A person\’s birthday is (usually) the one day of the year that\’s all about them. They have their choice of restaurant for dinner and often get their way when it comes to choosing the day\’s activities. After all, they\’ve survived another journey around the sun, so why not celebrate? As a manager or a business owner, you have the power to make your employees feel extra special on their birthdays. Consider offering your employees one or more of the following indulgences:

Cater Breakfast or Lunch in Their Honor

What better way to let the whole office know it\’s someone\’s birthday than by having donuts, bagels, muffins, or some other yummy breakfast treat in the birthday boy\’s or girl\’s honor? You might even want to consider making the occasion extra special by allowing employees to mingle and enjoy their breakfasts together with a special 30-minute \”breakfast break.\” Keep in mind that some individuals are super picky when it comes to the foods they\’ll eat, and many others suffer from food allergies. To ensure that you don\’t have a birthday boy or girl who can\’t (or won\’t) enjoy their birthday breakfast, give them their choice of goodies.

If your budget is a little more flexible, then you may want to host an honorary lunch as opposed to a breakfast. It can become pretty complicated (not to mention pricey!) when you allow every employee to choose a specific sandwich or salad from the local deli, so consider picking up some sandwich trays instead. You can make the celebrated individual feel like the king or queen they are (for the day) by letting them choose their own fancy sandwich while the others can take delight in a standard (but tasty, nonetheless) turkey, tuna, or ham sandwich.

Let Them Eat Cake

No birthday is complete without cake! Pull out all the stops and decorate the break room with streamers, balloons, and banners, and call in the gang for oversized pieces of cake to celebrate their coworker\’s special day. But, before the pieces are distributed and everyone embarks on their sugar high, take a minute to belt out the lyrics to \”Happy Birthday to You.\” There\’s simply something extra special about having a song sung in your honor.

Make sure that you consult with the honoree ahead of time to find out what type of cake they most enjoy. Also consider giving them the option of pie, ice cream, cookies, fruit, or whatever it is that their sweet tooth craves most. If they choose something a little off the wall (bacon cupcakes, anyone?), then you might want to get the birthday boy or girl a single serving of their chosen treat while you offer up something a little more traditional to the rest of the group.

Grant Them a Day of R & R

While donuts, hoagies, and cake certainly are nice perks, the gift most employees really want is a day off. It\’s perks like these that foster a positive work environment and encourage employees to stay on board for a longer period of time. You may think a \”bonus\” day off is a little extravagant, but there\’s no doubt that it will be truly appreciated.

Take the \”It\’s the Thought That Counts\” Approach

If your business isn\’t rolling in cash, there are many economical ways to wish your employees a happy birthday. Simply pass around a card for the whole office to sign or present the employee with a $10 or $20 gift card. Or, you could also establish a \”spirit team\” to decorate employees\’ cubicles on their birthdays. Just do something to let your employees know you care.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to office culture.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to office culture. http://us.linkedin.com/company/laser-spine-institute

Author Bio: Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to office culture.

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