How to Have an Inclusive Valentine’s Day at Work

Valentine’s Day in the Workplace

Valentine’s Day is a globally recognised holiday that celebrates love and gratitude. We see the shops adorned with cuddly teddies, chocolate truffles and cheesy cards. But at its core, Valentine’s day is a great way to show appreciation for your loved ones. It's also a lovely opportunity to share your admiration for your co-workers and employees.

Employee recognition is vital for achieving higher levels of engagement and boosting morale in the office. Recognition should be part of every business's HR strategy, yet more than half of employees don’t feel their boss shows enough appreciation (1).

This heart-fuelled holiday is a time to explore the ways your can engage and give thanks to your people. You can also optimise work culture and review inclusivity measures to ensure everyone feels supported this Valentine's Day.

Why is Inclusivity Important?

Diversity and inclusion are two interconnected concepts essential to your HR strategy.

“Inclusion is about how well the contributions, presence and perspectives of different groups of people are valued and integrated into an environment” (2). Diversity is the acceptance and inclusion of employees of all backgrounds within an entity. It’s important to consider diversity and inclusion when hosting holidays and events within the workplace.

How to be Inclusive this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s day is a holiday that signifies love and appreciation. We give thoughtful gifts and show our loved ones how much we care. It is a fun holiday that many people love to celebrate all around the world. But for some, Valentine’s day can be challenging.

Like other annual holidays, Valentine’s day emphasises the importance of being around your loved one(s) and celebrating your relationships. However, many people could be going through a hard time and may not wish to take part.

Someone could be going through a divorce, a relationship breakup, or may have lost a partner. You may have employees part of the LGBTQ+ community who find Valentine’s day complicated and confusing. Some might dislike the holiday and would rather have a normal workday.

Creating a culture of communication and respect within your teams so you can be considerate of everyone’s stance on Valentine’s Day and other holidays throughout the year.

Although Valentine’s day is a light-hearted, fun-filled day that most enjoy, you never know what someone could be going through. So, plan your inclusive Valentine’s day by focusing on the element of friendship, appreciation, community and employee wellbeing. Check out these five workplace activities and see what you can come up with.

Inclusive Valentine’s Day Activities for the Workplace

1. Host a Team Brunch or Lunch. Get everyone together in the office or go out for a bite.
2. Celebrate Galentine’s Day instead. Celebrating close friendships instead of romantic love is a great alternative.
3. Creative Team Social (outside of the office). Try pottery painting, cooking class, cocktail masterclass or yoga session.
4. Focus on Health and Wellbeing perks. Offer an extra wellness day or an early finish for people to enjoy.
5. Gift Vouchers. Show your appreciation by sending your staff Ecards, employee vouchers or discounts.

Gift vouchers and Ecards help employers show their admiration for their teams. Through Each Person, you can easily put in place employee rewards, recognition and gifts. As trusted by many businesses across the country, Each Person offers a one-stop platform that aims to benefit your business, your people and your work culture.

To learn more, please get in touch by contacting support@eachperson.com and be sure to connect on social media.

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Sources

1. Will Elliott, ‘Employee engagement ideas for Valnetine’s Day’, RewardGateway - https://www.rewardgateway.com/uk/blog/valentines-day-employee-engagement-ideas 
2. Matt Bush, ‘Why Is Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace Important?, Great Place To Work - https://www.greatplacetowork.com/resources/blog/why-is-diversity-inclusion-in-the-workplace-important 
3. ‘With Love – Taking the Opportunity to Care for Your Staff on Valentine’s Day‘, Real Business - https://realbusiness.co.uk/love-taking-opportunity-care-staff-valentines-day