Staff Appreciation
 July 7, 2005

What started as “take your secretary to lunch” day became the more inclusive Staff Appreciation Day and, in some firms, much more. Now, for many firms the event is too big for just one day and has become “Staff Appreciation Week.” Not surprisingly there are a number of opinions from HR Directors as to how a firm should go about appreciating its staff.

Many firms like to create “culture building” events. A favorite is a pancake breakfast served by members of the management committee, the firm administrator and staff department heads. Similar events include build your own hamburgers cooked by partners (“boss burgers”) or elaborate salad bars for lunch. Advice from one administrator – “don’t do sushi…big mistake.” Another popular event is afternoon treats. Ideas include renting a Good Humor ice cream push cart and traveling the office giving out ice cream, a frozen margarita machine in the break room (alcohol free), a dim sung cart and, in one particularly wacky firm, the managing partner dressed as Santa handing out Popsicles.

Gifts have also taken on a life of their own with the most elaborate involving a new gift every day of staff appreciation week. The most common is gift certificates to creative places like spas, bed and bath stores and candle stores. Gift certificates to Starbucks are very popular. Other firms opt for merchandise with the firm’s logo on it.

What we hear from HR Directors and Office Administrators is that Staff Appreciation is getting out of hand with each year having to be more elaborate than the last. Some administrators report real resistance (perhaps jealousy?) from partners, particularly at budget time. One firm surveyed its staff for the favorite staff appreciate gift. The overwhelming winner (from secretaries) was a lingering lunch with their attorneys in an elaborate restaurant or club.