrée on Boss’s Day. Other restaurants might offer catering specials, so you can order in for a fun lunch at the office to celebrate your boss.
Return the praise:
Boss’s Day celebrations can go in both directions. If you manage a team or an office, use today’s holiday as a time to tell your employees why you enjoy working with them. Take some time individually with your team members to get feedback and see how you can improve working relationships.
Now that you’re armed with a few ideas, think about how you’re going to make the day of your boss or your team!
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Why You Shouldn’t Spend Much Money on Boss’s Day originally appeared on usnews.com
