how to give a work anniversary speech

What to Say in a Company Anniversary Speech: Ideas and Tips

As an emcee for company anniversary events, one of my key responsibilities is to introduce the individuals who will be delivering the company anniversary speech. However, it is not uncommon for these speakers to seek my guidance on what to say and how to deliver their speeches effectively.

Celebrating a corporate anniversary with an event is a great opportunity, but the main speech is a responsibility. If you are preparing your speech, I will provide some ideas and tips to assist you.

1. Reflect on the Company’s Journey

A company anniversary is a significant milestone that calls for reflection on the journey and achievements of the organization. That’s why you should highlight key milestones, challenges overcome, and successes achieved throughout the years. This will help create a sense of pride among the audience.

2. Acknowledge and Appreciate Employees

A company anniversary speech is an ideal opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation for the employees’ hard work and dedication. This is an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of individuals and teams, highlighting their commitment and the role they played in the company’s growth and success.

3. Share Success Stories

Success stories are powerful tools to inspire and motivate the audience. To do this, share specific examples of projects, initiatives, or individuals who have made a significant impact on the company’s success. These stories should highlight the values and culture of the organization.

4. Discuss Future Goals and Vision

A company anniversary speech should not only focus on past achievements but also look towards the future. It’s the moment to discuss the company’s vision, goals, and plans for the future. This will instill confidence in the audience and create excitement for what lies ahead.

5. Connect with the Audience

Effective communication is about connecting with the audience on an emotional level. That’s why you should share personal anecdotes, experiences, or challenges they you faced during their journey with the company. This will help create a genuine connection with the audience and make the speech more relatable.

6. Use Visual Aids

Visual aids such as slides or videos can enhance the impact of a company anniversary speech. Incorporate relevant visuals that support your key points or showcase memorable moments from the company’s history. However, it is important to ensure that these visual aids are not overpowering and do not distract from your message.

7. Practice and Rehearse

Delivery is as important as the content itself. I suggest you to practice and rehearse your speech to ensure a confident and engaging delivery. Some good techniques are recording yourself, seeking feedback from trusted colleagues, or even engaging in public speaking courses to improve your presentation skills.

8. Keep it Concise and Engaging

A company anniversary speech should be concise and engaging to hold the audience’s attention. Keep your speech within a reasonable time limit and avoid unnecessary jargon or technical details. You should aim to deliver a speech that is both informative and enjoyable for the audience.

9. End on a Positive Note

End your speech on a positive and inspiring note. It’s the moment to express your optimism for the future, thank the audience for their support, and leave the attendees with a sense of pride and excitement about the company’s journey ahead.

Remember, each company anniversary speech is unique, and it is important to tailor the content and delivery to the specific audience and company culture. These ideas and tips will help you in delivering a memorable and impactful speech that celebrate the company’s achievements and inspire the audience.

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I am an Emcee  in Milan, Rome and all over Italy, I work in private and corporate events, conferences and all types of events. I am also a Facilitator for Team Building. If I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to  contact me »

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50 Meaningful Work Anniversary Messages

Published: August 9, 2023

Last Updated: May 8, 2024

  13 min read

By: Anouare Abdou

Work anniversary messages provide a vital opportunity for employee recognition, which fosters a healthy culture and boosts engagement and retention. Here are 50 meaningful employee anniversary message examples to inspire you.

You probably celebrate events such as your wedding anniversary or your best friend’s birthday. Professional milestones like work anniversaries matter just as much. Writing a thoughtful message to acknowledge a team member’s job tenure is a small gesture that can have a big impact.

“Celebrating work anniversaries is a simple yet powerful way to let employees know how much we value their hard work and dedication. It's all about making them feel appreciated, and that positivity can do wonders for their motivation and engagement,” says Zianya Escamilla, Senior People and Culture Business Partner at Unito . “Considering that lack of recognition is a major reason people leave their jobs, why not seize this chance to make our team feel special?”

What Are Work Anniversary Messages?

Enter work anniversary messages. What exactly do they consist of? A work anniversary message can take various forms, from a handwritten card to an acknowledgment on LinkedIn or a speech at a work event.

A good employee anniversary message should include words of appreciation for a person’s contributions in the workplace. Specific examples of the impact of their contributions on their team and organization are key. You can also include personal anecdotes or mention the way a person has impacted you as a work friend if your relationship warrants it. The core purpose of the message is recognition, so keep that in mind while writing your note.

The Importance of Acknowledging Work Anniversaries

Employee recognition  increases employee engagement and promotes a healthy work environment. However, less than a quarter of employees strongly agree that their organization has a system in place to recognize professional milestones such as work anniversaries, according to Gallup research . This means that there is an opportunity to seize.

According to Escamilla, work anniversaries are more than fun celebrations – they can be leveraged as a tool to strengthen the bond between employees and their organization. Acknowledging the dedication of your employees creates positive feelings and makes them feel valued, which, in turn, boosts loyalty, productivity and employee retention . “Knowing we appreciate their contributions motivates them to keep giving their best. Plus, work anniversaries bring teams together, fostering a strong sense of belonging and promoting a collaborative, positive culture. It's a win-win for everyone,” she adds.

Karyn Martin, leadership expert and President and CEO of Interprise/Southwest Interior & Space Design, agrees. She wishes more leaders understood how important work anniversaries are to people, and how easy it is to acknowledge them: “Recognizing work anniversaries is important because it shows the employee – and the world around them – that their time stands for something. People want to stay in companies where they are ‘seen’, especially by senior management, so recognizing work anniversaries is critical to keeping your best talent . It’s only human to feel happier and do better work when your contributions are recognized.”

While sending a meaningful work anniversary message can have a long-lasting impact on morale, the opposite is also true: forgetting a milestone can be damaging. “Looking at it from the employees’ point of view, they know that it’s simple to put things in annual calendars, so if their milestone – whether it is a birthday or a work anniversary – slips by unmentioned, they know that leadership just didn’t care enough to input the dates and acknowledge the employee’s service milestones,” says Martin.

In other words, make sure you celebrate each work anniversary.

Appropriate and Impactful Work Anniversary Messages

Crafting an appropriate and impactful work anniversary message can be tricky. You want it to feel personal yet be workplace-friendly. Maybe you’re questioning whether a funny work anniversary message would work well or is best avoided. To strike the right balance between personal and professional and lighthearted and serious, get inspiration from the examples below.

1-year work anniversary messages

An Entelo study  revealed that people are most likely to leave after their first year, making it a critical work anniversary to celebrate. A one-year work anniversary message should highlight the employee’s successful integration into their team and company.

• Happy one-year work anniversary! It’s only been a year and it’s hard to imagine our team without you now. I appreciate your hard work and contributions and can’t wait to see what the future holds!
• Congratulations on your one-year work anniversary! I am thrilled that you have joined our team. Thank you for your hard work and dedication and the positive attitude you bring to the table.
• Happy work anniversary! Seeing how much you’ve evolved in only a year has been amazing. It’s a pleasure to work with you and I’m excited to get to know you more in the next year. Thank you for all the great work.
• Congratulations on wrapping up your first year at [name of company] . I love how effortlessly you fit right into our team and brought so much value to [project examples] . I am excited about what else we can do together!
• Happy one-year work anniversary! Thank you for making a positive impact on our team from the get-go. We are grateful to work with you and can’t wait to keep collaborating in the year to come.

5-year work anniversary messages

If someone has been with a company for five years, they’re either going to end up staying for much longer or start looking for other challenges. Make sure they feel special with a five-year work anniversary message, which should be more personalized than a one-year one and include several mentions of the employee’s contributions through the years.

• Wow, five years already! I still remember the time you [example of contribution or anecdote] . You’ve kept crushing it since then, especially [mention other examples of contributions] . Thank you for being such a rockstar and an invaluable team player. I hope to share many more wins with you in the future.
• Congratulations on reaching your five-year work anniversary. Thank you for your [list of strengths and skills] . Our team is lucky to have you as both a coworker and a friend. It’s been a pleasure to watch you grow and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
• Happy five-year work anniversary! Your skills and contributions have been instrumental to our success, from [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] . Thank you for your relentless commitment and positive energy. We are lucky to have you!
• Congratulations on your five-year work anniversary! It’s been a pleasure to share this journey with you as both a coworker and a friend. I am inspired by your [list of strengths and skills] and am looking forward to continuing to work together. Thank you for being such an awesome team player!
• Thank you for five years of dedication, hard work and lots of laughter. You make the workplace brighter and have helped us achieve so many goals, from [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] . We are grateful to celebrate this milestone with you.

10-year work anniversary messages

A 10-year anniversary is no small feat. If someone has been with your company for 10 years, a significant celebration should be in order, from organizing a catered team lunch to giving a unique gift alongside a thoughtful message.

• Congratulations on your 10-year work anniversary. You’ve helped make this company what it is today through your contributions in the past decade. From taking [department/project] to the next level to always showing up with a smile, you bring so much value to the table. Thank you for your passion and commitment. Celebrate well!
• Wow, 10 years! Congratulations on reaching this huge milestone. You’ve experienced so many changes here in the past decade and you’ve navigated them all with grace and skill. Thank you for your invaluable contributions to our team and organization. You are an inspiration!
• Thank you for an amazing decade of service. It has been such a pleasure to work with you over the last few years and witness your [skills and strengths] in action. I especially admire the way you’ve [example of contribution or anecdote] . It’s an honor to celebrate this milestone with you!
• Congratulations on your 10-year work anniversary. Time flies by when you’re well-surrounded and we are lucky to have you. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do, from [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] . You’ve helped make this workplace what it is today. Cheers to your accomplishments!

20-year work anniversary messages

Being with a company for 20 years is huge. 20-year work anniversary messages should focus on the impact that the employee has had on the organization over the years and be accompanied by a gift.

• Happy 20-year work anniversary! Thank you for your unwavering loyalty to this organization. From [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] , you’ve made so many impactful contributions over the past two decades that it would be impossible to list them all. You are an inspiration to anyone who has had the pleasure of working with you.
• Congratulations on your 20-year work anniversary! I feel so lucky to have had the chance to work with you over the years. I’ve learned so much from you, from [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] . You’ve helped make this company successful while positively impacting your colleagues. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.
• Congratulations on this impressive career milestone – you make 20 years of tenure look easy but I know you’ve put in countless hours of effort to become the professional you are today. You inspire our team with your [skills and strengths] and we feel so fortunate to work with you.
• Thank you for giving your 100% over the past two decades. Your [skills and strengths] have been essential to the growth and success of this organization. We are proud to call you a coworker and honored that you’ve chosen to work with us!
• Happy 20-year work anniversary! Thank you for reminding us all that hard work and dedication pay off. From [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] , you have shown time and time again that you are an outstanding team player. You embody the values of this company and lead by example. We are so grateful for all you have done here!

25-year work anniversary messages

Bust out the balloons because a 25-year work anniversary is a rare occurrence these days. This is a time to celebrate an employee’s professional journey. Dig into their accomplishments and promotions and look for personal anecdotes to make your work anniversary message extra special.

• Congratulations on your 25th work anniversary! This is a huge accomplishment and we are lucky that you have chosen to grow with us over the years. From starting as a [role] to successfully evolving into a [role] and a [role] , your career here is truly an inspiration. Your hard work and contributions have been invaluable to our success, from [example of contribution] to [example of contribution] . And you’ve done it all with a smile on your face. Thank you!
• Happy 25-year work anniversary! Thank you for your unwavering commitment to greatness – you continue to inspire us with your [skills and strengths] and positively impact everyone around you. There are no words to express the immense impact you’ve had on this organization, such as the time you [anecdote or example of contribution] . Celebrate well – you deserve it!
• It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since you joined the company. From [anecdote] to [anecdote] , anyone who has been lucky enough to work with you can speak to your [skills and strengths] . It’s a pleasure to work with you and I admire your dedication and loyalty. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do!
• Happy 25-year work anniversary and congratulations on reaching such an impressive career milestone! From working as a [role] to [role] , your professional journey is an inspiration and you embody the qualities required to succeed in the workplace and in life. We are so lucky to have you and grateful for your contributions throughout the years – this company wouldn’t be what it is today without you!
• Wow, 25 years! Thank you for being an example of commitment and perseverance and for your invaluable contributions to the success of this company. From [example of contribution] as a [role] to [example of contribution] as a [role] , you show up with [skills and strengths] and keep crushing it regardless of the challenge. Thank you for being you and for inspiring us all in the process. Congratulations!

Work anniversary messages for your boss

Bosses deserve appreciation too. When crafting a work anniversary message for anyone in a leadership position, it’s always nice to mention their impact as a leader. 

• Congratulations on reaching another big milestone! Your leadership is a daily source of inspiration and it’s truly a pleasure to learn from you. Happy work anniversary!
• Thank you for leading by example and setting such a high standard for our team. Wishing you a happy work anniversary and looking forward to many more years of success together!
• Celebrating another year of your inspiring leadership! Your vision and support help our team thrive. Here's to another year of crushing goals. Happy work anniversary!
• On your work anniversary, we want to express our appreciation for your leadership and guidance. Your passion and commitment inspire us to give our best every day. Cheers to another year of working together towards greatness. Happy anniversary!
• Congratulations on another year of leading with excellence! We are so grateful for your mentorship and support. Here's to another year of achievements and collaboration. Happy work anniversary!

Work anniversary messages for close work friends

Forming close friendships at work is common. When celebrating the work anniversary of your office bestie, it’s OK – and encouraged – to get a little more personal. 

• Happy work anniversary to my dear friend! It's been awesome to witness your growth and successes over the years. Here's to many more years of chasing dreams and evolving alongside each other!
• Celebrating another year of collaborating with you and learning from you, my friend! Your hard work and passion inspire me daily. Here's to another year of shared wins and memorable career highlights. Happy work anniversary!
• Congratulations on reaching another career milestone! Your friendship and support have enriched my life at work in countless ways. Wishing you continued growth and success in your career. Cheers to many more years of friendship and collaboration!
• Happy work anniversary, buddy! Time does indeed fly when you're having fun – and it’s a blast to work with you. Here's to another year of learning, laughing, and crushing goals together!
• Cheers to another year of growing and celebrating wins together! I am so grateful for your friendship – it makes every day at work that much more fulfilling. Wishing you a happy work anniversary!

Funny work anniversary messages

When someone is a good friend and also happens to have a great sense of humor, you can keep things light-hearted with a funny work anniversary message. Stay appropriate, of course, but don’t be afraid to crack a joke or two. 

• Happy work anniversary! Can you believe it's been [X] years of pretending to know what we’re talking about? Here's to many more years of meme-sharing and goal-crushing!
• Congratulations on surviving another year of office shenanigans! Your ability to tolerate my barrage of Slack messages deserves a medal. Here's to another year of strategically dodging meetings so we can get actual work done. Cheers!
• Happy work anniversary! I don’t know what I would do without our daily coffee breaks and inside jokes. Thanks for making the mundane moments more enjoyable and the big work milestones easier to achieve!
• Can you believe it's been [X] years of perfectly balancing procrastination with productivity? So grateful for my work BFF. Happy work anniversary!
• Can’t believe it’s already been [X] years of coming up with the best acronyms together! It’s always a pleasure to work with you. Keep crushing it, you office rockstar!

Simple work anniversary messages

Sometimes less is more. If you’re not sure what to say or how to say it, you can’t go wrong with a simple yet thoughtful work anniversary message. 

• Happy work anniversary! Your hard work is truly appreciated.
• Congratulations on another year with us! Thank you for your ongoing commitment to growth and success.
• Grateful for your valuable contributions this year and every year. Happy work anniversary!
• Congratulations on your work anniversary! Wishing you continued joy and success in your career.
• Congrats on reaching another milestone. Your hard work and positive attitude do not go unnoticed.

Work anniversary messages for remote workers

Remote workers are more at risk of feeling disengaged. When sending a hybrid or remote team member a work anniversary message, make sure to acknowledge that their contributions are felt from a distance – your words can help make them feel included and valued. 

• Congratulations on your work anniversary! Even though we're collaborating remotely, your contributions are felt every day in our team. Here's to another year of success!
• Happy work anniversary! Your dedication to your role, even from miles away, is truly admirable. Here's to many more years of asynchronous teamwork and Slack banter!
• Celebrating another year of outstanding virtual collaboration! Your commitment to excellence is felt and appreciated, even through a screen. Happy work anniversary!
• Happy work anniversary! Despite the distance, your impact on our team is immeasurable. Here's to another year of teamwork and wins!
• Wishing you a happy work anniversary! Your ability to excel in your role, even from a distance, is inspiring. Thanks for making remote collaboration such a pleasure!

Tips for writing a stellar work anniversary message

Writing a meaningful anniversary message is all about striking the right balance of sincerity, appreciation and professionalism. Here are some tips to help you craft a stellar one.  

Reflect on the recipient’s accomplishments

Highlighting specific achievements or anecdotes is one of the best ways to amp up the meaningfulness factor of a work anniversary message. It shows that you’ve been paying attention. Before writing a single word, take the time to reflect on the recipient’s accomplishments. 

Express gratitude

Remember that the main intent of a work anniversary message is to express gratitude, so make that the core of your message. Thank the recipient for their dedication, hard work, and commitment to the team. Be clear about the impact of their efforts. 

Keep it positive

A work anniversary message is not the time to give constructive feedback. Always focus on the positive and use the occasion as an opportunity to celebrate what has gone and is going well. 

Be mindful of tone

Consider your relationship with the recipient when choosing the tone of your message. Are you going for friendly and informal, polished and formal, or somewhere in between? What’s more appropriate given the context? Be mindful and always keep things professional and aligned with company culture, even with more casual notes. 

Keep it concise 

While it's important to express your appreciation, there is such a thing as a work anniversary message that’s too long. Rambling or including unnecessary details can dilute the impact of your words. 

Express your excitement for the future 

Not sure how to wrap up? Always end your message with a note about the future and your confidence in the recipient’s continued success within the company.  

Proofread carefully  

Finally, read through your message one last time with fresh eyes before sending it. Errors and typos can turn a great attempt at showing appreciation into one that appears half-hearted. 

Tips to Deliver Employee Anniversary Messages

The messages above can be used as a starting point to craft your own personalized note. Don’t be afraid to add your individual touch based on your unique relationship with the employee and the context of your team and organization. As far as delivering your message, there are many ways to go about it. Let the tips below guide you.

Do it during an all-hands meeting

Do you hold regular all-hands meetings? Use them as an opportunity to recognize work anniversaries and you’ll have a simple system to celebrate every milestone. Have all attendees cheer and celebrate each milestone and watch your team members beam with pride. Public recognition is powerful because it makes people feel valued for their contributions. 

Integrate work anniversaries into your onboarding process

You can also integrate work anniversaries into your onboarding process by asking employees about their preferences. For instance, when new employees join Escamilla’s organization, they are offered a choice between a gift card or company swag for their anniversary. This step in the process kicks things off on a positive note and lets people choose how they would prefer to be acknowledged. 

PTO and a personal note are always appreciated

If you’re looking for universally appreciated gift ideas, PTO is always well-received. First, it sends the message that hard work should be balanced out by a fulfilling personal life. Treating people like human beings with other priorities outside of work is a pillar of a healthy culture. There’s also the fact that it’s hard to miss the mark when offering extra time off – almost all workers would be enthusiastic about this perk. Just make sure to accompany the gesture with a thoughtful message. 

Allocate a budget for personalized surprises

Personalized work anniversary gifts are always better than generic corporate ones. Allocate a budget for work anniversary celebrations so you can come up with interesting ideas year-round as milestones come up. Get to know each team member and their interests so that you can pick something that genuinely fits their taste and personality – they’ll be touched and truly feel that they are part of a caring team. An Employee recognition platform like Applauz has an integrated service awards management program that simplifies the process of recognizing milestones and ensures that employees get meaningful gifts and the recognition they deserve. Gifts aren’t the only option. Depending on your budget, a lunch outing can be a nice way to celebrate too. If you’re on a tight budget, you can still do something small yet impactful, like leaving their favorite Starbucks drink with a note on their desk. 

Go the extra mile for the big milestones

That said, if someone has been with the company for a decade or more, it’s important to allocate resources to mark the occasion in a significant way. Getting upper management involved is a nice touch. For example, a senior leader can present the guests of honor with a gift and thank them for their contributions over the years.

Make it fun

Don’t forget to have fun. It’s a key piece of the puzzle when delivering a work anniversary message, after all. This is a happy occasion, especially in a time when employee retention is harder to achieve. Now that you have a wealth of insights to help craft the perfect note, it’s time to celebrate. 

Work Anniversary Messages-FAQ

When should i send a work anniversary message.

Sending a work anniversary message on the day of the anniversary or right around then is your best bet. This shows that you remembered the occasion and took the time to highlight it. If you're unsure of the exact date, check with HR or other coworkers – and build a calendar of work anniversaries so you can easily keep future ones on your radar.

Is it OK to send a work anniversary message virtually?

Yes, you can absolutely send a work anniversary message virtually, through company communication channels or a video call. Nowadays, virtual communication is often widely accepted and preferred, especially for hybrid and remote teams.

Should I include a gift with a work anniversary message?

It depends on the context. You don’t need to include a gift with a work anniversary message. Ultimately, the most important thing is to convey your genuine appreciation for the recipient’s contributions. That said, a little something can be thoughtful if you have the budget for it. And a bigger gift is definitely called for when it comes to celebrating longer tenures. Common gift ideas for coworkers include gift cards, rewards, and personalized items based on the recipient’s personality and preferences.

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Work Anniversary Messages: How to Write Them and Examples

• February 6, 2024
• Employee Recognition Software

Table of Contents

How to Write Work Anniversary Messages and Examples? Learn to craft touching work anniversary notes with our guide. Get inspired by examples to appreciate and motivate your team!

Work anniversaries are an important milestone for employees and employers alike. They signify an employee’s dedication and commitment to their job and the company they work for. Celebrating these milestones can help boost morale and increase employee engagement . One way to recognize an employee’s work anniversary is by sending them a thoughtful message that shows appreciation for their hard work and dedication.

Crafting the perfect work anniversary message can be a challenge. Employers want to show their appreciation while also being sincere and genuine. It’s important to consider the employee’s role and how long they have been with the company when crafting a message. A personalized message that acknowledges the employee’s contributions and achievements can go a long way in making them feel valued and appreciated.

Key Takeaways

• Work anniversaries are an important milestone that signify an employee’s dedication and commitment to their job and company.
• Crafting the perfect message requires considering the employee’s role and length of service.
• Personalized messages that acknowledge the employee’s contributions and achievements can increase engagement and boost morale.

Celebrating Work Milestones

Understanding the Importance of Work Anniversaries

Work anniversaries are a significant milestone for both the company and its employees. It marks the length of time an employee has been with the company, and it is an opportunity to celebrate their contributions and achievements. It is also a time to reflect on the company’s success and progress over the years.

Celebrating work anniversaries can boost employee morale and motivation. It shows that the company values and appreciates the hard work and dedication of its employees. It also encourages employees to stay with the company for a longer period, which can reduce turnover rates.

Recognizing Employee Milestones

Recognizing employee milestones is an essential part of building a positive and productive work environment . It shows that the company cares about its employees and their contributions to the company’s success.

There are various ways to recognize employee milestones, such as sending personalized messages, giving gifts or rewards, hosting a celebration, or offering promotions. Recognizing employee milestones can also serve as a way to acknowledge their hard work and inspire them to continue to strive for success .

To learn more about the importance of work anniversaries and employee milestones, check out this link from the Society for Human Resource Management.

Crafting the Perfect Message

When it comes to work anniversary wishes, crafting the perfect message can be a challenge. It’s important to strike the right balance between professionalism and warmth, while also personalizing the message to the recipient. Here are some tips for creating a memorable work anniversary message:

Personalizing Your Work Anniversary Wishes

One of the most important things to consider when crafting a work anniversary message is personalization. Take the time to think about the recipient’s interests, accomplishments, and contributions to the company. Incorporating these details into the message shows that you value and appreciate them as an individual.

Incorporating Positive Energy and Enthusiasm

Another key element of a great work anniversary message is positive energy and enthusiasm. Use language that conveys excitement and celebration, and highlight the recipient’s achievements and contributions to the company. This helps to create a sense of pride and accomplishment for the recipient, while also showcasing the positive impact they have had on the company.

Showcasing Appreciation and Gratitude

Finally, it’s important to showcase appreciation and gratitude in your work anniversary message. Take the time to thank the recipient for their hard work and dedication, and express how their contributions have made a difference in the company. This not only shows that you value their work, but also helps to create a sense of loyalty and commitment to the company.

By personalizing your message, incorporating positive energy and enthusiasm, and showcasing appreciation and gratitude, you can create a memorable work anniversary message that truly celebrates the recipient’s achievements and contributions.

For more tips on crafting the perfect work anniversary message, check out this article from Happy Worker, a leading provider of employee engagement solutions.

Specific Messages for Different Roles

When it comes to work anniversary messages, it’s important to tailor your message to the recipient’s role. Whether you’re sending a message to a team member, coworker, leader, or boss, the right words can go a long way in showing your appreciation and support. Here are some specific messages for different roles:

Messages for Team Members and Coworkers

Team members and coworkers play a crucial role in any organization. They work hard every day to ensure that projects are completed on time and to the best of their ability. Here are some messages you can send to show your appreciation:

• Congratulations on reaching another milestone with the company! Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated.
• Happy work anniversary! Your contributions to the team have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for all that you do.
• We’re lucky to have you on our team. Your positive attitude and work ethic are an inspiration to us all.
• Thank you for being a valuable member of our team. Your skills and expertise have helped us achieve great things.

For more ideas on messages for team members and coworkers, check out this article from The Spruce.

Messages for Leadership and Bosses

Leaders and bosses are responsible for guiding their team and ensuring that everyone is working towards a common goal. They set the tone for the workplace and are often the driving force behind the success of the company. Here are some messages you can send to show your appreciation:

• Happy work anniversary! Your leadership and guidance have been instrumental in our success.
• Congratulations on reaching another milestone with the company. Your vision and dedication inspire us all.
• Thank you for being a great boss. Your support and encouragement mean a lot to us.
• We’re lucky to have you as a leader. Your expertise and guidance have helped us achieve great things.

For more ideas on messages for leadership and bosses, check out this article from Indeed.

Remember, a little appreciation goes a long way. Take the time to craft a thoughtful message that shows your gratitude and support for your colleagues.

Themes and Ideas for Anniversary Messages

When it comes to celebrating work anniversaries , crafting the right message can be a challenge. Employers and colleagues often want to express their appreciation and gratitude for the employee’s hard work and dedication, but may struggle to find the right words. Here are some themes and ideas to help inspire meaningful and personalized anniversary messages.

Highlighting Commitment and Dedication

Recognizing an employee’s commitment and dedication to their job is an important aspect of work anniversary messages. Employers and colleagues can express their appreciation for the employee’s loyalty and reliability over the years. One way to highlight this theme is by acknowledging the employee’s tenure and longevity with the company. For example, a message could read, “Congratulations on reaching your 10-year work anniversary! Your dedication to this company is truly admirable.”

Celebrating Achievements and Success

Another important theme for work anniversary messages is celebrating the employee’s achievements and success. Employers and colleagues can acknowledge the employee’s contributions to the company’s growth and success. This theme can be highlighted by mentioning specific accomplishments or milestones that the employee has achieved during their time with the company. For example, a message could read, “Congratulations on your 5-year work anniversary! Your hard work and dedication have helped us achieve record sales this year.”

Acknowledging Hard Work and Contribution

Finally, acknowledging an employee’s hard work and contribution is a key theme for work anniversary messages. Employers and colleagues can express their appreciation for the employee’s efforts and contributions to the company’s goals and objectives. This theme can be highlighted by mentioning specific projects or tasks that the employee has worked on and the impact they have had on the company. For example, a message could read, “Congratulations on your 3-year work anniversary! Your hard work and contributions to the marketing team have helped us launch successful campaigns and reach new audiences.”

When crafting work anniversary messages, it’s important to keep the recipient in mind and personalize the message to their unique contributions and achievements. By highlighting themes such as commitment, achievement, and hard work, employers and colleagues can express their appreciation and gratitude in a meaningful way.

Here is a resource with more ideas for work anniversary messages.

The Role of Humor

Humor can play an important role in work anniversary messages. Incorporating jokes and inside humor can make the message more memorable and enjoyable for the recipient. However, it is important to use humor appropriately and in a way that is relevant to the recipient.

Incorporating Jokes and Inside Humor

Jokes can be a great way to add some levity to work anniversary messages. However, it is important to ensure that the joke is appropriate for the workplace and the recipient. Inside jokes can also be a great way to add a personal touch to the message, but they should only be used if the recipient will understand and appreciate the reference.

When incorporating humor into work anniversary messages, it is important to strike a balance between being funny and being professional. The message should still convey appreciation and respect for the recipient’s contributions to the company.

One resource for finding funny work anniversary messages is The Muse . They offer a variety of message templates that incorporate humor in a professional and appropriate way.

Overall, incorporating humor can make work anniversary messages more memorable and enjoyable for the recipient. However, it is important to use humor appropriately and in a way that is relevant to the recipient.

Commemorative Actions

Celebrating an employee’s work anniversary is a great way to show appreciation and boost morale. In addition to sending a heartfelt message, there are other commemorative actions that can be taken to make the occasion even more special.

Selecting Appropriate Gifts and Cards

Selecting an appropriate gift and card is an important part of commemorating an employee’s work anniversary. The gift should be thoughtful and personalized to the employee’s interests and preferences. A card should also be chosen with care, with a message that is sincere and heartfelt.

Some popular gifts for work anniversaries include:

• Personalized items such as mugs, pens, or plaques
• Gift cards to a favorite restaurant or store
• Company-branded items such as clothing or accessories
• Time off or extra vacation days

When selecting a card, it’s important to choose one that reflects the employee’s personality and work style. A handwritten note can also make the card more personal and meaningful.

Organizing Celebrations and Parties

Organizing a celebration or party is another way to commemorate an employee’s work anniversary. This can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the size and culture of the company.

Some ideas for celebrations and parties include:

• A company-wide announcement or email recognizing the employee’s achievement
• A small gathering with coworkers to share cake or other treats
• A larger event such as a luncheon or dinner at a restaurant
• A team-building activity such as a group outing or volunteer project

When planning a celebration or party, it’s important to consider the employee’s preferences and schedule. It’s also important to ensure that the celebration is inclusive and respectful of all employees.

For more ideas and inspiration on commemorating work anniversaries, check out this article from the Society for Human Resource Management.

Maintaining a Positive Work Environment

Creating a positive work environment is crucial to the success of any organization. It helps to foster team spirit, promote a sense of accomplishment, and encourage shared success. In this section, we will discuss some ways to maintain a positive work environment.

Fostering Team Spirit and Bonding

One of the key components of a positive work environment is team spirit. When employees feel like they are part of a team, they are more likely to work together and support each other. This can be achieved through team-building activities , such as group outings or team-building exercises. By creating opportunities for employees to bond outside of work, they can build stronger relationships and work better together.

Another way to foster team spirit is to encourage open communication and collaboration . This can be achieved by creating an open-door policy, where employees feel comfortable approaching their colleagues or superiors with questions or concerns. By promoting a culture of openness and transparency, employees are more likely to feel valued and supported.

Promoting a Sense of Accomplishment and Shared Success

Another important aspect of a positive work environment is promoting a sense of accomplishment and shared success. This can be achieved by setting clear goals and objectives for employees, and recognizing their achievements when they reach them. By celebrating individual and team successes, employees are more likely to feel motivated and engaged in their work.

One way to promote a sense of accomplishment is through regular feedback and performance evaluations. By providing employees with constructive feedback on their work, they can improve their skills and feel more confident in their abilities. Additionally, by recognizing their accomplishments and contributions to the team, employees are more likely to feel valued and appreciated.

In conclusion, maintaining a positive work environment is essential to the success of any organization. By fostering team spirit, promoting a sense of accomplishment, and encouraging shared success, employees are more likely to feel engaged and motivated in their work. For more information on how to create a positive work environment, check out this article from Forbes: Creating a Positive Work Environment .

Best Practices for Work Anniversary Communications

Celebrating work anniversaries is an important part of company culture. It shows employees that their hard work and dedication are valued and appreciated. However, crafting the perfect message for a work anniversary can be challenging. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when communicating with employees on their work anniversaries.

Tips for Crafting Emails and Cards

Crafting the perfect message for a work anniversary can be tricky. You want to strike the right tone of appreciation and recognition without being too formal or too casual. Here are some tips to help you craft the perfect message for your employees:

• Keep it personal: Address the employee by name and mention specific accomplishments or contributions they have made to the company.
• Be sincere: Use genuine language that conveys your appreciation for the employee’s hard work and dedication.
• Keep it concise: Keep your message short and to the point. Employees are busy and may not have time to read a lengthy message.
• Use a positive tone: Use positive language and avoid negative or critical comments.

Ensuring Timeliness and Relevance

Timing is important when it comes to work anniversary communications. You want to make sure that your message is delivered on or around the employee’s anniversary date. Here are some tips to ensure that your message is timely and relevant:

• Use a reminder system: Set up a reminder system to ensure that you don’t miss any employee work anniversaries.
• Plan ahead: Plan your work anniversary communications in advance so that you have time to craft a thoughtful message.
• Customize your message: Tailor your message to the employee’s specific role and accomplishments within the company.
• Provide meaningful recognition: Consider providing a meaningful recognition gift or reward to show your appreciation for the employee’s hard work.

Remember, work anniversary communications are an important part of company culture. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your messages are well-received and appreciated by your employees.

For more tips on crafting the perfect work anniversary message, check out this resource from the Society for Human Resource Management.

The Impact of Anniversaries on Employee Engagement

Work anniversaries are a significant event in an employee’s career. It is a time to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and look forward to future goals. However, work anniversaries are not just a celebration of the employee’s tenure; they can also have a significant impact on employee engagement.

Employee engagement is the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards their job and organization. Recognizing an employee’s work anniversary is a way to show appreciation for their dedication and hard work. It can boost their morale and motivation, leading to increased engagement.

Employee recognition is a crucial aspect of employee engagement. According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management, recognition is the top driver of employee engagement. Celebrating work anniversaries is a form of recognition that can help employees feel valued and appreciated.

Job satisfaction is another factor that can be impacted by work anniversaries. When employees feel recognized and appreciated, they are more likely to be satisfied with their job. Satisfied employees are more productive and engaged, leading to higher levels of job performance.

Employee retention is also a significant benefit of work anniversaries. When employees feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to stay with the organization. This can save the organization time and money on recruiting and training new employees.

Overall, work anniversaries can have a positive impact on employee engagement, recognition, job satisfaction, and retention. It is essential for organizations to recognize and celebrate their employees’ work anniversaries to foster a positive and engaged workforce.

To learn more about the benefits of employee recognition and engagement, check out this article by Gallup.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can one craft a heartfelt message for a colleague’s work anniversary?

Crafting a heartfelt message for a colleague’s work anniversary can be a thoughtful gesture that shows appreciation for their hard work and dedication. It’s important to personalize the message and highlight specific contributions the colleague has made to the company. Including a heartfelt note of gratitude and well wishes for their future endeavors can also make the message more meaningful.

What are some unique ways to congratulate an employee on their work milestone?

There are many unique ways to congratulate an employee on their work milestone. One idea is to create a personalized video message featuring colleagues and management congratulating the employee on their achievement. Another option is to organize a surprise celebration during a team meeting or lunch. Including a small gift or token of appreciation can also make the occasion more special.

What is an appropriate message to write in a boss’s work anniversary card?

When writing a message in a boss’s work anniversary card, it’s important to keep the tone professional and respectful. Congratulating the boss on their milestone and expressing gratitude for their leadership and guidance can be a good starting point. Including specific examples of how the boss has positively impacted the team or company can also make the message more meaningful.

Can you suggest some simple yet meaningful work anniversary wishes?

Some simple yet meaningful work anniversary wishes include congratulating the employee on their milestone, expressing appreciation for their hard work and dedication, and wishing them continued success in their career. Including a personalized message that highlights specific contributions the employee has made to the company can also make the message more meaningful.

What are some inspiring messages to share on a work anniversary occasion?

Inspiring messages to share on a work anniversary occasion can include congratulating the employee on their milestone and expressing appreciation for their hard work and dedication. Including a message that highlights the employee’s personal growth and achievements within the company can also be inspiring. Additionally, sharing a motivational quote or anecdote can help inspire the employee to continue striving for success.

How should one commemorate their own work anniversary with a quote or message?

Commemorating one’s own work anniversary can be a great opportunity for self-reflection and gratitude. Including a quote or message that highlights personal growth and achievements within the company can be a good starting point. Additionally, expressing gratitude for the opportunities and experiences gained through the job can help make the occasion more meaningful.

For more ideas on how to craft meaningful work anniversary messages, check out this article .

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Employee Recognition Ideas: Boosting Morale in the Workplace

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75 Best work anniversary wishes examples & messages

With the average tenure of an employee steadily decreasing over the last ten years, the significance of recognizing and commemorating the dedication and contributions of those who have stood the test of time within an organization cannot be overstated.

The significance of work anniversaries extends beyond mere acknowledgment. They play a crucial role in employee retention and engagement by reinforcing a sense of loyalty and commitment . Acknowledging work anniversaries demonstrates that the organization values its employees and is invested in their long-term growth and success.

In light of this, the compilation of 75 best work anniversary wishes, examples and messages will work as a resource that encapsulates genuine sentiments, heartfelt gratitude, and the art of acknowledging employee milestones .

What is a work anniversary?

A work anniversary , also known as a job anniversary or service anniversary, refers to the annual commemoration of an employee's tenure or time spent working for a particular organization. It signifies the number of years an individual has been employed by the company, starting from their initial date of hire. Work anniversaries are significant milestones that celebrate an employee's loyalty, dedication, and contributions to the organization.

These anniversaries can hold great importance for both employees and employers. They provide an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the commitment and hard work of employees, fostering a sense of belonging and motivation within the workforce . Work anniversaries are often marked by various forms of acknowledgment, such as:

• Celebratory events: Many organizations hold special events, such as lunches, dinners, or small gatherings, to honor employees on their work anniversaries. These events allow colleagues and management to unite to express their appreciation and share in the celebration.
• Gifts and rewards: Employers often offer gifts, awards, or bonuses to employees on their work anniversaries. These tokens of appreciation can range from personalized items to monetary rewards, recognizing the employee's contribution to the company's success.
• Certificates and recognition: Some organizations provide employees with certificates or plaques commemorating their work anniversaries. Public recognition during team meetings or company-wide communications can also contribute to a sense of accomplishment and pride.
• Additional benefits: Some companies offer additional benefits or perks to employees as they reach specific work anniversary milestones. These benefits might include extra vacation days, increased flexibility, or access to professional development opportunities .
• Social media and internal communication: Companies often utilize social media platforms or internal communication channels to publicly acknowledge employees' work anniversaries. Sharing stories and accomplishments can boost morale and encourage a culture of recognition within the organization.

Why should leaders pay importance to celebrating their employees’ work anniversary?

Celebrating employees' work anniversaries holds significant importance for leaders and organizations. It goes beyond being a mere ritual; it's a strategic initiative that fosters a positive workplace culture , enhances employee engagement , and contributes to long-term organizational success.

Here are several compelling reasons why leaders should prioritize celebrating their employees' work anniversaries:

Employee recognition and appreciation : Recognizing work anniversaries demonstrates that leaders value their employees' commitment and contributions. It provides a tangible expression of appreciation for their dedication, motivating employees to continue putting in their best effort .

Boosts morale and motivation: Celebrating work anniversaries creates a positive and uplifting atmosphere. It boosts employees' morale, helps them feel valued, and reinforces their sense of belonging to the organization , which, in turn, leads to higher levels of motivation.

Retention and loyalty: Recognizing work anniversaries reinforces commitment and encourages employees to remain with the organization. When employees feel appreciated and recognized, they are more likely to stay, reducing turnover and its associated costs.

Organizational culture : A culture of appreciation and recognition is vital for employee satisfaction and overall organizational success. Celebrating work anniversaries contributes to a culture where people feel respected and supported, thereby enhancing employee engagement and commitment.

Team bonding: Work anniversary celebrations provide opportunities for colleagues to come together and bond in a relaxed setting. This strengthens interpersonal relationships, promotes teamwork , and fosters a sense of camaraderie.

Showcases leadership's caring attitude: Demonstrating that leaders care about employees' milestones outside of work fosters a sense of empathy and understanding. This caring attitude enhances the leader's reputation and trustworthiness among the workforce.

Positive public relations: Recognizing employees' work anniversaries can be shared on social media or in company communications. This portrays the organization as not just a committed employee but a great place to work, attracting potential talent and enhancing its reputation in the job market.

Reinforces shared values: Celebrating work anniversaries underscores the organization's commitment to its core values. It highlights the company's dedication to recognizing employees for their contributions , aligning with the values of fairness and appreciation.

Encourages long-term dedication: When employees see that their years of service are valued, they are more likely to feel invested in the organization's success over the long term. This dedication can translate into improved performance and a stronger commitment to achieving organizational goals.

Promotes well-being: Positive recognition positively impacts employees' mental and emotional well-being . Feeling appreciated and acknowledged contributes to reduced stress levels and overall job satisfaction.

How to write and congratulate an employee on their work anniversary?

Writing a heartfelt and sincere congratulatory message to an employee on their work anniversary can foster a positive and appreciative workplace culture . Here's a step-by-step guide to crafting a thoughtful work anniversary message:

Begin with a warm greeting: Start your message with a friendly and respectful salutation, addressing the employee by their name.

Express sincere congratulations: Begin your message by expressing your genuine congratulations for the employee's work anniversary. Use positive and enthusiastic language to convey your excitement for their achievement .

Acknowledge their contribution : Mention the employee's contributions and achievements during their time with the company. Highlight specific projects, milestones, or qualities that have made a positive impact.

Personalize the message: Personalize the message by including a specific detail about the employee's journey or role within the organization. This shows that you've taken the time to reflect on their unique experiences.

Share positive traits: Compliment the employee's strengths, dedication, and positive qualities . Acknowledge their hard work, commitment, and the value they bring to the team.

Highlight team and organizational impact: Describe how the employee's efforts have contributed to the success of the team and the organization as a whole. Show how their work has been integral to achieving common goals.

Express gratitude: Express your gratitude for the employee's contributions, emphasizing how their dedication has positively influenced the workplace and their colleagues.

Wish for future success: Offer well wishes for the future, expressing hope for continued growth, success, and fulfillment in their career journey.

Reiterate congratulations: Close your message with a reaffirmation of your congratulations on your work. Use a positive closing statement to leave a lasting impression.

Sign off: Sign off with a warm closing, such as "Best wishes," "Sincerely," or "With gratitude." Include your name and title to add a personal touch.

Remember to tailor the message to the employee's specific achievements and your relationship with them. A personalized and heartfelt message will make the employee feel genuinely appreciated and valued on their special day.

Top 75 best work anniversary wishes to appreciate your colleagues on their work anniversaries

Celebrating colleagues' work anniversaries is a testament to their dedication and contributions. As we acknowledge their commitment, it's an opportune time to convey heartfelt appreciation.

Delve into the following compilation of the top 75 work anniversary wishes, brimming with sincerity and gratitude, to make their milestone even more memorable.

Work anniversary messages for bosses

• "Happy work anniversary, [Boss's Name]! Your leadership and guidance have been instrumental in our team's success. Your commitment to excellence is truly inspiring."
• "Congratulations on another year of leading our team with grace and expertise, [Boss's Name]! Your vision and dedication continue to drive us towards greatness."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary, [Boss's Name]! Your leadership style fosters collaboration, and your support empowers us to excel. Here's to more years of your inspiring leadership."
• "Happy anniversary, [Boss's Name]! Your leadership has been a guiding light, inspiring us to achieve more. Your dedication and mentorship are deeply appreciated."
• "Congratulations on reaching another work anniversary, [Boss's Name]! Your leadership has transformed challenges into opportunities, and your passion is a driving force for us all."

Work anniversaries messages for employees

• "Happy work anniversary! Your dedication and hard work are truly commendable. Thank you for being an integral part of our team."
• "Congratulations on another year of excellence! Your contributions have been invaluable to our success. Here's to many more years of achievement."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your positive attitude and teamwork make a real difference. Keep shining!"
• "Happy anniversary! Your commitment to quality and professionalism inspire us all. Thank you for your unwavering dedication."
• "Cheers to your work anniversary! Your enthusiasm and dedication are greatly appreciated. Keep up the amazing work!"
• "Congratulations on another year of success! Your hard work and positive energy continue to elevate our team."
• "Happy work anniversary! Your dedication and passion make a real impact on our projects and our workplace."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your contributions and positive attitude brighten our team's spirit."
• "Happy anniversary! Your commitment to excellence sets a high standard for us all. Thank you for your continuous hard work."
• "Congratulations on another year of achievement! Your contributions are vital to our team's growth. Keep up the fantastic work!"
• "Happy work anniversary! Your professionalism and dedication are truly appreciated. You are an integral part of our success."
• "Cheers to your work anniversary! Your positive attitude and teamwork inspire us to achieve greatness together."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your hard work and dedication are commendable. Thank you for being an asset to our team."
• "Congratulations on another year of excellence! Your contributions make a real impact, and your dedication is truly inspiring."
• "Happy anniversary! Your commitment to our team's success is unwavering. Thank you for your dedication and hard work."
• "Happy work anniversary! Your positive energy and passion are contagious. Thank you for your continuous efforts and teamwork."
• "Cheers to another year of success! Your hard work and dedication are greatly valued. Here's to more achievements ahead."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your contributions and commitment are instrumental in our projects' success."
• "Congratulations on another year of achievement! Your dedication and professionalism continue to set you apart."
• "Happy anniversary! Your positive attitude and teamwork make you a valued member of our team. Keep up the amazing work!"
• "Happy work anniversary! Your contributions and dedication are truly appreciated. Thank you for your ongoing commitment."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your hard work and enthusiasm inspire us all to reach for the stars."
• "Congratulations on another year of excellence! Your positivity and dedication are remarkable. Keep shining!"
• "Happy anniversary! Your commitment to our team's success is truly inspiring. Thank you for your continuous efforts."
• "Cheers to another year of success! Your hard work and teamwork continue to drive us forward. Thank you for your dedication."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your contributions and positive attitude make a significant impact."
• "Happy anniversary! Your dedication and passion shine through in everything you do. Thank you for your continuous hard work."
• "Congratulations on another year of achievement! Your commitment and professionalism are truly commendable."
• "Happy work anniversary! Your positive energy and teamwork make you an asset to our team. Thank you for your dedication."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your contributions and dedication make you an integral part of our success."

Work anniversaries messages for close colleagues

• "Happy work anniversary! Our journey together has been filled with shared goals, laughter, and growth. Here's to many more years of collaboration and success."
• "Congratulations on another year of achievements! Your dedication and friendship have made our work environment truly special. Cheers to us!"
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Working alongside you has been a privilege. Your dedication and camaraderie make every day enjoyable."
• "Happy anniversary! Your commitment to excellence and our strong partnership continues to drive us forward. Here's to our continued success!"
• "Cheers to your work anniversary! Our collaboration has been instrumental in our accomplishments. Thank you for your unwavering support and friendship."
• "Congratulations on another year of shared achievements! Your dedication, creativity, and friendship have enriched our work journey."
• "Happy work anniversary! Your positivity and teamwork inspire us all. Thank you to such a valuable member for being both a colleague and a friend."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your contributions and our close bond make facing challenges a breeze. Here's to our continued success together."
• "Happy anniversary! Our teamwork and strong connection have contributed to our achievements. Thank you for your dedication and friendship."
• "Cheers to another year of shared success! Your dedication and camaraderie have made our work environment truly special. Here's to more milestones!"
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your commitment and our close collaboration have been integral to our accomplishments."
• "Happy anniversary! Our teamwork and mutual support have been key to our success. Thank you for being an amazing colleague and friend."
• "Congratulations on another year of shared achievements! Your dedication and our strong partnership continue to make our projects shine."
• "Happy work anniversary! Your positive attitude and friendship make every day at work enjoyable. Here's to our continued collaboration and success."
• "Wishing you a fantastic work anniversary! Your contributions and our close connection have been a driving force behind our accomplishments."

1-year work anniversaries messages

• "Happy 1-year work anniversary! In just 365 days, you've already made a remarkable impact on our team. Your dedication and enthusiasm are truly inspiring."
• "Congratulations on completing your first year with us! Your hard work and commitment have been instrumental in our achievements. Here's to many more years of success."
• "Wishing you a happy 1-year work anniversary! Your positive attitude and rapid growth within the team are a testament to your dedication and potential."
• "Happy anniversary of your first year with us! Your contributions have been invaluable, and we look forward to watching you achieve even greater heights in the years ahead."
• "Cheers to your 1-year work anniversary! Your quick adaptability, dedication, and teamwork have made you an integral part of our journey. Here's to a future filled with continued growth and accomplishments."

5-year work anniversaries messages

• "Happy 5-year work anniversary! Your dedication and commitment over these years have been nothing short of exceptional. Your contributions have left a lasting impact on our team."
• "Congratulations on reaching the remarkable milestone of 5 years with us! Your consistent hard work, creativity, and leadership have been pivotal in our journey."
• "Wishing you a joyous 5-year work anniversary! Your unwavering dedication and positive influence have helped shape our team's success. Here's to the next chapter!"
• "Happy anniversary of 5 years with us! Your continuous growth, innovation, and resilience inspire us all. Thank you for your invaluable contributions."
• "Cheers to your 5-year work anniversary! Your commitment, expertise, and teamwork have been instrumental in our achievements. Here's to many more years of success and collaboration."

10-year work anniversaries messages

• "Happy 10-year work anniversary! A decade of dedication, growth, and accomplishments. Your journey has been nothing short of inspiring, and your impact on our team is immeasurable."
• "Congratulations on reaching this incredible milestone of 10 years with us! Your consistent dedication, leadership, and contributions have shaped our success in profound ways."
• "Wishing you a heartfelt 10-year work anniversary! Your enduring commitment and positive influence have been the cornerstone of our team's achievements. Here's to your legacy!"
• "Happy 10th anniversary with us! Your unwavering determination, expertise, and teamwork have been vital to our progress. Thank you for a decade of excellence."
• "Cheers to your remarkable 10-year work anniversary! Your journey embodies dedication, innovation, and collaboration. Your impact is woven into our success story, and we're excited for the journey ahead."

25-year work anniversaries messages

• "Happy 25-year work anniversary! Your quarter-century of dedication and unwavering commitment is an inspiration to us all. Your contributions have left an indelible mark on our team."
• "Congratulations on reaching this remarkable milestone of 25 years with us! Your loyalty, leadership, and expertise have been integral to our journey and success."
• "Wishing you a heartfelt 25-year work anniversary! Your enduring dedication and positive impact have helped shape our team's culture and achievements. Your legacy is truly impressive."
• "Happy 25th anniversary with us! Your steadfast commitment, knowledge, and collaboration have been vital to our growth and accomplishments. Thank you for a quarter-century of excellence."
• "Cheers to your extraordinary 25-year work anniversary! Your journey is a testament to your dedication, resilience, and leadership. Your contributions have been pivotal, and your legacy is etched into our story."

50-year work anniversaries messages

• "Happy 50-year work anniversary! A half-century of dedication, leadership, and remarkable contributions. Your journey is a beacon of inspiration for us all."
• "Congratulations on reaching this incredible milestone of 50 years with us! Your unwavering commitment, expertise, and positive influence have shaped our organization's history."
• "Wishing you a heartfelt 50-year work anniversary! Your enduring dedication has left an indelible mark on our team. Your legacy is a source of pride and admiration."
• "Happy 50th anniversary with us! Your steadfast commitment, knowledge, and leadership have been instrumental in our success. Your contributions are immeasurable."
• "Cheers to your extraordinary 50-year work anniversary! Your journey is an embodiment of dedication, wisdom, and impact. Your legacy is woven into the fabric of our organization, and we're honored to celebrate this remarkable milestone with you."

Top 10 Work anniversary activities an HR should try for their employees

Celebrating work anniversaries is an excellent way for HR departments to acknowledge and appreciate their employees' dedication and contributions. Here are ten creative and effective work anniversary activities that HR professionals can consider:

• Personalized notes or emails: Send personalized congratulatory notes or emails to employees on their work anniversaries, highlighting their achievements and contributions over the years. This personal touch shows genuine appreciation.
• Anniversary luncheon or breakfast: Host a special luncheon or breakfast in honor of the employee's work anniversary. This provides a relaxed environment for colleagues to share stories and well wishes.
• Customized gifts: Provide employees with customized gifts, such as engraved plaques, certificates, or company-branded items. Tailoring the gifts to their preferences or contributions adds a personal touch.
• Celebration wall: Set up a dedicated wall or digital platform where employees' work anniversaries are acknowledged with their names, photos, and years of service. It creates a sense of belonging and recognition.
• Interactive quizzes or games: Create a fun quiz or game that celebrates the employee's journey within the company. Include questions related to their accomplishments, experiences, and milestones.
• Work anniversary video: Compile a video featuring colleagues sharing their good wishes, memories, and messages of appreciation for the employee. This heartwarming video can be a cherished keepsake.
• Professional development opportunities: Offer employees a choice of professional development opportunities as a work anniversary gift . This could include attending workshops, conferences, or courses related to their field.
• Charitable initiatives: Encourage employees to give back on their work anniversaries by participating in charitable activities or volunteering. This reinforces the company's commitment to social responsibility.
• Public recognition: Acknowledge the employee's work anniversary during team meetings, company-wide announcements, or on social media platforms. Public recognition reinforces their value to the organization.
• Time off or flexibility: Offer employees the option to take a half-day off or flexible work hours on their work anniversary. This gesture acknowledges their hard work while promoting work-life balance .

Remember that personalization and genuine appreciation are key to successful work anniversary activities. By tailoring these activities to each employee's preferences and considering their contributions, HR professionals can create meaningful experiences that foster a positive and engaged workforce .

5 Work anniversary decoration ideas that will rock your employees’ day

• Personalized desk decor: Decorate the employee's workspace with personalized decorations such as banners, balloons, and framed photos that highlight their achievements and contributions over the years.
• Timeline wall: Create a timeline showcasing the employee's journey within the company . Use photos, milestones, and quotes to capture their growth and impact, making them feel appreciated and valued.
• Themed celebration area: Set up a themed area in the office where colleagues can gather to celebrate. Decorate the space according to the employee's interests or hobbies, creating a festive and personalized atmosphere.
• Bouquet of gratitude: Surprise the employee with a bouquet of flowers that includes notes of appreciation from colleagues. Each note can express a unique memory or quality that makes the employee special.
• Interactive memory wall: Design a memory wall where colleagues can leave handwritten notes, drawings, or anecdotes about their experiences with the employee. This collaborative decoration showcases the bonds formed over the years.

What other employee recognition initiatives can you try to keep the morale high?

Aside from work anniversaries, there are several other effective employee recognition initiatives that can help maintain high morale within the workplace:

• Employee of the month/quarter: Recognize outstanding employees by selecting an "Employee of the Month" or "Employee of the Quarter." This initiative acknowledges exceptional performance and contributions.
• Peer recognition: Implement a peer recognition program where colleagues can nominate each other for outstanding achievements. This encourages a culture of appreciation and teamwork.
• Spot awards: Offer spontaneous spot awards for employees who demonstrate exceptional effort or go above and beyond their regular duties. These surprise rewards boost motivation and engagement.
• Wellness programs: Implement wellness initiatives like yoga classes, wellness challenges, or access to fitness facilities. Prioritizing employee well-being showcases care for their holistic health.
• Innovation awards: Recognize employees who contribute innovative ideas or solutions that positively impact the organization. This encourages creativity and a culture of continuous improvement.

A work anniversary is an annual commemoration of an employee's tenure within an organization. It serves as a powerful tool for recognizing and appreciating the contributions of employees, fostering a positive organizational culture , and strengthening the bond between employees and their employers.

Celebrating employees' work anniversaries is a strategic investment in employee engagement, retention, and organizational culture. It sends a powerful message that leaders value and recognize their employees' contributions. By fostering a culture of appreciation , leaders not only boost morale and motivation but also lay the groundwork for a more cohesive and successful workforce.

Kailash Ganesh

Kailash is a Product Marketer with 5+ years of experience. He loves story-telling in the simplest way possible and he is an avid reader, movie buff, and likes to travel new places to meet new people.

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Use thoughtful work anniversary messages to wish your coworkers well

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The importance of recognizing work anniversaries

Work anniversary message examples to thank employees

Tips for creating a thoughtful work anniversary message

The true value of valuing your employees

While increasing compensation, bonuses, and benefits are great ways to reward top talent, showing appreciation through words hits different. And what better time to do so than when they achieve a work anniversary? 

Be it one year or 10, work anniversaries mark the value and dedication employees bring to their team — and that’s worth appreciating. 

Whether you’re a coworker, manager, or team lead, sending thoughtful work anniversary messages celebrates these special days and fosters a positive work environment that encourages loyalty and engagement.

The importance of recognizing work anniversaries 

Besides making employees feel good, congratulating them for their hard work directly impacts their behavior and the company’s bottom line. Here are four ways celebrating work anniversaries benefits your team and boosts employee performance.

1. Improving employee retention

Employees need to feel valued to stay satisfied. And satisfied employees are more likely to remain in their position for longer .

With job hopping on the rise , it’s increasingly challenging for employers to retain top talent. But a whopping 82% of workers consider recognition central to job satisfaction , so sending simple work anniversary wishes is an excellent way to keep great workers.

2. Increasing employee engagement and company revenue

According to Deloitte, recognition improves employee engagement , and a 15% increase in engagement can lead to a 2% increase in revenue. So teammates who appreciate the hard work their coworkers provide might just help their employer achieve further success. 

3. Boosting employee morale

One of the reasons sending happy work anniversary wishes improves employee engagement is because it enhances everyone’s mood .

Perhaps surprisingly, 36% of people would give up $5000 of their yearly salary to be happier at work . If you’re the manager of a small business, this is excellent news, as you may not be able to offer your employees their ideal salary, but you can offer their ideal work environment.

4. Creating a positive company culture

How your employees interact with each other and think about you and your organization shapes the company’s culture .

When employees feel acknowledged for their strong work ethic and dedication, they’re more likely to respect and speak positively about their workplace. And this impacts how current employees and individuals outside the organization perceive the company, helping you retain and attract top performers .

Work anniversary message examples to thank employees 

No matter how long you’ve known the employee, it’s easy to overthink what you say in your anniversary card. You want it to be professional yet personalized, concise yet expressive. And, most importantly, you hope it makes them feel valued and appreciated. 

Use these examples for inspiration when creating a thoughtful work anniversary message.

Simple work anniversary quotes

• “Time flies when you’re doing a fantastic job! Today marks your first anniversary as part of our team. Thank you for the positive attitude you bring to work each day. You make our office a better place.”
• “Wishing you the happiest work anniversary from our team at [company name]. We knew you’d be an asset since your first day . Keep up the great work!”
• “Happy workiversary! We’re so glad to have you on our team and wish you another year of success.”
• “Happy [X] year work anniversary from the [department’s name]. We’re so impressed with everything you’ve accomplished in the past year.”

Celebratory work anniversary messages

• “Here’s to another year of working together! Sending our best wishes as you continue to achieve great success and career growth .”
• “Wishing you a wonderful work anniversary! During lunch, join us in the boardroom to celebrate your success with snacks and drinks.”
• “Today we’re celebrating [employee name]’s work anniversary. We’re so grateful for their contribution to our team and know we wouldn’t have achieved what we have without them.”

Formal/professional work anniversary messages

• “Congratulations [employee’s name] on your [X] year at [company’s name]. We’re so pleased to have you on our growing team. Here’s to another year of success and growth.”
• “Wishing you another successful year as we celebrate your [X] work anniversary. You’re a valuable team member. Keep up the good work!”
• “Wishing you a very happy work anniversary as you celebrate your [X] year at [company name]. You’re irreplaceable, and we’re so grateful for how you’ve shaped this work environment through your dedication and perseverance.”
• “It’s been an honor to be a part of your professional development . And we’re thrilled to wish you a [X] year work anniversary. Cheers to your continued success.”

Happy and funny work anniversary messages

• “Congratulations on your work anniversary at [company’s name]. Here’s to another year of you sending the best memes and GIFs in our Slack channels.”
• “Happy [X] work anniversary! This year you impressed us with your hard work, determination, and consistency when sending pet updates.”
• “Thank you for being a terrific employee! You make coming to work fun for the whole team. Happy [X] work anniversary.”

Great work anniversary wishes for a long-term employee

“Happy [X] year work anniversary to one of our best employees! You inspire us each day with your enthusiasm and dedication to your work. When you started at the company, you were part of a 10-person team and took on additional responsibilities to ensure our success.

We couldn’t have made it to where we have without your hard work and determination. Thank you for being part of our team. We’re wishing you another year of success and happiness.”

“[X] years ago, we came across an incredibly impressive application. And today, we’re celebrating that very employee for being a valuable part of our team. Congratulations, [employee’s name], for another year at [company’s name].

You’ve accomplished so much in your time with us, and we wouldn’t have reached today’s success without your help. Thank you for being part of our company and bringing your A-game daily.”

• “Happy work anniversary, [employee’s name]. You’ve been essential to our company’s success for [X] years, and we’re so pleased to have you on our team. You’ve set a high standard for the rest of us with your fierce work ethic and grit . Having an employee like you fills us with gratitude .”

Detailed work anniversary message

“Happy work anniversary, [employee’s name]! We wanted to take this moment to thank you for your dedication to [company’s name] over the last [X] years. It’s been a pleasure for me and the rest of the team to work alongside a hard-working employee such as yourself.

You bring enthusiasm and creativity to each of your projects and never accept anything less than exceptional. We wanted to share these moments to celebrate your contribution to our team:

- You developed the [system’s name], making your coworkers feel valued for their input and improving the team’s collaboration skills .

- You led the [project’s name] and guided your teammates to success.

- You exceeded your [quota/success metric] for this year, proving your determination and passion for your role.”

Work anniversary wishes for a boss

• “Happy work anniversary to a fantastic manager! The way you lead our team inspires each of us every day. Thank you for your continued dedication to our growth and success.”
• “Congratulations on another year at [company’s name]. I greatly appreciate your support in my professional development and feel honored to be working under your guidance.”

Tips for creating a thoughtful work anniversary message 

Finding the right balance between professionalism and warmth is tricky, but following these tips will help: 

• Keep it positive: Your message should be uplifting and make your employee feel proud of their years of hard work. Avoid joking about the length of time they’ve been there or whether you’ll lose them soon, as these comments might distract from your positive and appreciative message. 

Personalize it: Ready-made greeting cards can feel a bit impersonal. The best cards and appreciation messages include a tidbit of humor or a good memory you shared with the sender.

Adding this personalization makes the reader feel cared for and seen, so try to include details showing your recipient you were thoughtful when writing their message. You might mention a positive attribute they bring to the team or an accomplishment they’ve made.

• Choose the right tone: The message’s tone may change depending on your workplace and the recipient’s personality. If you’re a manager, you’ll want to strike a friendly yet professional tone , and coworker-to-coworker messages can be slightly less formal. 
• Involve the whole team: According to Bon usly, 65% of employees are willing to stay in jobs where coworkers recognize them for their work , even if they have an unappreciative manager. Be inclusive with your message, expressing that the entire team appreciates this person’s work. And if possible, encourage other teammates to send messages as well.

Employees spend about a third of their time at work. And an easy way to appreciate the hard work and dedication they provide during this time is by sending work anniversary messages. Now that you have several examples, this task is even easier — and just like that, your team feels valued and recognized for their great work .

Enhance team recognition

Discover coaching to boost employee morale and performance through effective recognition strategies.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

Taking control of your work

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How to Make a Work Anniversary Meaningful

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Many organizations miss the point—and the benefits—of work anniversaries entirely.

Each year with a great team member is an achievement that should be celebrated with intention. Creative employee rewards can be the first step, but if you really want to make a work anniversary meaningful, you'll need to do better than handing out a plaque, postcard, or paperweight. After all, employees want more than just an annual pat on the back.

Get the full scoop on the benefits of recognition:

-> The Complete Manager's Guide to Employee Recognition

Despite questionable efficacy, most employee recognition programs still focus on tenure. Researcher Josh Bersin found that of the billions companies spend on recognition, most companies utilize programs that focus on rewarding tenure :

87% of companies have some type of tenure-based reward program. That means you get rewarded for ' sticking around '. Our research found that these programs drive very little value at all, and in fact only 58% of the employees we surveyed even know that their company has such a program.

What are we truly celebrating when an employee reaches the one, five, or ten-year milestones? It shouldn't only be about the amount of time they filled a seat; it should be about what they contributed during that time. That's the crucial point most tenure programs miss.

So what could you do to show an employee the immense impact their work has made on the organization during their tenure, and how do you make that celebration memorable?

Ways to make a work anniversary special 

Being in the office—whether the in-person or virtual one—for another year isn't really the contribution. It's the countless problems solved, the improved work processes, the surpassed metrics, the meaningful relationships built with colleagues—the contents of that additional year that matter.

Even after a single year, there's almost certainly going to be a highlight reel of contributions an employee has made to your organization. Don't miss out on an opportunity to celebrate and recognize your team  by expressing your appreciation.

So, one idea is to craft a thoughtful work anniversary speech or message.This doesn't have to be a large-scale, dramatic presentation at your all-hands meeting. A work anniversary speech, message, or announcement just needs a few components to be meaningful to the recipient and often inspires other team members to share their own thoughts and memories. Here are some tips:

1. Highlight what they've done

Be specific about it—don't just say, "Ahmed has grown a lot since he started last year, and we're lucky to have him."

If he did grow a lot, that's wonderful! Highlight the specific areas of growth and why that growth was so important. Help everyone understand where he's improved his skills, and why it matters.

Not only is it more meaningful for him to receive specific praise, but there's also a good chance it will be useful for his colleagues to learn about his expanded skill set. They might require those skills in an upcoming project, but if they don't know he has them, they'll probably never ask.

Don't say, "We're so glad Keisha's been leading our engineering team for the past five years. We're looking forward to the next five," and call it a day.

2. Highlight the reasons your team is appreciative

Did she show grace under pressure and help her team through an exceedingly challenging situation? How did that impact others on the team? Highlight that .

Did she win an industry award, secure a coveted certification, or receive a patent grant? Those are all major achievements. They're reasons to celebrate, but everyone may not know about them unless you share them.

3. Conversely, consider this common example:

"Happy anniversary! We appreciate your contribution to the team, and wish you much more success in the years ahead."

There's a lot missing here.

• Who are you saying this to?
• What contribution is it referring to?
• Why is that contribution appreciated?

This shows a lack of familiarity with the recipient's actual contributions. That's not only going to be ineffective, it could easily come off as insincere.

I wish I could say I conjured the above quote up as an extreme case, but it's based on several examples of "great work anniversary messages" from across the web.

Work anniversary notes like this might seem to provide a nice sentiment on the surface, but they're impersonal, and they don't celebrate the unique contributions each member of the team makes.

Here's a quick litmus test: If you could say the exact same phrase to anyone on your team, it's not personal or unique enough —and as a result, it's probably not going to be very meaningful to its recipient.

If you could say the exact same phrase to anyone on your team, it's not personal or unique enough — and as a result, it's probably not going to be very meaningful to its recipient.

Sure it's better than nothing, but nothing isn't far off. It doesn't take long to think about the contributions of a tenured team member, and the benefits very much outweigh the effort. 

4. Include their colleagues

This can't be stressed enough.

Get everyone involved. There are almost guaranteed to be some valuable contributions this employee made that you weren't aware of. As more people take part in the appreciation, unknown and unexpected contributions will surface. 

Opening this celebration up to the entire team and encouraging their participation will not only make the work anniversary more meaningful, but it's also likely to improve work relationships , as well. 

This also takes some of the pressure off of leadership. Here's an example of public recognition at CB Insights :

People like the automated birthday and work anniversary bonuses. Our mid-and senior-level leaders are active on Bonusly , so everyone gets involved in celebrating these special milestones. The Work Anniversary Award reminds us to highlight new employees’ first days and celebrate tenured employees’ years of service.

She continues: "Because we can store everyone’s start dates in Bonusly, work anniversary bonuses are automatically issued on the appropriate date and we don’t have to do any admin work. We’ve grown a lot recently—we had 33 employees in June 2015 and we have over 200 today—so the automated Work Anniversary Awards prompt us to celebrate the people that have been here for several years and welcome those who are just joining us."

As more people take part in celebrating their teammates with specific and genuine appreciation, work anniversaries become more meaningful. 

And remember: a work anniversary should not be the only time an employee receives recognition each year. It's even less effective when that recognition is generic and handed down from management.

Let the team help decide how to approach work anniversaries so they're meaningful and positive rather than mandatory to participate in as a team.

Finding purpose in work contributions

It's important for everyone to know how their work impacts their team, the organization, its customers , and the world at large.

Nathaniel Koloc wrote a great piece in the Harvard Business Review titled " What Job Candidates Really Want: Meaningful Work ." In it he explains a key feature of many top performers:

They are not picking their next job based on the size of the paycheck. They are instead looking for a worthwhile mission and promising team to join. And, they are having a frustratingly hard time finding that.

Think about it this way: you don't want to see another year pass by and feel like you have nothing to show for it. Work anniversaries, like birthdays and reunions, are epiphany moments —key milestones when employees reflect on their past choices and think about the future. 

An employee's work anniversary is the perfect opportunity to thank them for the meaningful impact they've made over the past 12 months and over the course of their career. 

Don't just say, "You've made a big impact this year." Explain exactly what the impact was, why it matters, and how crucial their work is to the team, the organization, and the people it serves.

It's highly motivating to be reminded of the purpose behind your work and how important it is to so many people.

Give frequent recognition—all the time

How do you highlight a whole team of employees' contributions consistently on such a personal and individual basis?

It's actually fairly simple.

Don't wait until a work anniversary to show your appreciation for their work. Show your appreciation frequently, make it as visible as possible when you do, and encourage others to follow the same strategy. The faster you recognize an individual and action, the more impactful it can be, creating an explicit connection to positive behavior.

As leadership expert Josh Bersin put it in his Forbes article on effective recognition :

Make it trivially simple for employees to recognize each other.

That's really it. That's the key.

All of this is going to be dramatically easier and more effective if you and the rest of the team are already visibly recognizing and rewarding contributions as they happen throughout the year.

This is especially true if you've got a system for keeping a record of those contributions, and the praise they generated.

Instead of scrambling for examples of the contributions someone's made throughout the year, you and everyone else on the team will already have a pretty good sense of what those contributions were, and the impact they had.

You'll have a laundry list of great things you can highlight when the time comes.

The takeaway

Although work anniversaries are one of the most common forms of employee recognition in use today, they're often poorly executed.

Think about your goals for this, and how your strategy is helping to achieve them. If you're handing out greeting cards each year and calling it good, you're missing a huge opportunity.

Even taking a few of these points into consideration can help make anniversaries something everyone looks forward to. Looking for a scalable way to celebrate work anniversaries? Learn about Bonusly's automated Anniversary Award .

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Happy Work Anniversary Wishes, Messages & Quotes

By: Angela Robinson | Updated: November 23, 2022

You found our list of the best work anniversary wishes .

Work anniversary wishes are messages and quotes for coworkers’ workiversaries. These phrases celebrate an employee’s dedication to the company and the team and acknowledge hard work and commitment. You can use these sayings in work anniversary cards, emails, and speeches. These wishes are also known as “work anniversary messages” and “work anniversary quotes.”

These messages work well for virtual work anniversary parties and work anniversary gifts , and are similar to employee appreciation quotes .

This list includes:

• happy work anniversary wishes

1 year work anniversary quotes

10 year work anniversary quotes.

• 30 year work anniversary messages
• funny work anniversary quotes
• work anniversary wishes to managers
• congratulations on work anniversary messages
• job anniversary wishes
• work anniversary memes

Here is the list!

Happy work anniversary wishes

• Today marks the day you joined the company– and that is worth celebrating!
• Happy work anniversary. We are so glad you chose to join us and that you choose to stay with us.
• We would miss you if you were to leave. However, you are still here, so instead, we will say– happy work anniversary!
• Here’s to another year of having you here!
• Once upon a time, a new employee started working here, and the company was never the same. Happy work anniversary!
• Happy workiversary to the hardest working person I know!
• We are so happy every year you are here! Happy work anniversary!
• You may know more than you did when you started working here, but you are just as curious as you were on day one. Thankful to have an employee who is excited to always be learning. Happy work anniversary!
• You could go anywhere, yet choose to stay here– a fact we are grateful for every day! Happy work anniversary.
• Wishing the best work anniversary to the best coworker around!
• The future has big things in store for you, but we are so glad you are here with us in the present. Happy work anniversary!
• Happy work anniversary to a colleague who makes work fun!
• If every colleague were as wonderful as you, then the work world would be a much better place. Happy work anniversary!
• You make a difference every day, and we are grateful for every day you spend with us. Happy workiversary!
• From the bottom of my heart, I hope you have an amazing day. Happy workiversary.
• Today is a day to reflect on all you have achieved so far, and all you hope to accomplish in the time to come. Happy work anniversary.
• Happy work anniversary! It has been one heck of a journey so far, and I cannot wait to see where the work world takes you next!
• Happy workiversary to the most gracious team player I know!
• We were so happy to welcome you to the team this year, and are so excited to see what you will do in the years to come!
• Has it been a year already? Time flies when you are having fun with teammates!
• Today marks your one year work anniversary, but it feels like you have been here forever. We are so happy to have you as part of our team!
• You should be proud of what you have accomplished this past year– we sure are!
• One year down, countless more to go.
• Thanks for giving us these past twelve months, and giving your all during that time!
• One year ago today was your first day. The moment you sat down at your desk, everything changed! So grateful to have you as part of the team.
• Consider this your one-year-cheer. Woo-hoo!
• Thank you for the hard work you have put into this past year.
• You can do a lot in one year– you are living proof of that fact! Happy work anniversary, and thank you for all of your hard work!
• This is the first of many happy milestones. Congratulations on reaching one year!
• Happy first anniversary! Looking forward to a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and more!
• Thank you for the time and commitment you have shown the company. We are so grateful to have loyal employees like you.
• Ten years down, now let’s go for twenty!
• Happy work anniversary! With you onboard, it has been an amazing decade!
• Ten years, and each has been better than the last. Cannot wait to see what you achieve in the next ten!
• Ten years have passed since you were hired, and I have not regretted a single day since.
• Thanks for sticking it out with us over this past crazy decade! So happy to have had you along for the roller coaster ride!
• The last ten years have had ups and downs, and you have stuck by the company and the team through good times and bad. Thank you for being here and being reliable.
• Think of all you have accomplished in the past ten years, and how much you will accomplish in the next ten.
• Entering double digits is no small deal. Happy workiversary!
• Sending you the warmest wishes for your tenth work anniversary.
• Happy year ten to a perfect ten!
• Here’s to ten years, and ten thousand reasons we are happy to have you on the team!

Funny work anniversary quotes

• Another year! …You still here?
• Happy work anniversary! Maybe next year you will finally win the lottery.
• I would’ve gotten you a work anniversary card, but I’m trying to save the environment. So please, accept these heartfelt sentiments instead.
• Happy work anniversary. I’ve lost count of the years you have been with us, so I will just say it has been a looooooong time.
• Happy work anniversary, if you want to call sending memes to your coworkers all day work.
• Another work anniversary? You just had one last year!
• Happy work anniversary. What are you waiting for? A gift? Is my endless gratitude not enough for you?
• Happy work anniversary! I would shout it from the rooftops, but, safety issues, so I’ll just say it to your face instead.
• Happy workiversary! We were going to hire a plane to write it in the sky, but, budget cuts, so just enjoy some cake instead.
• Happy work anniversary. Yippee! An excuse to eat cake!
• I heard you started so long ago, that instead of filling out paperwork your first day, you chilseled your W-2 in stone. Anyway, happy work anniversary.
• Happy work anniversary, to someone who has worked here so long, their employee ID is “1.”
• Happy work anniversary to my favorite coworker to get into mischief with.
• Congrats for making it through another year at work, with only a few mental meltdowns.
• I will never know how you stay here so long and still stay sane. Thanks for sticking it out in the madhouse with us!
• Huh? Haven’t you retired yet? Well, happy work anniversary I guess!
• Happy work anniversary to someone whose tenure with the company has outlasted the average length of most celebrity marriages!
• We do not need a reason to party, but today we have one– it is your work anniversary! Woo!

Work anniversary wishes to managers

• Of all the managers in the world, we are grateful that you are ours! Happy anniversary!
• Happy work anniversary to someone who has been indispensable to our team.
• Thank you for everything you have taught me in the years so far, and everything you will teach me in the years to come.
• Happy workiversary to the nicest boss around!
• I am so lucky to have worked under you for so long, and hope to be on your team for a long time to come!
• Happy work anniversary to a manager who is more like a teammate, in all the best ways.
• Happy workiversary! We hope your bosses appreciate you as much as this team appreciates having you as a manager!
• You are more than a manager, you are a leader. We are so glad to have you with us for another year.
• I hope that when I work here as many years as you have, I am just as excellent of a leader as you are.
• If I accomplish half of what you have in your time here so far, I will consider it a success.
• Happy work anniversary to the boss who never forgets our workiversaries!
• Happy work anniversary to the boss who made all of our work anniversaries possible!
• I cannot imagine working here without a boss as great as you. Happy work anniversary!

For more messages for managers, check out this list of Boss Day quotes .

Final Thoughts

Acknowledging work anniversaries is a relatively new practice, and some bosses or coworkers may struggle to find the right words to honor the occasion. The work anniversary wishes on this list aim to make employees feel valued and appreciated. However, heartfelt and personalized messages are often the most meaningful, so feel free to tweak the wording or expand upon these sayings to find the perfect sentiment for your treasured teammate on their special day.

Next, check out these fun work anniversary memes , our list of positive quotes for work , these years of service award ideas and these ideas for celebrating work anniversaries .

We also have a list of important work milestones for employees .

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FAQ: Work anniversary wishes

Here are answers to common questions about work anniversary wishes, messages and quotes.

What are some good ways to say happy work anniversary?

Some good ways to say happy work anniversary include:

There are many other ways to acknowledge the accomplishment of completing another year with the company and making teammates feel special.

Why is wishing coworkers a happy work anniversary important?

Recognition is an important component of employee satisfaction, and wishing coworkers a happy work anniversary recognizes the time and hard work colleagues have put into the company. Acknowledging the occasion can make the milestone feel more momentous, and can also incentivize teammates to remain with the company longer term.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com.

Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Celebrating a Decade: The 10 Year Work Anniversary Guide

Celebrating a 10 year work anniversary is an exciting milestone in any employees career. This significant event marks a decade of dedication, perseverance, and growth and it stands for an individual's resolute loyalty to their work and the company they represent. The 10 year work anniversary deserves recognition that matches its magnitude. Let's dive into the significance of work anniversaries and their benefits.

The Significance of Work Anniversaries

Work anniversaries aren't just a date on the calendar. They represent an employee's loyalty and dedication to your organization and employers should be celebrating these milestones. a 10 year work anniversary can supercharge morale, amplify job satisfaction levels, and help cultivate a positive work culture that echoes with laughter and high-fives instead of sighs or groans. Acknowledging employees' hard work is no longer optional in today's competitive business environment. It has become as vital as providing them with their paycheck every month. A Gallup survey found that employees who feel unrecognized are twice more likely to say "Adios" within the next year.

Mental Boost from Celebrations

Recognizing accomplishments such as reaching significant tenure landmarks can have profound psychological impacts on employees. These celebrations make them feel valued for their contributions and reaffirm their importance within the team structure - think about how you'd react if someone threw you a surprise party because they genuinely appreciate having you around. It's the little things that can make an employee loyal. 

Beyond Monetary Rewards: The Value of Recognition

In this era where companies compete fiercely offering similar financial incentives, recognition stands out like neon lights against a dark night sky when it comes to retaining talent. No matter whether it's one-year work anniversary wishes or happy 25th work anniversary messages; acknowledging your staff members' professional life achievements creates bonds stronger than any monetary reward could ever forge. Research shows, while cash bonuses are great, acknowledgment from supervisors or peers often means even more during milestone celebrations like awesome eighth-work anniversaries.

Understanding Employee Appreciation in the Post-Pandemic Era

We're living in unprecedented times where businesses have had to adapt quickly. One significant change? The way we appreciate our employees. In this post-pandemic era, acknowledging each individual's contribution towards organizational success is crucial. Celebrating important moments like work anniversaries can make all the difference here. These celebrations remind everyone that every day spent working towards company goals matters - it's appreciated. A well-thought-out recognition program that includes celebrating key moments can significantly boost morale and engagement levels while retaining top talent within your organization. So let us navigate through these changing times together by valuing our greatest asset - our people - every step of the way.

From One-Year to Decades-Long Celebrations

A one-year work anniversary is quite special; it's their first milestone with you. You could say something like: "Congratulations on reaching your one-year work anniversary. Your dedication and commitment to our team have been invaluable. Thank you for all that you do." For longer service anniversaries such as happy eighth or 25th ones, your message should reflect on the years filled with commitment and achievements. For instance: "Happy 10th work anniversary. Over the past decade, you have consistently gone above and beyond in your role. Your tireless effort and enthusiasm have been a major factor in our team's accomplishments. Thank you for your continued commitment."

Tailoring Gifts Based on Employees' Preferences

Besides words that convey heartiest congratulations, thoughtful gifts can add another layer of appreciation. The trick lies in aligning these presents with individual preferences or interests outside professional life. This might mean giving additional paid leave for those who love traveling or wellness packages tailored towards health-conscious team members. Such gestures show respect for employees as individuals beyond their roles at work - building stronger relationships within teams while boosting morale too.

Personalizing Gifts Based on Employees' Preferences

The secret sauce to finding an ideal anniversary gift lies in understanding what each employee values most. Some might appreciate experiences such as team outings or fancy dinners, while others may prefer tangible items like personalized stationery or tech gadgets. Besides this, providing flexible options where employees choose their own rewards from a curated selection of experiences or products ensures they receive something they genuinely want. This approach demonstrates respect for individuality along with appreciation for all those hours of dedicated service. A popular choice among many organizations today is corporate gift cards, which cater to diverse tastes while still conveying gratitude towards hardworking staff members.

Ten Unique Gift Suggestions

• Cash Bonus : A monetary reward always makes an impact by directly acknowledging the added value through years of service.
• Paid Time Off : Additional vacation days often resonate well with staff who highly regard work-life balance.
• Educational Courses/Workshops : Investing in professional development signals commitment towards nurturing growth within your company.
• Gym Memberships : Wellness perks showcase concern about health beyond working hours.
• Mentorship Opportunities : Pairing seasoned personnel with industry leaders provides invaluable learning opportunities that go far beyond traditional training programs.

Acknowledging a Decade's Worth of Contributions

The first step in this celebration begins with crafting heartfelt congratulations messages acknowledging their significant contributions over these years. This could range from consistent performance, innovative solutions, or even demonstrating never-ending team spirit within the organization. Your message might sound something like: "Happy 10th Work Anniversary. Your relentless pursuit of excellence has not only contributed significantly to our growth but also fostered a positive environment within our team." Tailoring your messages according to each individual's unique role and achievements makes it more meaningful. For instance, if they've led successful projects or consistently met targets throughout these years, mention those accomplishments specifically. In addition to thoughtful words, consider organizing special events such as celebratory lunches with colleagues or surprise parties at the workplace. These go beyond expressing gratitude through mere words and truly show appreciation for employees who've been there every step of the way during both thick and thin times. You can make them feel valued by offering opportunities for professional growth alongside regular feedback sessions where they are heard. Regular feedback sessions play a crucial part in making them feel appreciated every day not just on anniversaries thereby fostering stronger relationships between employers and employees.

Building Long-Term Relationships with Employees

In the world of human resources, acknowledging work anniversaries is more than just a tradition. It's an essential strategy for fostering long-term relationships with your employees. By celebrating these milestones, employers send out a clear message - they value their team members' hard work and dedication. This practice goes beyond professional courtesy; it helps build strong bonds based on mutual respect and recognition.

The Power of Regular Appreciation

Acknowledging employee accomplishments shouldn't be limited to annual events like work anniversaries. Instead, expressing appreciation regularly throughout the year can make all the difference when it comes to boosting morale and job satisfaction.

• Saying "thank you" for a job well done or providing positive feedback encourages loyalty among staff members.
• Maintaining open communication channels allows constructive criticism which promotes personal growth within teams.
• An environment where everyone feels valued fosters transparency - key elements in nurturing lasting professional relationships.

Communication: The Key to Trust Building

Besides showing gratitude, another important aspect of relationship-building is maintaining open lines of communication between management and employees. This isn't simply about addressing issues as they arise it's also about creating an atmosphere where ideas can flow freely from both sides.

• Cultivating trust through regular interaction paves the way for honest conversations regarding any concerns or suggestions.
• Fostering such openness enables better problem-solving strategies leading towards collective growth.

FAQs in Relation to 10 Year Work Anniversary

What do you write in a 10 year work anniversary.

Acknowledge their dedication, highlight significant contributions, and express gratitude for their loyalty. Make it personal and sincere to show genuine appreciation for the decade-long commitment.

What should I say for 10 years of service?

Celebrate the milestone by emphasizing the employee's growth, achievements, and positive impact on your organization over the past ten years. Show your deep respect for their enduring loyalty.

What should I say in my work anniversary?

Showcase your journey, thank colleagues who have supported you along the way, share key accomplishments and lessons learned. It's an opportunity to reflect on your growth within the company.

It's about acknowledging dedication, loyalty, and the countless contributions made over a decade. From crafting heartfelt messages to choosing personalized gifts, each gesture plays its part in boosting morale and job satisfaction. In today's competitive job market, these celebrations become even more crucial for employee retention. The pandemic has only heightened this need for appreciation. Remember that celebrating ten years of service isn't merely an annual ritual; it's an opportunity to foster long-term relationships with your team members.

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30 Thoughtful Ways To Celebrate Work Anniversaries In 2024

Congratulations, one of your team members made it through their first year (or more) at your company! Now it’s time to celebrate them for all the hard work they’ve done. The ideas we’ll cover aren’t exclusive to the first work anniversary. These ideas can be used for any special milestone to boost employee experience. Work anniversaries are essential dates to recognize.

Why Work Anniversaries Are So Important

The first year of tenure at work is crucial. A great year with your employees sets your company up for success. Employee turnover causes more turmoil than most of us want to admit. Some people have estimated that turnover costs $15,000 per worker , from lost productivity to the cost of rehiring and training.

One of the best ways to prevent employee turnover is to be genuinely interested in your employees and their development at your company. One way to show your employees how much they care is by celebrating important dates, like their anniversary date or birthday . The first anniversary is your employee’s first interaction with how you treat employees as they progress through your company. A simple “Thank You,” or a pat on the back won’t be enough.

Celebrating work anniversaries helps you foster employee loyalty while showing how much you care. Employees are always evaluating their tenure at your company, especially during special times like this. Get your employees excited about what’s to come by celebrating their big day.

Before diving into the 30 work anniversary ideas, let’s look at some crucial tips to keep in mind.

7 Tips For Work Anniversaries And Years Of Service

Now that we know why we celebrate work anniversaries, here are some general rules to adhere to as you work to build a scalable strategy for this type of milestone:

1. Keep Up With Everyone’s Work Anniversary Dates

You shouldn’t be celebrating work anniversaries five days or weeks after the event. If possible, you should be celebrating the day of or earlier (if you group work anniversary celebrations in some way.) You should keep all of these important dates on your office calendar so you can keep an eye on upcoming anniversaries.

If you are a forgetful person, you might also want to make a pre-reminder about a month or two before each anniversary date. Setting a pre-reminder will give you ample time to work with their manager and get the perfect gift.

2. Get Everyone Involved

Your employees should hear from more than one person on their work anniversary. They have likely connected with countless employees during their tenure with the company. Make sure everyone knows about upcoming anniversary dates so that they can take part in the fun. Use a tool like Nectar’s recognition and rewards tool to call out anniversaries publicly (and allow others in the company to comment.)

3. Be Creative And Make It Personal

You don’t want to give out a general Amazon gift card, put some thought into your anniversary gift. Their anniversary gift is unique, and it will be seen as the culmination of your experience working with an employee. Make sure that the present feels special and unique to the person you’re gifting.

4. Ensure That All Gifts Are Equitable

Don’t spoil one employee if you can’t spoil them all. We want to ensure that gifts line up across the company and the departments you run. Make sure that all managers understand the gift spending limits you have in place for each anniversary date. Co-workers talk to each other, so be careful to ensure that no one feels under-appreciated because of what you give them versus their peers.

5. Don’t Think You Need To Spend A Lot Of Money

If you don’t have a ton of money to spend, you can do many free and meaningful things for your employees. Think outside the box and get what you can to celebrate them. Your employees should know the state of your company and your finances. They’ll understand if a gift can’t be extravagant, as long as it’s meaningful.

6. Budget For Work Anniversaries

Even though you don’t need to have a ton of money to give a great anniversary present, work anniversaries should still be a part of your budget. You’ll only be able to get meaningful gifts if gifting is a line item on your budget. You don’t want to have to try and find the money for it later in the year when you should be shopping for a gift.

7. Do Different Things Based On Tenure

Tenure matters. In a world where people change jobs more frequently than they wash their pants, incentivizing or recognizing tenure is seen as the best practice. If you’re going to budget for work anniversary or service awards, make sure to create it in tenure-based tiers. For example, some companies will do something extra special in years 1, 3, 5, and 10.

Editor's note: At Nectar , we automate shoutouts and bonuses for work anniversaries that can be customized to fit whatever annual milestones you'd like.

30 Stellar Work Anniversary Rewards and Ideas

General tips are great, but what about specifics? Here are some fantastic work anniversary ideas that your employees will love.

1. Customized Company Swag

Custom swag can be a fantastic reward for a job well done, but it also promotes your brand. Over time, your employees will love looking at the swag they’ve collected. Here are some custom company swag ideas:

• Hoodies/sweatshirts
• Jackets/coats
• Hats/beanies
• Tanks/Shirts

For an even nicer impression, get your employee’s name embroidered on the items you give them.

Nectar can help you create a custom on-demand swag storefront to make this process seamless. This is especially great if you have remote employees so you don’t have to worry about the logistics of getting it to them.

2. Create A Service Award Program

Consistency is key. Avoid being too ad hoc with work anniversary appreciation, or you’ll run the risk of forgetting people. The best way to stay consistent is to create a formal Service Awards program or predetermined Anniversary Award. This may sound boring, but it doesn’t have to be. You can spice it up! The goal with Service Awards or Anniversary Awards is to provide an equitable, personal way to celebrate this special day with each team member. Don’t be too old school and give out anniversary gifts like plaques or trophies. Instead, give employees their choice of gift card or company swag. Allow them to choose what they get most excited about.

Nectar Tip : Don’t get caught in the trap of having to purchase one-off gifts for each employee’s anniversary. Set up an employee milestone program through Caroo , where you can input all your employee birthdays and anniversaries, and ship gifts out all in one easy to use platform. An anniversary award like their dedicated Milestone Box is a great way to show some love!

3. Give Them A Shout Out On Social Media (LinkedIn)

Who doesn’t love public recognition? Create a special post on LinkedIn about them. If you can, include the following:

• A picture of them (along or with you and the team.)
• A unique, personalized message as to why they’re essential to your team.
• Three things you’ve learned from them over the last year.

You could do this as a “spotlight” from your company’s Linkedin account or your personal account. A sincere “Thank You” can go a long way. This is also a creative way to display your company culture and how you treat your staff in a public setting.

4. Check Something Off Their Bucket List

“I went skydivin’, I went Rocky Mountain climbin’, I went 2.7 seconds…” I know you heard Tim McGraw in the back of your head when you read ‘bucket list’ above. Everyone has a bucket list of things they want to experience. Create a budget and enable employees to create a memorable experience on you. Each time they remember the unforgettable experience, they’ll remember that you cared enough to make it happen. Talk about employee loyalty!

5. Create A Commemorative Video For Them

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth ten thousand. Videos are simple to put together since most of us have smartphones with fantastic video capabilities. Get everyone in the company who regularly works with your employee to record a quick video about their experience. If they work with customers or vendors, get them involved too! Cut the video together, post it online, and send the video link to your employee on their anniversary date. A great tool for recording and sharing videos is Loom.

Here are some things your video can cover:

• How would you describe the employee in three words? Why?
• What is your favorite memory of working with the employee?
• What moment made you the proudest of the employee this year?

6. Offer To Pay For An Online Course To Learn A New Skill

Personal development and investing in your employee’s personal growth can make a huge difference. There are so many excellent classes and conferences in your industry. Pick a conference and pay for them to attend it, purchase a course on Udemy , or get a subscription to a site like Skillshare .

7. Help Them Chase A Hobby They Love

Your employees are more than welcome to have passions outside of work. Help them invest in those passions by paying for a class or personalized experience that’s unrelated to the work they do for your company. One good option for this is Skillpop , an online platform that offers expert-led classes and workshops virtually.

8. Send Cookies Or Gourmet Soup

A warm, delicious care package can brighten anyone’s day. Find your local cookie delivery service and order a box of mouthwatering goodness to their place. Alternatively, you can use a service like Spoonful of Comfort to send gourmet soup or gift baskets in their direction. If the way to their heart is through their stomach, you can’t go wrong here. This is an especially great option if you have remote employees.

9. Donate To Their Favorite Charity

If your employee loves helping others, let them pick a charity to donate to. Donate to that charity in your employee’s name and give them a small token of your appreciation alongside the gift. You’ll be helping so many people in the process.

10. Share Their Story In The Company Newsletter

If you have a newsletter that goes out to customers, prospects, or employees regularly, share their story in the newsletter. Sit down with each employee that’s celebrating a work anniversary. Gather information about their time at the company. Speak with employees who regularly work with them and see if they would like to comment about the employee. Gather all of this and share it company-wide.

11. Give Them A Day Off

We could all use a day off work. Encourage your employee to take time off and spend some time with friends and family. Don’t count this as a vacation day. Make anniversaries a holiday at your company.

12. Give Them A Long Vacation

If your employees have been with you for a while, you might want to offer an extended vacation or sabbatical based on their tenure. Unfortunately, most employees aren’t able to take longer than a week at a time. If you can spare the human resources, consider giving employees a two week or month-long vacation after several years with your organization.

13. Send Flowers, A Fruit Basket, Or A Plant

If you’re looking for a simple way to show appreciation , you could purchase a flower bouquet or get a fruit basket . These gifts can brighten your employee’s workspace for the week. Get these items delivered to the office or your employee’s home for a special touch. Make sure to include a personal note with a ‘thank-you’ and tell them why you appreciate them.

Indoor plants can make memorable gifts because every time your employee looks at the plant, they’ll be reminded of your company. Your employees might not want the responsibility of taking care of a plant. It probably goes without saying, but don’t give someone a plant who may not want one – know your people!

14. Cover A Meal For Them To Celebrate

Enable your employee to enjoy lunch or dinner with a +1. A work anniversary provides the perfect time for them to celebrate with a co-worker or loved one. You could send them a Doordash credit to have the meal delivered or offer them a selection of dining gift cards to choose from.

15. Give Them THE Coveted Parking Spot

What can I say? For some reason, we crave VIP parking spots, especially when they are earned. Maybe it’s the prime location with minimal steps to the entrance, or the fact that it’s covered to protect your baby from extreme conditions. It could be the implied status of being special. Either way, give them the white-glove treatment by letting them park in the best spot for the day.

16. Give Your Employees Extra Responsibility And A Raise

If your employees are engaged, they don’t want to stay stagnant. Your employee has learned a lot about you and your company over a year. If they are in a smaller role, it might be time to start planning a larger employee role. Make sure you also give them a raise to go along with the extra responsibilities.

If you don’t have an opening in your company currently, sit down with that employee to discuss their future with the company. Having a candid career conversation shows that you want to invest in their growth, even if you can’t give them more responsibilities right now.

17. Take Something Off Their Plate

Your employees are busy, and they probably have one aspect of their job they don’t like. Ask them to write out a list of all the things they do each week. Ask them to identify all the activities they wouldn’t mind getting rid of. Take on that activity, give it to a freelancer , or let the next hire in the department take that activity on.

18. Give Them A Handwritten Card

Though this method seems dated, a good ole’ handwritten card or note just hits different. Go to Walmart and pick out a card or make it yourself using whatever paper you have. The substance is more important than the look. Let your employee know the reasons you appreciate them. This approach may not be the most scalable if you have many employees, but people cherish the effort that goes into handwritten cards.

19. Purchase A New Computer

If your employees have been with you for a long time, they probably need a tech check. Computers don’t last forever. Some estimates say that you can expect to replace a computer every four to five years. The truth is that computers are a large part of our everyday lives as employees. An old computer can slow the workday down and drastically decrease productivity at work. Buying a new computer and giving the old one to your employee might be an excellent gift for employees who have been with your company for several years.

20. Commission A Beautiful Portrait/Art

A beautifully done portrait or art piece can make your employee’s house or office feel personalized and cozy. With so many artists sharing their work online at a reasonable price, you might consider commissioning art for your employees. For example, you can get a funny portrait created of them, a pet portrait that showcases their furry friends, or an art piece that symbolizes a place that’s special to them. Art makes a personalized gift that also supports artists across the world.

21. Let Them Get A Home Office Makeover

Many employees had to cut ties with the office and go remote (for the time being at least.) If you’re like many companies, you’ll probably be remote for a while, at least until we all start to settle down. When companies went remote in 2020, employees didn’t have time to think about home office decor and creating a productive home office. Most employers and employees couldn’t fathom how long we’d be working remotely due to the pandemic.

If you’ve had remote employees for a while and you have plans to stay that way, they need a home office that inspires them. One of the best gifts you can give a tenured staff member right now is a home office makeover. Give them a nice budget to rework and update their office space with decor, a new desk, and things that make working from home more exciting

22. Write Them A LinkedIn Recommendation

There’s a good chance that many of your employees won’t retire from your organization. Your employees deserve your support, though. They’ve given so much to your organization! Write your employees a stellar LinkedIn recommendation that they can continue to lean on no matter where they land in your organization during the years to come.

23. Purchase A Shoutout On Cameo

If you’re looking for a fun celebrity themed gift, get your employees a shoutout via Cameo . There are so many celebrities on the site, from actors to comedians to creators. Get to know who your employees are interested in, and consider paying for a short video from Cameo as a gift.

24. Offer Stock Options In Your Company

Stock options give your staff incentive to see your company succeed, grow, and prosper. Common stock options are a great gift to give for tenured employees that should only become more valuable over time. It’s best to pair a gift like stock options with a gift that’s more concrete because stock options invest in the future. Your team will love the sentiment that they have some ownership in the future of your company.

25. Boost Their Number Of Paid/Sick Days

Earlier, we shared the idea of giving a special day off or sabbatical, but another option is to increase their number of paid days yearly. If all of your employees get one week of PTO, consider giving them extra days at pivotal milestones like their first, fifth, and tenth anniversary.

For example, once they’ve been with your company for a year, you could bump their time off to 2 weeks per year. At their fifth anniversary, you could bump that number up to three weeks per year, etc., until you reach your desired cap of PTO per year.

26. Create The Story Of Their Work There

As your employees continue their tenure at your company, they’ve accomplished so many things. It can be hard to keep up with all the fantastic work, and it can feel like our people keep going like the Energizer bunny. Instead, give your employees a chance to reflect by writing the story of their work at your company.

Creating your employee’s work story is easy with a site like Shutterfly . Collect pictures, stories from various co-workers, and write out your thoughts about having them as an employee. Put all of this together in a special photo book that is sure to wow them.

27. Create Art At Company Headquarters That Incorporates Your Tenured Employees

If your employee has been with your company for a while, it can be challenging to get your employee something meaningful. Make your tenured employee a part of your company history.

If you own the land where you are headquartered, you can get a brick made with their name on it and get it paved into the sidewalk or put it in a special location at your company HQ.

As another option, you could create a mural inside or outside of your building that incorporates your employees or their names.

28. Host A Party In Their Honor

Who wouldn’t want a party in their honor? As your people become more tenured, consider throwing them a party! Make everything themed around them, from interesting banners to party favors. You could also play a trivia game based on them or have their colleagues write and share speeches about working with them. Plus, it never hurts to make a custom cake or cupcakes with their face on it.

29. Give Them A Bonus

Who doesn’t love a little extra cash flow now and then? Giving tenured employees a one-time bonus will help them financially and is an excellent option if you can’t afford a regular pay increase. Consider a small bonus as a way to show your employees that you care about them.

30. Award Them Bonus Points In Your Peer Recognition Program

One of the best parts about using a service like Nectar’s Recognition & Rewards program is that you can give out awards to your employees for many things. You may want to coordinate with your HR team to give out a large sum of points to your employees on their work anniversary. Look at how your points transfer to rewards first to give an appropriate amount of appreciation to your team. If you'd like to get some inspiration on other reward ideas for remote teams - check out this post .

Employee recognition makes all the difference at work. Your people want to be celebrated and awarded for all the work they do for your company. Taking time to plan their work anniversary celebration and any ongoing years of service can do wonders for employee engagement by creating a positive, dynamic company culture with happy employees .

Here are a few takeaways from this article:

• You don’t have to pay a large sum to celebrate your people. Getting meaningful gifts matter.
• Keep up with dates! Work anniversaries are important, and your team is keeping up with those milestone dates. Make sure they feel appreciated.
• Ensure that things are equal. Employees talk, and you want to ensure that you are fair to everyone.
• Different tenure means different gifts. Team members who have been there a year won’t get mad if your gift for a ten-year veteran is grander (or at least they shouldn’t.) Don’t get tenured employees bad gifts because you don’t want to hurt new employees.
• Put tenure gifts in your budget. You don’t want to have to find the money later on.

To automate bonuses and public shout-outs for special events like work anniversaries, years of service, or birthdays, check out Nectar !

Actionable workplace tips & insights for fellow people lovers

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•  Guest Posts

53 Thank You Message for Work Anniversary Wishes to Wish Your Coworker

Find 53 collection of curated thank you messages for work anniversary wishes to appreciate and express gratitude to your coworkers on their special day.

Table of Contents

Work anniversary wishes to boss, work anniversary wishes to team member, work anniversary wishes to manager, frequently asked question - faqs.

Receiving work anniversary wishes is a moment of great appreciation for any employee. It signifies recognition for the hard work and dedication that has been put into the job over the years.

The messages serve as a reminder of the positive impact that colleagues and managers have on one's career and create a sense of community and support within the workplace.

Here is a list of 40 thank you messages received for work anniversary wishes that express gratitude and appreciation for the kind gestures and recognition of efforts.

These messages serve as examples of how to acknowledge and express gratitude to those who take the time to celebrate this special occasion.

We hope that these thank you messages will inspire individuals to appreciate the positive relationships fostered within their workplace and continue to excel in their careers.

Birthdays and anniversaries are just a few of the significant events that frequently occur at work, and they deserve your sincere congrats. Use these to thank your coworkers for their warm work anniversary wishes.

1. I am truly grateful for all the kind wishes on my work anniversary. It means a lot to me to be a part of such a supportive team.

2. Thank you so much for remembering my work anniversary and for taking the time to send such thoughtful messages. I feel appreciated and valued.

3. I am honored to have reached this work anniversary and am grateful for the support and encouragement of my colleagues. Thank you for the warm wishes!

4. Your kind words and thoughtful messages have made my work anniversary even more special. Thank you for making me feel appreciated.

5. I feel so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful team, and your kind wishes on my work anniversary have made me even more grateful. Thank you!

6. I can't express how much your work anniversary wishes mean to me. Thank you for being such a great team to work with!

7. Thank you for taking the time to send such lovely messages on my work anniversary. Your support and encouragement mean everything to me.

8. I am grateful to be a part of such a supportive and encouraging team. Thank you for the kind wishes on my work anniversary!

9. Your thoughtful messages have made my work anniversary so much more special. Thank you for being a wonderful team to work with!

10. I am truly grateful for your warm wishes on my work anniversary. Thank you for being a part of such a supportive team!

11. Thank you for the kind messages on my work anniversary. Your support and encouragement have helped me to achieve my goals and make progress in my career.

12. Your work anniversary wishes have made my day! Thank you for being such a great team and for making me feel appreciated.

13. I am grateful for your kind words on my work anniversary. Thank you for being a part of such a wonderful team!

14. Your warm wishes on my work anniversary mean so much to me. Thank you for being such a supportive and encouraging team!

15. I am so lucky to be a part of such a supportive and caring team. Thank you for the work anniversary wishes and for being a great group to work with.

1. Your kind messages on my work anniversary have made me feel appreciated and valued. Thank you for being such a wonderful team!

17. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a fantastic team, and your warm wishes on my work anniversary have made it even more special. Thank you!

18. Thank you for the kind words and wishes on my work anniversary. Your support and encouragement have been invaluable to me.

19. Your thoughtful messages on my work anniversary have made me feel so appreciated. Thank you for being such a great team to work with!

20 .I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful group of people, and your kind wishes on my work anniversary have made it even more special. Thank you!

21. Thank you for taking the time to send me such kind and thoughtful work anniversary wishes. It means a lot to me to know that I am appreciated.

22. I feel so fortunate to have such a supportive team, and your work anniversary messages have made me even more grateful. Thank you for your appreciation!

23. I am truly grateful for the warm work anniversary wishes that you have sent my way. Your support and encouragement are invaluable to me.

24. Your appreciation and recognition on my work anniversary have made me feel proud of what I have accomplished. Thank you for your kind words.

25. Thank you for the wonderful work anniversary messages! It is an honor to be a part of such a great team and to receive such appreciation.

26. I am humbled by the outpouring of support and appreciation that I have received on my work anniversary. Thank you for recognizing my efforts.

27. I am so grateful for your appreciation and recognition on my work anniversary. It is an honor to be a part of such a great team.

28. Your work anniversary messages have made me feel appreciated and valued. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and dedication.

29. Thank you for the kind words and appreciation on my work anniversary. It is a pleasure to work with such a supportive team.

30. I am grateful for the recognition and appreciation that you have shown me on my work anniversary. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me.

31. Your appreciation and recognition on my work anniversary have made me feel proud of what I have accomplished. Thank you for your kind words.

32. Thank you for the appreciation and recognition on my work anniversary. It is a pleasure to work with such a supportive and encouraging team.

33. Your work anniversary messages have made me feel appreciated and valued. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and dedication.

34. I am grateful for the support and encouragement that you have shown me on my work anniversary. It means a lot to me to be a part of such a great team.

35. Thank you for the kind words and appreciation on my work anniversary. Your recognition and encouragement inspire me to work even harder.

36. Your work anniversary messages have made me feel appreciated and valued. Thank you for recognizing my contributions to the team.

37. I am grateful for your recognition and appreciation on my work anniversary. It is an honor to be a part of such a wonderful team.

38. Thank you for the kind words and appreciation on my work anniversary. Your support and encouragement have helped me to grow both personally and professionally.

39. Your work anniversary messages have made me feel appreciated and valued. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and dedication.

40. I am grateful for your appreciation and recognition on my work anniversary. It is a privilege to be a part of such a supportive and encouraging team.

Receiving work anniversary wishes is a special and heartwarming experience for any employee. It is a moment of recognition and appreciation for the hard work and dedication put into the job.

The support and encouragement from colleagues and managers create a sense of community and belonging within the workplace. These 40 thank you messages received for work anniversary wishes show gratitude and appreciation for the kind gestures and recognition of efforts.

It is important to acknowledge and express gratitude to those who take the time to celebrate this special occasion, as it fosters positive relationships and motivates individuals to continue to excel in their careers.

These thank you messages serve as a reminder of the impact a supportive team can have on one's career, and the importance of celebrating milestones in the workplace.

Here are some frequently asked questions about sending thank you messages for work anniversary wishes.

Why is it important to thank colleagues for work anniversary wishes?

It is important to show gratitude and appreciation to colleagues who took the time to send work anniversary wishes because it reinforces positive workplace relationships, boosts morale, and creates a positive work culture. It also shows that you value and appreciate the efforts and support of your colleagues.

What is the best way to say thank you for work anniversary wishes?

The best way to say thank you for work anniversary wishes is to express genuine gratitude and appreciation in a personalized message. You can acknowledge the individual messages or collective wishes, and highlight how their support and well wishes have made a positive impact on you. It's also important to be specific and mention the name of the person or team that sent the wishes.

What should be included in a thank you message for work anniversary wishes?

A thank you message for work anniversary wishes should include a personalized message of appreciation, acknowledge the individual or team who sent the wishes, and express how their support and well wishes have made a positive impact on you. You can also mention any plans you have for celebrating your work anniversary or express your enthusiasm for continuing to work with your colleagues.

Can I send a group thank you message for work anniversary wishes ?

Yes, sending a group thank you message for work anniversary wishes is appropriate and can be a time-saving way to express your gratitude to everyone who sent well wishes. However, it's also important to personalize the message and mention specific individuals or teams who sent the wishes.

When should I send a thank you message for work anniversary wishes?

It's best to send a thank you message for work anniversary wishes as soon as possible after receiving the messages, ideally within a day or two. This shows your colleagues that you value their support and well wishes and helps to reinforce positive workplace relationships.

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How To Write A Golden Anniversary Speech

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Home » How To Write A Golden Anniversary Speech

(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out all the different ways the Speechy team can help you write & deliver a great speech. Or check out our new AI-powered team member, SpeechyAI .)

Whether you are part of the couple delivering the speech or simply honoring them, fifty years of marriage is worth celebrating and you want to do your best at summing up those decades of devotion with a heart-warming yet witty speech.

This is your chance to show that a real-life love story can be just as funny and endearing as a Julia Roberts rom-com. More so, in fact. Real-life love may not have the same budget as a Hollywood blockbuster but it’s much more poignant and life-affirming when you know the characters involved and when time has proven that romance is more than just a fairy tale.

But if the thought of doing all that in less than ten minutes is filling you with dread, Speechy can show you how easy it really is.

Here’s what you need to know about writing a memorable anniversary speech.

HOW TO WRITE A GREAT GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

• Keep it between 5-10 minutes long:  no more than 1,200 words max.
• Tell some stories:  You’ll have heaps of humorous and sweet memories to draw on.
• Pay tribute to your partner/the couple:  Acknowledge the quirks and traits that have made the marriage so successful.
• Have a laugh:  Life is serious, share your love by sharing laughter.
• Thank those who have been supportive:  Honour those who have helped along the way.
• Finish with something sweet:  End with something sentimental. People might forget the words you say but they will always remember how you make them feel.

Share Your Stories

At the heart of every great speech are stories that explore a variety of memories and perspectives – they entice people in a way adjectives don’t.

Remember to keep your anecdotes inclusive – no ‘in jokes’ or ‘you had to be there’s’. You want the room to relate and recognise the person/couple they know and love.

Of course, mini revelations, confessions and surprises always go down well! Feel free to go through the archives and hit them with a ‘not many people know this but…’ as you reminisce through the early stages of the relationship.

Heartfelt Tribute

It is important to ensure that everyone in the room is aware that you ‘get them’. Whether you are paying tribute to your partner or your parents, delve into their habits and traits that make them the person they are.

You don’t need to pretend they’re perfect in order to honour them. In fact, confessing that you still argue whether or not the bedroom window should remain open at night, fifty years on, is one of those admissions that prove you still like each other enough to tease each other. It shows you have fun together.

Being married for fifty years is such a huge achievement, so be sure to touch on the things that have helped them reach this special milestone-even if it has included a few ‘debates’ along the way.

Have A Laugh

Humour is everything in a speech. Not only does it automatically break the ice, but it quickly entices the audience and makes everyone feel at ease.

Many people are unaware of how easy it can be to create original comedy and instead acquire their humour from recycled jokes from the internet.

Remember the adage, it’s funny because it’s true. Look at the relationship and the little quirks that have been established along the way.

Most of all, if you are part of the couple, look at yourself. Self-deprecating  humour is not only the safest form but one of the most effective. So, can you list some of your quirks and bad habits when thanking your partner for tolerating you for so long?

Ensure you find time to thank those who have helped support along the way. Be it friends, siblings or children, recognise those who have helped make this period an easier time.

If all has gone smoothly, your audience will respond well to some well-timed appreciation and sentiment to end your speech. Recognising how valued your partner/the couple is not only to you, but to everyone in the room, is a perfect way to round up.

Allow one more time to reminisce on all the magic and memories over the past fifty years and finish with that all important l-bomb. Delivered successfully, this speech will add to the ever-growing memory box.

Conclude with a toast ‘to may more happy years of loving each other’.

The Speechy team  are comedy scriptwriters by trade and romantics at heart.

If you’d like help writing your speech, check out our  Celebration Speechwriting Service . And if you’ve already written a first draft, but want to make it better, find out more about our  Edit Service .

The Speechwriting Experts

The Speechy team  are TV-trained scriptwriters/comedians by trade & we’ve helped 1,000s of speakers around the world deliver their dream speech.

Our advice has been quoted everywhere from  The New York Times  to  Grazia  and from Forbes to The Observer . Our founder has also featured on the  BBC Sounds’ Best Men podcast with Jason Manford and written ‘ The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches’ , published by Little, Brown.

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Free Anniversary Speeches

If your Anniversary Party is coming soon …

And you have been given the great honor of saying a few words

… then we have just the help you need.

• Lots of free printable Anniversary Speeches that you can customize
• And also help to structure you own speech to wow your guests.
• Plus Anniversary Speech Samples that you can personalize

Anniversary Speech Structure

Just like every great story your speech needs a

• middle 
• and an end.

Anniversary Speech Introduction

Your beginning or introduction will need to grab your guests attention.

This could in the way of a question ...

What is love?

What makes a Happy Marriage?

Where have the last … years gone?

Or it could be in the way of a quote

They say “Time flies when you are having fun” and that could not be truer for the past … years that I have spent as … husband (or wife)

“If I know what love is, it is because of you” Herman Hesse

You could paraphrase that quote to be more personal and start with If I know what love is, it is because of ….., I have loved him with all my heart since the day I met him at…

Or you could tell a joke, just be mindful of your audience!

Or start by telling everyone how you met.

Anniversary Speech Samples

Your middle is the main part of your speech

And it needs to lead on from your introduction.

If you started with a question, look at answering it.

What is love? According to Websters dictionary Love is a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person  and I know that I have been lucky to love …. for … years.

Then go on to explain why you love them – their kindness, silliness or whatever it is. Share a story about when you knew you loved them or a time when they were amazing.

What makes a Happy Marriage? If you ever need an answer to that question just take a look at Mom and Dad. The little looks they give each other, the way they support each other through everything that life throws at them and how much they enjoy each other’s company. And then go on to share a story about them both.

You can end with a quote…

And to quote Robert Browning “Grow old with me, the best is yet to be”

“Real love stories never have endings” and I look forward to being in love with you for eternity.

Or end with a thank you…

I would like to end with a thank you to Mom and Dad for being such a great example and for the love and help they have given all of us.

Don’t forget to end with a toast!

I would like to thank … for putting up with me and my snoring for the past … years. You are my love, my rock and I am your number 1 fan.

Perfect Your Anniversary Speech

To give the best anniversary speech you will need to

• Practise – lots!
• Perfect until you have nailed it.

Timing with all speeches is so important and one way to make sure you have yours spot on is to either record yourself, time yourself and video yourself. The camera on your mobile will be fine for this.

You can then play it back and either add extra bits to your speech or take things out.

Also, see if you can say your speech to a few people so you can check if your jokes work and also get feedback from them.

Free Printable Anniversary Speeches

Below you will find speech samples which you can use for your Anniversary.

• For your Wife or Girlfriend
• For your Husband or Boyfriend
• For your Parents and Grandparents
• 50th Anniversary Speeches
• And for your friends

In each sample there are gaps for you to add your own names and also spaces for you to tell your own stories and customize them for you.

Wedding Anniversary Speech Samples

Anniversary speech for your wife or girlfriend.

Thank you to all of you for being with us today to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, it means so much to both of us that you have been part of our lives and we love each and every one of you.

And for me, I need to say an even bigger thank you, to one very important lady… my wife….

For the past 25 years you have been my rock, my inspiration, you have lifted me through the bad times and cheered me on to great ones.

You are my one true love

And I am very lucky.

I won the lottery the day I met you and knew from the moment I saw you at … that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.

But how do you get a great woman like ….. to take notice of a kind of geeky/scruffy/sporty guy.

I would love to say it was through my charm, my looks and great wit.

But the truth is it was more my friend ….

*Tell story of how you met

Thank you …. For introducing us and vouching for me! We all need friends like that in our lives.

-           Toast to friend who introduced you

From then till now we have been blessed with 5 great children, 6 hamsters and have lived surrounded by family and friends.

Through that time my love for …….. has grown.

I am in awe of her ability to make a home where ever we live.

Her incredible tapestry, painting, writing or swing at golf. (Choose your wife’s hobby)

And her love of …….

She is an incredible woman and I would like to raise a toast to ……. Thank you.

Anniversary Speech For Your Husband or Boyfriend

A massive thank you to everyone for coming tonight to celebrate our 40th Anniversary, thank you for being part of our lives, you make ours richer by being you and we hope in some way we add to yours.

But wow, 40 years that’s quite a time and it has gone in a flash.

And all of this would not have been possible if 40 years ago I hadn’t married …… and if he hadn’t been such an easy man to love.

Although neither of us are perfect, we have our own strange little ways which I won’t be sharing with you tonight!

He is without doubt my perfect husband.

He is perfect for me, which reminds me of a quote I heard years ago…

A Perfect Marriage Is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on Each Other

Thank you ….. for being you

For laughing with me and at me. From the time when …. (add a fun story of the two of you)

For being a great dad to …. And ……

(add a sweet story showing him as a great dad)

And for being a perfect husband for me.

Looking forward to our next adventures.

I would like to raise a toast to ….. Happy Anniversary my love.

Anniversary Speech For Parents and Grandparents

Good evening everyone, I am ……. and honored to be with you all this evening and proud to be the son/daughter of …….. and ……….

This evening we celebrate their Golden Anniversary, 50 years of being Mr and Mrs

And wow what an amazing 50 years it has been.

They met … (tell the story – maybe quote their friends who were there at the time)

And luckily for me they fell in love and were married on …..

They have supported each other through …. (tell story of them helping each other)

And have enjoyed (share stories of hobbies, vacations and fun times they have both enjoyed)

I am lucky to have such great parents, they have shown me over the years what love is and have been selfless in their love for me and my brothers and sisters.

List why they are a great couple

They are a great example of what a strong and Happy Marriage is.

Thank you and raise a toast to your parents.

Anniversary Speech For Friends

Good evening everyone, I am …………. I have known ……….. and …………… for . years and feel that gives me an insight in to how they have such a Happy marriage.

For those of you that don’t know …….. and …………. met on (date) at (place) where ……… was looking as beautiful as she does this evening and …….. was looking his usual charming self.

Quote from husband about when they first met

Quote from wife about when they first met

As you can see they were both thinking the same thing from that first moment. (this can be said more as a joke if the quotes don’t say the same thing)

They are the perfect match.

 They both love ……

And enjoy spending time together and with their family.

Their children are here this evening and I know that they couldn’t be prouder of the people you have grown in to.

And I am proud to have them as friends.

They have shown me over the years what a great marriage is and tonight I would like us all to raise a toast to …. And wish them a very Happy Anniversary.

Short Anniversary Speech Ideas

If you would prefer to give a short Anniversary speech then that is perfectly fine, it really doesn't have to be a long-winding journey through all the years of marriage.

Instead a short and punchy speech that covers all the essentials works really well. Plus your guests may appreciate it too!

As with all speeches lets stick with the plan

• A beginning - this is the why we are here today
• A middle - a description of the best couple in all the world
• The end - let's all raise our glasses and join together to wish Jo and Sam a very Happy Anniversary.

Let's start by getting everyone's attention, you could clap, ding your glass, ring a bell or set off a horn.

Next explain that you want to say a few words.

Hi everyone, you will be pleased to know that I won't take up much of your time today *pause for your guests to cheer* but I wanted to thank you all for joining us today to celebrate Jo and Sam's 20th Anniversary and to say a few words.  

The past twenty years has flown by and through that time they have shown us how great they are together.

Being the most wonderful parents to .....

And the best friends to each other and to us all.

I am sure you will all agree that they are one of the loveliest couple's and the love that they have together is great to see. 

So please join me in raising a glass and wishing Jo and Sam the happiest Anniversary.

Jo and Sam, followed by everyone joining in the toast.

Anniversary Speeches for Milestone Anniversaries

When it comes to a big Anniversary you may want to do a longer speech or include specific quotes to that particular year.

We have put together some ideas to help you plan

• 25th Anniversary Poems to inspire you
• 50th Anniversary Speech Ideas
• 50th Wedding Anniversary Quotes
• 60th Anniversary Toasts

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Shop Anniversary Gifts By Year

 popular anniversary gifts.

" My friends LOVED this gift."  Diana

" Simply put, the wife loved it!" James L

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" My husband LOVED this for our 5 year anniversary gift. Quick delivery and amazing quality." Erin

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I was a bit late in ordering and really didn't know what to do for a first anniversary. Thanks to your online store I not only found what the 1st years gift is supposed to be, but I got the perfect gift for the Love of my life. My wife had tears of joy streaming down her face. I cant say Thank You enough. Next year I will be sure of two things. #1 shop allot sooner. #2 Order from Anniversary gifts by year. Thank You Suz and your team Ed,

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• Types of Public Speaking →

The Ultimate Guide to Nailing Your Wedding and Anniversary Speeches

Feeling the pressure to give a memorable speech at a wedding or anniversary celebration? You’re not alone – hundreds of people find themselves in this scenario every year, tasked with articulating love stories and shared memories eloquently.

This blog post brings together essential advice on how to craft a heartfelt, funny, yet concise talk that is sure to leave an impression. Ready to wow your audience? Read on.

Key Takeaways

• Crafting a heartfelt and memorable wedding or anniversary speech involves acknowledging the couple’s love story, incorporating personal anecdotes, balancing sentimentality and brevity, practicing beforehand, and ending on a high note.
• Using humor effectively in wedding or anniversary speeches can bring lightheartedness and laughter to the occasion, creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
• When giving a wedding or anniversary speech in front of a large audience, it is crucial to maintain proper etiquette by being well-prepared, engaging the audience with eye contact and appropriate body language, tailoring the speech to fit the occasion, avoiding common mistakes such as referencing inside jokes or preaching during the speech delivery, thanking and acknowledging important individuals.

Crafting a Heartfelt and Memorable Wedding or Anniversary Speech

Craft a heartfelt and memorable wedding or anniversary speech by acknowledging the couple’s love story, including personal anecdotes, balancing sentimentality and brevity, practicing the speech beforehand, and ending on a high note.

Acknowledging the couple’s love story

Paying tribute to the couple’s love story forms the heart of any memorable wedding or anniversary speech. It offers an intimate look at their journey, carefully woven together in a narrative that resonates with every guest.

It’s essential to take cues from such heartfelt tributes while crafting personalized wedding vows or speeches for your loved ones’ grand occasions. Incorporate elements like emotional arcs and meaningful milestones; remember to highlight achievements, showcase good qualities, illustrating how these shaped the relationship over time.

This form of storytelling can turn any basic toast into one of those unforgettable emotional wedding speeches that leave everyone in awe!

Including personal anecdotes

Crafting heartfelt wedding speeches often involve incorporating personal anecdotes. These stories add a warm touch and offer an intimate look into the couple’s love story, making your speech genuinely unique and memorable.

For maximum impact, choose anecdotes that reveal something about the bride or groom’s character or illustrate their bond. Such narratives not only engage the audience but also help to paint a vivid picture of the couple’s journey together, cementing their connection with the guests.

However, it’s crucial to remember that simplicity is key in wedding speeches; ensure your anecdote is brief yet impactful.

Personal anecdotes can be particularly powerful when utilized in maid of honor speeches as they offer a behind-the-scenes view into the bride’s life and her relationship dynamics. They infuse authenticity into your words while adding humor or sentimentality as needed.

As you craft your speech, consider how you want your audience to feel – maybe moved by a touching memory or chuckling at a shared funny moment between you and the couple? Focus on this emotional response during practice sessions for a successful delivery on their special day ensuring everyone leaves with sincere and happy memories.

Balancing sentimentality and brevity

Achieving the perfect equilibrium between sentimentality and brevity in a wedding or anniversary speech may seem like quite the challenge. Yet, with thoughtful planning and diligent practice you can craft an address that is both emotionally resonant and pleasantly concise.

Let’s start by focusing on the heartfelt aspect; your speech should thread the needle of emotion, highlighting key moments in the couple’s love story without dragging down the celebratory mood of the occasion.

Personal anecdotes serve this purpose well as they add a touch of nostalgia while also keeping things relatable to all attendees. But here’s where conciseness comes into play — keep stories short and sweet! Remembering to confine yourself to poignant yet succinct narratives will make your words not only memorable but also enjoyable for listeners.

Etiquette expert Liz Bryant suggests having 13 essential rules for giving a memorable wedding toast which includes avoiding lengthy monologues, staying relevant, being timely amongst others making it more engaging than tiring speeches saving guests from what could potentially transform into an endurance test instead of endearing token of your affection towards them.

Practicing the speech before the big day

Crafting a heartfelt and memorable wedding or anniversary speech is no easy task, which is why practicing the speech before the big day is crucial. By rehearsing your speech beforehand, you can ensure that you deliver it with confidence and clarity.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the content, focusing on capturing the essence of the couple’s love story and incorporating personalized anecdotes that will resonate with both them and the audience.

Balancing sentimentality and brevity is essential, so practice trimming unnecessary details while still conveying your emotional tribute effectively. By putting in the effort to practice ahead of time, you’ll be able to deliver a flawless speech that leaves a lasting impression on everyone present at this special celebration.

Ending on a high note

Crafting a memorable and impactful wedding or anniversary speech involves ending on a high note. It’s the moment where you leave the audience with a lasting impression and an emotional experience they won’t forget.

By carefully selecting your closing words, you can create a powerful finale that evokes heartfelt emotions and resonates with everyone in the room. Adding inspiring quotes to your speech is a great way to achieve this.

With  over 140 wedding quotes  available, you can find the perfect words to bring depth and meaning to your speech. These quotes are designed to stir emotions, evoke memories, and leave a lasting impact on both the couple and their loved ones.

Using Humor Effectively in Wedding or Anniversary Speeches

Using humor in wedding or anniversary speeches can bring lightheartedness and laughter to the occasion, creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

The role of humor

Humor plays a vital role in delivering an engaging and memorable wedding or anniversary speech. Incorporating comedy into your speech adds emotional variety to the event, providing a lighthearted counterpoint to more serious moments.

It helps create a bond between you as the speaker and the audience, allowing them to connect with you on a deeper level. By using humor effectively, you can not only entertain but also inspire your listeners.

Whether it’s sharing funny stories or incorporating clever jokes and quotes, adding humor to your speech can make it more enjoyable for everyone involved. So don’t be afraid to infuse your special occasion speeches with laughter and wit – it will truly leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Dos and don’ts of using humor

Using humor can be a powerful tool in wedding or anniversary speeches, but it’s important to understand the dos and don’ts of incorporating it effectively. Dos include using humorous anecdotes and witty remarks to engage the audience, maintaining a lighthearted tone throughout the speech, and delivering jokes with good timing and pacing.

It’s also crucial to ensure that the humor is appropriate for the occasion and doesn’t offend any guests. On the other hand, some don’ts to keep in mind are avoiding offensive or controversial jokes, not relying too heavily on inside jokes that only a few people will understand, and not making fun of anyone in a mean-spirited way.

By following these guidelines, you can captivate your listeners with captivating storytelling and leave them with fond memories of your speech.

Wedding and Anniversary Speech Etiquette

When giving a wedding or anniversary speech in front of a large audience, it is crucial to maintain proper etiquette and avoid common mistakes.

Giving the speech in front of a large audience

When delivering a wedding or anniversary speech in front of a large audience, it’s important to keep a few key things in mind to ensure that your words have the desired impact. First and foremost, make sure you are well-prepared and know your speech inside out.

Practice beforehand and familiarize yourself with the flow and structure of your speech. This will help boost your confidence when speaking in front of a crowd.

Additionally, engage the audience by maintaining eye contact and using appropriate body language. A confident posture and gestures can go a long way in capturing their attention. Remember that public speaking is all about connecting with your listeners, so try to speak clearly and audibly while conveying genuine emotion.

One helpful tip is to tailor your speech to fit the occasion – whether it’s lighthearted or more formal. Injecting humor at appropriate moments can also help break the ice and establish rapport with the audience.

However, be mindful not to overdo it as too much humor may detract from the sentimental aspects of wedding or anniversary speeches.

Avoiding common mistakes

To give an exceptional wedding or anniversary speech, it’s crucial to avoid some common mistakes. For starters, steer clear of referencing inside jokes that only a few people in the audience will understand.

Instead, focus on stories and anecdotes that resonate with everyone and highlight the couple’s love story. Another mistake to avoid is trying to impart wisdom or preach during your speech. Keep it light-hearted and heartfelt instead.

Furthermore, be mindful of the length of your speech. Going too long can lose the interest of your audience and make them restless. Remember, brevity is key when delivering a memorable speech.

Additionally, knowing your audience is essential for success. Consider who will be present at the wedding or anniversary celebration and adjust your content accordingly. Avoid telling stories that predate the bride and groom as they might not be familiar with them.

Lastly, adequate preparation is vital for avoiding blunders during your speech delivery. Don’t wing it! Practice beforehand to ensure you’re comfortable speaking in front of a large crowd.

Thanking and acknowledging important individuals

In wedding and anniversary speeches, expressing gratitude and recognition towards important individuals is crucial. Whether it’s the parents, members of the wedding party, or the guests themselves, acknowledging their role in the couple’s journey is a meaningful gesture.

A heartfelt thank-you toast can convey deep appreciation and touch people’s hearts. By mentioning specific contributions or sharing personal anecdotes, you can make your speech more personalized and engaging.

Understanding the  etiquette of wedding speech order  and avoiding common mistakes will ensure that your gratitude shines through while adhering to tradition. Don’t forget to express thanks for everyone who made the day possible – it will leave a lasting impression on all those involved.

In conclusion, crafting a heartfelt and memorable wedding or anniversary speech requires careful thought, personal anecdotes, and a balance of sentimentality and brevity. By practicing your speech beforehand and ending on a high note, you can captivate your audience and create lasting memories for the couple.

Remember to use humor effectively and adhere to proper speech etiquette while expressing gratitude towards important individuals. With these tips in mind, you’ll deliver an unforgettable speech that celebrates love, commitment, and cherished moments.

1. How long should a wedding or anniversary speech be?

The length of a wedding or anniversary speech can vary depending on the structure and format of the event, as well as personal preferences. However, it is generally recommended to keep speeches between 5 to 10 minutes to maintain engagement and avoid becoming too lengthy.

2. What are some tips for delivering a memorable wedding or anniversary speech?

To deliver a memorable speech, it is important to personalize your message, include heartfelt anecdotes or stories about the couple, practice beforehand to ensure smooth delivery, maintain good eye contact with the audience, and speak with genuine emotion and enthusiasm.

3. Should I use humor in my wedding or anniversary speech?

Using humor in your speech can add an entertaining element and help engage the audience. However, it’s vital to find a balance between lighthearted jokes that everyone can appreciate and avoiding potentially offensive material that could embarrass the couple or other attendees.

4. Can I include advice or words of wisdom in my wedding or anniversary speech?

Absolutely! Including advice or words of wisdom in your speech is often appreciated by couples and guests alike. Sharing insights about love, marriage, and relationships can bring depth and meaning to your message while also offering valuable guidance for the future journey of the couple’s life together.

44 Unforgettable Work Anniversary Ideas, Rewards & Gifts For Celebrating Years of Service at a Company

With everything on your plate, it can be tempting to let anniversary celebrations fall to the wayside.

But neglecting them can turn out to be a costly cultural error. That’s because celebrating work anniversaries isn’t just a nice gesture for your employees or coworkers – there’s a strong business case to be made for making work anniversaries a priority at your company.

Sound strange? It all comes down to the fact that our emotions and our performance are intimately linked.

When employers offer an anniversary gift or reward, they’re really saying: “This is a symbol of what all your work means to me.” In other words, work anniversary acknowledgments can make or break an employee’s sense of meaning, and consequently their motivation and productivity .

Since gratitude and optimism affect performance, companies who proactively foster these positive emotions via a culture of recognition have an automatic leg-up on those who don’t. Bonusly recently reported that companies with high levels of employee engagement improved 19% in operating income.

Plus, there’s the fact that work anniversaries have a relatively high ROI – you get an outsized return for not much time or money. All it really takes is a little planning, some creativity, and genuine appreciation .

But it only works if you do it right. Here’s our top tips, tactics, and company anniversary ideas for employees to help you make the most of work anniversaries.

Some Of Our Favorite Work Anniversary Ideas:

• 🙌 Public Recognition
• 💳 Virtual Spending Card
• 🎉 Automate Milestones
• 🎁 Send a Work Anniversary Gift
• 📈 Provide Growth And Development

1) Publicly Recognize Them On The Company Recognition Feed

What could be more fast, easy, or effective than giving employees a public shout-out on their big day? This idea represents  employee recognition  amplification at its finest. Call out a few of the characteristics and accomplishments you admire most in them. Hearing this from you will make them feel good, and having you say it publicly will feel great.

What is this? Employee anniversary recognition

• 1 year work anniversary
• 2 year work anniversary
• 3 year work anniversary

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Your public message is more than a message. Giving employees the recognition they crave in any format can instill in them a fulfilling sense of  meaning .

How to get started: Never miss this critical moment of employee engagement by intelligently automating messages and reminders with  Bonusly .

Pro-tip: Add this same recognition step to your  onboarding checklist  to give brand-new employees a proper  welcome and help them yearn to make it from the first day to that first anniversary.

2) Do A LinkedIn Shout-Out

Look beyond your internal communication channels and take your recognition public with a LinkedIn shoutout. Publicly recognizing an employee’s anniversary and also their unique skills will give them an immediate rush of satisfaction and also potentially bolster their long-term feelings of career fulfillment. Plus, the post will bring recognition pouring in from other areas as well.

• 4 year work anniversary
• 5 year work anniversary

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Public recognition amplifies the pride they already feel on their special employee milestone day .

How to get started: Check out  this example  to plan your post.

Looking for more ideas? For additional ways to celebrate your colleague’s special day, request a FREE copy of Bonusly’s guide to How to Celebrate Work Anniversaries ! This downloadable is chock full of easy-to-follow games and activities that are perfect for the entire office!

3) Virtual Spending Card

Rest assured that employees get what they want by giving them the funds they need to get whatever it is. Pair the spending card with a thoughtful note to add a touch of customization to what’s a universally appealing  employee reward .

What is this? Work anniversary reward

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Choosing how to treat themselves. It’s both empowering and enjoyable.

How to get started: Select your gift cards, balances, vendors, and distribution by checking out SnackNation’s Employee Rewards Guide .

4) Automate Milestones (So You Never Miss A Single One)

If you are running a large team, keeping track of milestones can be a little difficult. Luckily, many employee milestone programs have built in frameworks to manage work anniversaries, birthdays, and any other important milestones in an easy-to-manage dashboard.

The added bonus to automating your employee anniversary program is that managers do not have to stress about juggling dates, shipping times, gift selection and everything else!

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They receive a milestone celebration from the team without making a big fuss!

How to get started: Work with an employee milestone platform that can track your entire team’s anniversaries in one centralized dashboard.

5) The Experience Of A Lifetime

Give employees an experience they’ll never forget, one perfectly suited to their personality, whether they’re adventurous (paragliding), curious (guiding hiking), or outdoorsy (river rafting).

A good experience provides the gift of novelty, which in turn leads to happiness. As Scott Bea, PsyD, told  Cleveland Clinic ,

“The brain latches onto new things. Novelty helps us learn, so the brain prefers it. New and different experiences reward the brain.”

What is this? Work anniversary experience

• 10 year work anniversary
• 15 year work anniversary
• 20 year work anniversary

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll soak up all the novelty, happiness, and memories and return to work with renewed vigor and also a renewed commitment to the organization that enabled their experience.

How to get started: Request this world of experiences catalog at Stadium  to find all the possibilities you can place at your valued employees’ fingertips.

6) A Handwritten Note

Say “happy work anniversary” with a heartfelt handwritten note. This low-tech idea is simple but super effective. The fact that it’s handwritten demonstrates an extra level of care your team members will notice and appreciate.

Best for: 1 year work anniversary

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Old-fashioned handwritten anniversary cards represent a great deal of time and care in a world of digital shortcuts. Who wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of so much thoughtfulness? (Plus, writing the note might even make you  feel good .)

How to get started: When you draft this note, be sure to think about all the things that you appreciate about this person. Be specific. Is it their hard work? Years of loyal service? Fierce problem-solving? Optimism? Include everything and anything you can think of in the note. Get thoughtful work anniversary messages and inspiration from these recognition quotes  and anniversary  memes  and best wishes.

Pro-tip: Amplify the impact of your note with a work anniversary care package  filled with snacks and goodies that send feelings of appreciation skyrocketing.

7) Send A Work Anniversary Gift

Gone are the days where you are constantly having to remember whose anniversary is coming up and what to get them. Setting up an employee milestone program creates a streamlined process to engage with your employees on their big day regardless if they are working remote or in-person.

Delight your employees, managers, and executives with meaningful care packages of delicious snacks, premium gifts, and a personalized message to make their work anniversary a memorable one.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: It’s customizable. So your company and individual employees can create the anniversary experience that best fits their interests, company culture, and lifestyle.

Perfect for sending: 

➤ 🎂  Birthday Gift Boxes

➤ 🎉  Work Anniversary Gifts

How to get started: Goody’s reward platform does all the work for you, from address collection and management to international delivery. Take a tour of Goody’s gift catalog  to get personalized results and start making celebrating anniversaries a breeze!

8) Give Them A Long Vacation

If the old adage that “you get what you give” holds any weight, then it stands to reason that the more time you put in for a company, the more time you should get back for yourself. Reward employees for putting in the time by giving them more vacation days to rest and recuperate mentally and physically.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Everyone appreciates a good vacation. More vacation is just more to love.

How to get started: Empower epic vacations that take the importance of play and leisure time to heart.

9) Achievement Timeline

When people celebrate their birthdays, many of them reflect on all they’ve done over the past year. Help employees celebrating anniversaries do the same thing by giving them a timeline of all their notable achievements and telling them why they make you proud.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: The timeline helps them feel that spark of pride and fulfillment in their work. Day-to-day busyness can make it hard to remember the big picture, and this timeline will encapsulate it for them in the best possible way. Reviewing their progress will only give them more motivation to continue forging their epic timeline.

How to get started:   Get help  to turn your rewarding trip down employee memory lane into a shareable anniversary recognition artifact they will treasure for years.

10) A Custom Bobblehead

All your favorite superheroes, cartoon and video game characters, and even public figures enjoy bobblehead representation. Why not your favorite employees (a.k.a. All your employees!)?  Show them that you see them as all the other famous figures who have their own bobbleheads by making them one of their very own.

What is this? Employee anniversary gift

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: It’s a quirky and legitimately one-of-a-kind reward.

How to get started: Find  an artisan  to create your custom bobblehead.

11) Celebrate Hiring Classes

Akin to celebrating all the May birthdays on one day, consider simultaneously honoring employees celebrating the same tenure milestone. Joint celebrations multiply the fun and take the pressure off any one individual. They can delight in their accomplishments and those of their colleagues.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: The more the merrier, as the saying goes. They’ll love not just celebrating their anniversary but also celebrating with their entire work family.

How to get started: Streamline your tracking of employee anniversaries and create buzz as you celebrate each cohort.

12) Customized Swag

Get employees customized  company swag  to help them feel a powerful sense of group identity and affiliation — to help them feel part of something bigger. By adding your logo or designs to an  employee gift  (hats, bags, t-shirts, etc.), you’re really saying, “You’re part of the team and we couldn’t be more pleased about it.”

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll love the feeling of earning a symbol of belonging and unity to the larger group.

How to get started: Swag out your employees with the help of a  SwagMagic’s customized swag storefront  and also a team to handle your shipping and ordering logistics. This won’t only help your anniversary gifting strategy, but it will also streamline the purchasing and shipping of good luck gifts,  going away gifts ,  thank-you gifts , holiday gifts , and more.

13) Gift A Day Off

Most people don’t want more things; they want  non-monetary incentives  like more time, more “me time” to be precise. Give them the break they’ve earned by keeping the anniversary celebration simple with a bonus day off to share with loved ones, log some relaxation time, or just enjoy a brief respite from the stresses of the work environment.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: An experience and the powerful memory associated with it are enjoyable in the moment, in the reflection, and in the anticipation of next year’s special day.

How to get started: Help them make the most of their free-for-all day with an unforgettable experience.

14) Send Employee Care And Appreciation Box

Celebrate anniversaries with  care packages , shippable tokens of employee appreciation packed with gifts, goodies, and other special treats. These gift boxes are especially helpful for remote or hybrid companies; they help you share meaningful moments, even when you can’t be together.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll love getting one gift that’s actually several gifts rolled into one awesome package.

How to get started: Find the perfect care package for any employee celebrating any anniversary.

15) Dinner At The CEO’s House

A special night with the company’s top official will make a more memorable anniversary present than a handful of other work anniversary gifts. Carefully plan the dinners to make sure you don’t overwhelm the CEO. Depending on the size of your company, you might only need to plan a dinner party once every few months.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: The opportunity to socialize with the CEO feels as special as any VIP access.

How to get started: Use engagement software  to create a custom “dinner with the CEO” reward you can dole out again and again.

16) Throw A Team Party

An  office party  perfectly blends recognition, celebration , and fun, making it a classic anniversary celebration. The party can have themes and costumes and complex games or it can be as simple as gathering everyone together into a conference room to share a cake with “congrats” scrolled in pink frosting. The key element of this idea is gathering to share work anniversary wishes and make the celebrant feel impossibly special.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea:   Having fun is something nearly everyone loves, and a party is a perfect way to stir up plenty.

How to get started:  The Go Game’s turnkey party resources  will help you throw a legendary party without logging a million planning hours.

17) Give Them A Years Of Service Personalized Trophy

Trophies are timeless universal symbols of accomplishments bestowed upon everyone from Academy Award winners to Super Bowl winners to spelling-bee champions. Elevate the accomplishment that is working for your organization with a worthy trophy.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll love how it feels when you put it into their hands, when they show it off, and when they see it in the display case day after day.

How to get started: Find  an Etsy artisan  to create perfect one-of-a-kind company years of service awards trophies, medals, and plaques.

18) Provide Growth And Development Experiences

Instead of looking backward, try celebrating an anniversary by looking forward to future growth and development. Your employees have spent years helping you achieve goals; celebrate their anniversary with a learning experience they can leverage to meet theirs.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Employees crave professional development. They’ll relish an opportunity to grow in both their personal and professional life.

How to get started: Provide access to all the growth experiences your employees have ever imagined by setting up a professional growth program.

19) Give A Custom Reward To The Entire Team

The perfect way to celebrate hiring class anniversaries, custom awards bring a festive sense of camaraderie and a deepened feeling of team unity to anniversary celebrations. Be creative with customizations to get the most out of this idea. Nicknames and inside jokes make bond-inducing customizations.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll love the personalization that comes with this work anniversary idea since every award will be different!

How to get started: Put together a committee to dole out the custom awards for each work anniversary.

Tip! For distributed teams, you can use a recognition program like Nectar to shout out your award winners on your digital recognition feed!

20) Plan A Happy Hour With A Themed Drink

They don’t call happy hour “happy” hour for nothing. Maximize the happiness factor of any happy hour by creating a custom anniversary cocktail. Your formula could be based on the anniversary celebrant’s personality, an inside joke you share, or even the number of years they’ve worked for you. It will be special no matter what you choose.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: If they thought they enjoyed sharing a toast with friends, then they’ll be tickled to do the happy hour dance with a drink themed around themselves.

How to get started: Find a local happy hour to meet up after work or set up a virtual happy hour to connect with distributed employees.

21) Donate To A Charity Of Their Choice

Purpose-driven companies perform better. A  Deloitte study  found that your ability to communicate your company’s purpose has a direct link to how engaged your team is (and therefore affects their performance).

Use work anniversaries to remind your team about the bigger picture by making a charitable donation in their name. Align the charity to your company’s mission, or with a cause that’s close to his or her heart. For instance, if you know that your employee is an animal lover, donate to a local animal shelter.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Giving back satisfies their deeply human need for meaning and purpose.

How to get started: Use recognition software  to create a custom charity reward you can dole out again and again.

22) Career Planning Session

Celebrate an anniversary with a no-holds-barred, company-centric career planning session. During this session, invite employees into an open-ended conversation where they can discuss anything and everything they might want to do in the company. Make sure employees know they can talk about any area of the company, even those they have no training or experience in.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: If they’ve reached any anniversary milestone at your organization, then they know where they’ve been. This experience helps them pinpoint what they really want to know: where they’re going next.

How to get started: Brainstorm the perfect session using  a template  as inspiration for a custom discussion.

23) Give Them Some “Whole Self” Fulfillment

Deliver whole-self experiential rewards to show employees you understand their life outside of work with what fuels their happiness. Who are they? What do they like to do? What excites and  motivates them ? Consider these questions to easily figure out what kind of experience to offer.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: An experience that helps employees do exactly what they love to do will leave them far more refreshed than any trip to the local coffee shop.

How to get started: Explore experiences that offer paths to holistic happiness or check out SnackNation’s guide to employee wellness program ideas .

24) A Framed Picture Of Their Early Days

Find a picture from a company outing or party with the employee smiling with co-workers. (If you don’t have one, it looks like you need to schedule an impromptu party and add “taking more pictures” to your official  new employee onboarding process .) Print and frame the picture to help the employee stay mindful of fulfilling work friendships.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: One  Globoforce survey  revealed that employees who don’t have close friends at work said they would be more likely to accept a job offer than employees who have several close friends at work. While you can’t give employees friends for their anniversaries, you can help them celebrate the relationships they have formed.

How to get started: Find the perfect custom frame .

25) Creative Workshops

Celebrate an employee’s years of success by helping them pick up new creative skills in areas and outlets that interest them and rekindle their creative spark. It’s the perfect way to show you appreciate them for the whole creative person they are.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: The novelty of learning something new sparks joy, fulfillment, and maybe even opens up new doors of creative thinking.

How to get started: Allow them to pick the perfect creative workshop experience designed to spark learning and creativity.

26) Share Their Story In Your Company Newsletter

Give employees celebrity status by spotlighting them in your company newsletter on their anniversary. The spotlight can be as simple as their name and picture and a fun fact for newer employees or as in-depth as a long Q&A article for veterans. Choose whatever fits best with your company culture and newsletter format.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They can save and print the piece for their scrapbook or refrigerator.

How to get started: Browse  some examples  to get your format down.

27) Give Them A Workspace Upgrade

The completion of another year of work merits a workspace upgrade. Both onsite and remote employees log tons of desk time in the line of company duty. Show your appreciation by giving them something new, something special for their desk. It can be practical, just for fun, or just for looks, as long as it’s something you know the employee in question will love.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: After looking at the same desk for so long, employees will drink up the refreshment that even just one new item can provide.

How to get started: Browse  Amazon to find anything and everything you ever envisioned perched on your employee’s desk.

28) A Seat At The Table

As they celebrate another milestone, many employees may find themselves yearning for a stronger voice in the company, and they might be ready for it, too. Instead of handing out a tangible anniversary gift, try handing out an invitation that conveys trust and recognition better than any gift.

Consider what meetings the employee might be ready to attend, especially those where people make key decisions or exchange strategic ideas. If you want to make sure the employee has a gift to open, offer a handwritten card that explains all the reasons you believe the employee is ready to be part of the meeting.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Anniversaries are prime time for reflection. This idea keeps their excitement channeled toward forwarding progress.

How to get started: Browse these  appreciation speech  ideas for inspiration on how to communicate how much you appreciate their work and recognize their potential.

29) Provide A Few Paid Months Of Fitness Classes

Perks  that benefit employees’ lives in more ways than one boost employee loyalty. Make it easier for employees to work out, and they’ll want to stick around for a few more years. This anniversary gift adds true value to employees’ day-to-day routines and overall lives.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Employees who were looking to “shake things up” might just find new fitness journeys more compelling than looking for new jobs.

How to get started: Find a variety of creative ways to boost fitness by checking out local fitness clubs or gyms for staff members to try out!

30) Make A DIY Custom Video

Consider creating a custom anniversary message video surprise on employees’ anniversaries. You don’t need any cameras or fancy equipment; most modern mobile phones will do the trick. A custom video will capture more feeling than any greeting card and probably more than even a thoughtfully written note.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: It works as a little emotional time capsule. Employees can watch it any time in the future and remember how fantastic they felt on their big day.

How to get started: Come up with a list of funny questions to ask a group of 5-10 people who work with the recipient and know him or her pretty well.

Ask each person your questions and record their answers with your phone or video camera. Important – make sure you conduct the interviews separately so that people aren’t influenced by previous answers. You want genuine, off-the-cuff responses.

Edit the responses together using your video editing software of choice. (Here’s a list of the ten best mobile video editing apps.)

Debut the video during a big team or department meeting. This is key – the idea is to extend the celebration to the larger team.

Here are a few sample questions to get you started:

• What is _____ most known for around the office?
• What was _____’s first thought when he woke up this morning?
• If _____ didn’t work at this company, where would she work?
• What’s the weirdest part of your first interview with _____?
• If _____ was on a deserted island, what three things would he want with him?
• What do you like most about working with _____?

31) Give A Mindfulness Journal

Give gratitude in the form of a mindfulness journal for anniversaries. You will make employees feel good in the present and also well into the future. A journal makes it incredibly easy for your team to start their days focused on gratitude. Recipients use the journal to name the things they’re grateful for, name their long and short-term goals, and pause for reflection.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Employees appreciate corporate anniversary gifts that help them focus on their personal growth and development! It shows that managers are committed to investing in their skills and future success at your organization.

How to get started: Pick up the  perfect journal .

32) Offer Stock Options

Consider rewarding the impeccable work ethic of your veteran employees with some anniversary stock options and the sense of ownership that comes along with them.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: It provides a motivating and rewarding sense of ownership and purpose, and also a renewed sense of drive. They likely know that the company’s success is their success already, but this reward makes it so.

How to get started: Read all about Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOPs)  here .

33) Send Them On A Paid Sabbatical

Reward employees for putting some serious time in by giving them some serious time off, paid time they can use to learn a new hobby, participate in a local service project, or experience a new culture abroad.

Encourage employees to reap all the benefits of their sabbatical by setting clear ground expectations of no email or work communication at all.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: The priceless feeling of returning from one of these truly mind-clearing trips with new ideas, new perspectives, and a renewed energy to tackle their next big projects.

How to get started: Learn how to make a  sabbatical leave policy .

34) Give Them Leadership Training

Celebrate an employee’s work anniversary by empowering them with priceless leadership skills. This reward makes employees feel valued and also helps your “long-termers” (who have an interest in sticking around to advance along with the company) effectively convert their years of experience into leadership skills that generate all-around growth.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: It will make the employee feel valued as a key member of the team, one valued enough to earn an investment in their promising growth.

How to get started: Browse some of the top  leadership training providers .

35) Have A Good-Natured Comedy Roast

During a comedy roast, everyone tells jokes about a guest of honor. (Pop culture roasts have a reputation for getting nasty and sometimes escalating into hurtful territory, but your anniversary roast doesn’t have to include ridicule to be entertaining.)

Host the event after hours, preferably in a location where people can enjoy a few drinks if they wish. Be sure to tell the anniversary guests of honor what to expect during the event so they can come with their game faces.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Laughter mixed up with a healthy dose of recognition and also some self-deprecation will make anyone feel understood in a refreshingly authentic way.

How to get started: Start planning the anniversary roast at least a month in advance. Invite everyone in the company to submit rough “scripts” of what they plan to talk about during the roast. (Feel free to ask for stories and memories as well as jokes and impersonations.) Remind everyone to keep their “roasts” good-natured, but be sure to read through all the submissions before the event to watch for anything that might legitimately damage someone’s feelings. Send along links to some roast examples  with your request to help everyone warm up their comedic chops.

36) Take Something Off Their Plate

Reward good work by taking some of it away. Maybe it’s an administrative task they’ve never complained about over the last ten years. Maybe it’s a meeting they don’t see value in. This anniversary reward sends a message of achievement and reassures loyal employees, should they need reassurance, that they can say “no” without fear of retribution.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: The incredible lightness of dropping something they didn’t realize they dreaded so much until they found out they no longer had to do it.

How to get started: Have a candid conversation to discover exactly what task they may want to give up.

37) Support Their Hobbies

Empower employees to achieve a new level of fulfillment by celebrating anniversaries with the gift of hobby support. Give them what they need to finally take that textile dyeing class or martial arts training or citizen naturalist classes or whatever other activity makes them feel invigorated and fulfilled.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll be giddy to get from their employees exactly what they need to pursue the extracurricular activities they find meaningful but that often go neglected.

How to get started: Discover  online courses  to support practically any hobby.

38) Send Them A Shippable Experience

Send an “experience in a box” to give them unforgettable and rewarding memories while avoiding the logistical nightmare of actually planning an experience for them. Whether the shippable experience is relaxing, adventurous, or playful, you can be sure it will leave behind a strong impression.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Enjoying the interactive component — the learning, cooking, exploring, creating, or playing — provides more satisfaction than opening any average gift.

How to get started: Find a ready-to-go  shippable experience  that sends the perfect anniversary message.

39) Endorse Their Skills On LinkedIn Recommendation

Every day, employees leverage their skills and strengths to benefit their employers. Celebrate their years of work by publicly acknowledging and praising those skills on social media, affirming online what you know without a doubt: this employee is incredibly good at their job.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Their feelings of pride will be absolutely priceless.

How to get started: Pick the top 5 skills to endorse along with a thoughtful supporting comment.

40) Throw A Puppy Party

Add a pack of four-legged guests to a classic office party and you’ve created a puppy party, the ideal anniversary celebration for animal lovers. Ask the employee of honor to bring in their pet and invite co-workers to do the same. If that still doesn’t add up to a party, then connect with a local shelter or service to bring in all the furry fun at work  you need.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: They’ll see the  reduced stress levels  as the anniversary award of their dreams.

How to get started: Get your  puppy party planning guide .

41) Take Them To Lunch

A perfect option for all employees at all levels, a timeless lunch will always be an enjoyable, welcomed, and appreciated anniversary celebration. All you have to do is get together virtually or in person to share a meal, say a few words of praise, and enjoy the timeless art of communal eating.

Why employees love this work anniversary idea: Lunch and good conversation are almost always guaranteed to be a hit across all times and industries.

How to get started: Ask them where they would like to go.

Work Anniversary Gift Ideas

42) let your employee choose their gift.

“Professional, personal, and perfection!”

Give your employees the ultimate gift of choice on their work anniversary with Goody , an innovative platform that empowers them to select a meaningful and personalized reward from a vast array of options.

From rejuvenating spa days to cutting-edge tech gadgets and delightful culinary experiences, this gifting platform ensures that every employee feels appreciated and valued on their special day.

Why we love this this work anniversary gift: Goody allows employees to choose a reward that resonates with them personally and generates a sense of autonomy and recognition. With Goody , you can celebrate your team’s milestones in a thoughtful way, tailored to individual preferences, and create memorable work anniversary occasions. Join us in spreading joy and appreciation!

Giving your employee a chance to pick out something nice for their big day is a new idea that many companies are opting to use.

43) Work Anniversary Plaque or Trophy

“Honoring work anniversaries and milestones with elegance”

Celebrate the dedication and loyalty of your employees with exquisitely crafted work anniversary plaques and trophies that can be fully customized with your company logo.

These timeless branded corporate gifts commemorate their years of service and serve as a lasting symbol of your sincere appreciation for their invaluable contributions to your organization.

Why we adore this work anniversary gift: We love work anniversary plaques and trophies because they effortlessly blend elegance and gratitude. These meticulously designed awards acknowledge employees’ unwavering commitment and ignite a sense of pride and accomplishment, transforming work anniversaries into extraordinary milestones for both individuals and the organization as a whole.

Employee anniversary gift ideas like an award or trophy are a physical representation of your appreciation for your employees’ loyalty and contribution to your business.

44) Whiskey Stones & Glasses

“Cheers to years of dedication”

Celebrate your employees’ years of hard work and dedication with a sophisticated work anniversary gift – Whiskey Stones & Glasses .

This exquisite set allows your team members to indulge in their favorite spirits with style, while also commemorating their loyalty to your organization.

Why we love this work anniversary gift: We are thrilled about the Whiskey Stones & Glasses as a work anniversary gift because it combines practicality with celebration. These beautifully crafted crystal glasses and whiskey stones offer employees a touch of luxury while symbolizing the longevity and warmth of their journey within your company. It’s a meaningful way to express gratitude and celebrate the milestones achieved together!

This work anniversary gift is a classy way to thank them and will be used for years to come.

Years of Service Tips & Ideas

1 year of service.

The Gen Xers at your workplace probably scoff at the idea, but celebrating employees who make it to the one year mark is a vital retention strategy.

According to the Harvard Business Review , a study of more than a million respondents found that voluntary turnover peaked one year after their start dates. Celebrating that first anniversary re-engages employees at a critical juncture, and provides an emotional lift right when employees are most likely to see if the grass really is greener elsewhere.

That said, you don’t have to go overboard. There are plenty of budget and time-friendly ways to keep your team engaged at this critical juncture.

2 Years Of Service

Two years is a big deal, especially if your workforce skews younger. For people between the ages of 21 and 23, the average tenure is barely over a year, so hitting that second anniversary is definitely a cause for celebration.

Just like getting through year one, hitting the two-year anniversary marks another critical juncture in any company-employee relationship. At this point, people who decided to stick with the company for another year to see how “things would go” might be reevaluating their long-term plans and goals.

Employees might decide to sever their relationship with a company after two years for the same reasons many experts say  lovers choose to end relationships after two years:

• The excitement wears off. After a few years, even eager employees may start admitting their current job is not the dream job they expected.
• They stop wanting to make it work. Two years is plenty of time to perform an honest assessment of compatibility. Things you could deal with at the 6-month mark suddenly become dealbreakers.
• Things get real. Both bosses and employees stay on their best behavior during the first few years on the job. When both parties start to relax, problems might arise. Maybe the boss isn’t as easy going as she pretended. Maybe the employee isn’t as ambitious as he pretended.

3 Years Of Service

Three years is the time to remind your employees why they love working at your company, so really focus on making things fun, personalized, and social. Especially in today’s work environment, three years signifies a commitment that a lot of businesses may not see from other employees.

Take the time to game plan and create a special day for them. Whether this involves a celebration, gift, speech, or opportunity to recognize them publicly — think about what your employee will appreciate the most. Everyone is different, so tailoring their work anniversary to their interests is a no-brainer.

4 Years Of Service

Step up your work anniversary gift game at year four. All the same concepts apply, but really up the ante to make your appreciation known.

Your 4-year employees have proven their loyalty by sticking around; they’ve clearly found a long-term work home at your company. A heartfelt anniversary gift helps employers send clear messages of gratitude that will keep dependable employees happy and engaged at work.

Depending on the size of your company and any budgetary restrictions — make sure you are giving yourself plenty of time to properly research, order, and wrap their gift. You do not want to be scrambling while trying to get approval to purchase the gift all while the 4th year anniversary day approaches.

5 Years+ Of Service

In our era of job-hopping Millennial employees, average job tenure in the U.S. for workers in every industry (and of all ages) is just 4.4 years. Keeping someone around five or more years is definitely cause for celebration.

A “happy anniversary” email is not going to cut it in this case. A tenure like this may not come up all year, so take it as an opportunity to show them you really value their contribution to the team and company. This will also have a positive effect on the rest of your coworkers since they will see the benefits to a long and healthy stint at the business.

Planning a happy hour on their 5th year of service, bringing in their family for a party in the office, or gifting them a week of a paid sabbatical are all ideas we have found to work well for this big 5!

Benefits To Celebrating A Work Anniversary

You might be asking, why is recognizing work anniversaries and years of service important?

Well, in addition to cultivating meaning and a heap of other general feel-good benefits, recognizing anniversaries — by hosting work anniversary celebrations and giving work anniversary gifts, for example — also carries enough business-aligned benefits to turn any strategically-minded head.

Companies who commit to celebrating work anniversaries may benefit from:

1 – More engagement. You don’t just have to assume that a solid employee recognition program boosts engagement. Some studies  validate this assumption, linking recognition to engagement and also job satisfaction. If recognition boosts engagement, then the employee anniversary, the Super Bowl of all employee recognition touchpoints, provides a prime opportunity to solidify feelings of appreciation and teamwork.

2 – Better employee retention , and therefore lower turnover cost burden, which can be  hefty , Celebrating work anniversaries demonstrates your caring and appreciation, and employees who know how you feel about them tend to stick around, while those left wondering or assuming that you don’t appreciate them (over half according to one study ) will be more inclined to walk away.

3 – Elevated morale . By acknowledging an employee’s anniversary and pointing out a few examples of the best work they did, you’re infusing their work with deeper meaning, and helping them care more about it and engage deeply with it.

4 – Stronger company cultures . Establishing a tradition of celebrating work anniversaries creates a company culture rich with all the essential benefits (namely consistency, community, and reassurance) that come along with holding any tradition .

5 – Enhanced employee wellbeing , especially in the career area of the  five wellbeing essentials . Anniversary celebrations reinforce a sense of value, community, and security in a career path, a vitally important sentiment.

To recap, celebrating work anniversaries opens doors to optimal engagement, retention, morale, culture, wellbeing, and surely taps into even more benefits that haven’t yet been documented by studies or surveys.

People Also Ask These Questions About Work Anniversaries

Q: what is a work anniversary.

• A: A work anniversary is a celebration of continued employment as measured by the number of years dedicated to an employer.

Q: How do you celebrate an employee’s work anniversary?

• A: You can celebrate an employee’s work anniversary by giving them a memorable experience, providing professional development, or even thoughtfully recognizing their strengths and skills. Find a variety of specific anniversary celebration ideas here .

Q: Why should we celebrate work anniversaries?

• A: You should celebrate work anniversaries because doing so improves your levels of engagement, retention, group morale, culture, and employee wellbeing.

Q: What are some unique employee anniversary gifts?

• A: When it comes to anniversary gifts for employees, the best gifts are the ones that fit particularly well with the intended recipient. If your employee is outdoorsy, then a weekend trip might be something they could look forward to. If your employee works remotely, you and your team can group together to send a digital ecard along with a gift that your employees can choose themselves. It’s all about picking the gift for the person rather than just grabbing something off the shelf.

Q: How do you celebrate work anniversaries virtually?

• A: Celebrate work anniversaries virtually by sending a care package or even shipping an out-of-the-box experience. Find other virtual anniversaries ideas .

Q: What is the best work anniversary gift?

• A: The best work anniversary gift is the one with the potential to make the employee you’re celebrating feel as good as possible. Take a second to think about their interests and start researching based on topics and ideas that they will appreciate more than a general gift they may not use.

Q: Why is it important to focus on employee anniversary recognition?

• A: With so much turnover and a competitive job market, workaversaries are few and far between. Employee anniversary recognition can go a long way to appreciate colleagues for their contribution to the team while celebrating another year at your company. The ways to recognize employees can differ from year to year, but making work anniversary recognition a priority at your company can have many long-term benefits.

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11 Comments

I love these ideas Jeff! It’s so important to recognise the efforts from your team and celebrating their work anniversaries is an awesome way to do this!

Great ideas. !!!!

I love the information on what matters to Millennials regarding recognition and longevity. Our current anniversary gift program gives a card signed by the manager, general manager, and president. Gifts are only given on years, 1, 5, 10, 15, etc. I’ve always heard complaining from employees that “all I get for year two is a card?!” This helps explain why a second year anniversary might be so important to some.

These are all very clever ideas….

Amazing can’t wait to do this

Thank you Jeff! We are currently working on our work anniversaries and how to make them special. These are some great ideas. I enjoy the weekly emails that contain great ideas that I receive from Snack Nation! Keep them coming!

What about longer serving employees? 10 Years?

Great Article! This information is very helpful, your performance is outstanding. I request more Anniversary Gift Ideas give us. Thank you, Jeff!

There are so many good ideas here! Thanks for sharing and passing on this positivity so others can benefit!

I like idea #16 a lot. Donating to a charity of their choice is a lovely idea! Reminds me of my grandmother. She always asked us to donate to a charity instead of buying her a gift, because she thought the money would be better spent this way. Wise woman!

I think creative workshop is a great idea. Our employee is a sculptor in her free time, workshop will give her the opportunity to really shine and show all her coworkers her artistic self.

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Black voters rip Biden's 'race baiting' commencement speech as his support dwindles: 'Party of hopelessness'

B lack voters reacted to President Biden's commencement address at Morehouse College in Atlanta over the weekend, accusing him of "race baiting" while his support in the Black community continues to dissipate ahead of November. 

New York resident Lou Valentino reacted to Biden's remarks during "Fox & Friends," accusing him of trying to set Black Americans back after his controversial speech. 

"Race baiter," Valentino told Lawrence Jones on Monday. "It's tough to hear that because imagine you going to college for four years… ready to… hit the world, start a career, and… this guy is trying to set you back literally, I don't know, civil rights. I don't know what's going on with the Democrats. This role that they're trying to play, instead of… pulling up and saying, well, 'Here we go. This is your time. Congratulations. Let's kill it. Let's do our best.' Nah, you know what, Lawrence? They don't love you like that."

VP HARRIS CALLED OUT OR ‘PANDERING’ TO BLACK VOTERS WITH ‘EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN' DINNERS

Speaking at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Biden questioned whether American democracy would work for the African-American graduates. 

"You missed your high school graduation. You started college just as George Floyd was murdered, and there was a reckoning on race. It's natural to wonder if the 'democracy' you hear about actually works for you. What is democracy? That Black men are being killed in the street," Biden told Morehouse graduates on Sunday.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

He continued, "What is democracy? The trail of broken promises still leaves Black communities behind. What is democracy? You have to be ten times better than anyone else to get a fair shot. Most of all, what does it mean? As you've heard before, to be a Black man who loves his country even if it doesn't love him back in equal measure."

Virginia business owner Ajay Brewer reacted to Biden's remarks during "Fox & Friends First," echoing Valentino's sentiment while accusing the Democrats of stifling the freedom of Black voters. 

TOP MOMENTS FROM BIDEN'S MOREHOUSE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

"It's hopelessness, man… it's the party of hopelessness," Brewer told Carley Shimkus on Monday. 

"I could say that… I was a Democrat my entire life until I opened my business… It's like a drug… victimhood, and, ‘We can do this for you,’  and to be honest with you the Black folks I surround myself with just want government to get out of the way."

"We don't need folks to do things for us. We don't need people to baby us," he continued. "It's kind of disturbing… that they pander to us in this manner because they can depend on us at a clip of 90% plus, but I think that's going to change this election."

According to a new Fox News poll, Biden's support with Black voters has declined 7% since October 2020, while Trump's support has spiked 9% in the same time frame. 

"America is changing and people are becoming more sensitive to what's affecting us as individuals, as business owners, as parents. Not just because we're Black, not just because we're women, not just because we're men. They can't keep putting us in these race baskets," Georgia independent voter Bernadette Wright told "Fox & Friends First" Monday. 

"Accountability season is here, and America is ready for someone who's ready to lead from a place of understanding that you're going to have to meet with the states, and you're going to have to meet with the local government if you want to affect individual communities on a micro level."

BLACK VOTERS REJECTING BIDEN AS SUPPORT DWINDLES AHEAD OF 2024: ‘EVERYTHING WAS BETTER’ UNDER TRUMP

"When it comes to me as an African American, I need you to pay attention to what's going on with my business," she continued. "It's not always just about, 'Oh, you're Black, so you must need this in your community. They don't even know who we are at this point. We're just looking for somebody to come to the middle and lead."

Biden had also been accused of using the speech to cater to Black voters. After he was announced as commencement speaker in April, students and professors quickly called on the college to cancel the speech.

During the speech, a smattering of Morehouse students and faculty also protested Biden's speech by turning their backs on him.

The protest was not widespread, however, and those participating did not disrupt his address beyond showing their backs. The small protest was a reminder of the continued unrest at college campuses across the country, however, where anti-Israel protests have forced some universities to cancel their commencement ceremonies altogether.

Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report. 

Original article source: Black voters rip Biden's 'race baiting' commencement speech as his support dwindles: 'Party of hopelessness'

BREAKING: Tennessee judge delays the sale of Graceland and says Elvis' granddaughter Riley Keough is likely to prove her claims of fraud by the lender

Chiefs' Harrison Butker blasted for commencement speech encouraging women to be homemakers

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker has aggravated one of the internet's biggest culture wars by telling a class of college graduates that one of the “most important” titles a woman can hold is homemaker.

During a commencement speech last weekend at Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts school in Atchison, Kansas, the NFL player railed against abortion, Pride month and Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Drawing the most viral backlash this week, however, was a section of his speech in which he addressed the female graduates specifically — telling them that it’s women who have had “the most diabolical lies” told to them.

“How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career? Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world,” Butker said. “But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

The criticisms that followed took aim at Butker as well as the NFL.

"Hey @NFL — If you want to continue to grow your female fan base and any other marginalized group (straight white men are already watching your product), come get your boy," wrote Lisa Guerrero, a former NFL sideline reporter and now an investigative journalist for "Inside Edition."

He went on to tell the graduates that his wife would agree that her life “truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.” It is her embrace of this role, he said, that made his own professional success possible.

Butker’s comments share similarities with some of the more extreme ideas around gender roles that have gained traction in communities that promote “ tradwife ” lifestyles or other relationship dynamics that center on traditional gender roles .

“Listen, there’s nothing wrong with his wife being a homemaker. Homemakers are wonderful, that’s not the point,” filmmaker Michael McWhorter, known by his more than 6 million TikTok followers as TizzyEnt, said in a video response. “The point is he seemed to be acting as if you should be ashamed if you don’t want to be a homemaker, or, ‘I know what you really want to do is just stay home and have babies.’"

The speech was the latest incident to add fuel to the flames of this increasingly vocal cultural battle, much of which is playing out online. While many prominent right-wing men have voiced such beliefs before, they’re usually confined to internet forums, podcasts and other online communities where these ideologies thrive.

A spokesperson for Butker did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Benedictine College and the Kansas City Chiefs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the NFL told People Magazine that Butker "gave a speech in his personal capacity" and his "views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

"The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger," a spokesperson told the publication.

Butker, who is teammates with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, further drew surprise and criticism when he quoted Kelce’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, whose monumental career success as a global pop star has inspired college courses .

“As my teammate’s girlfriend says, ‘familiarity breeds contempt,’” he said, drawing murmurs from the crowd as he used the “Bejeweled” lyric as an analogy for why Catholic priests should not become “overly familiar” with their parishioners.

In the days since his speech, a Change.org petition for the Chiefs to dismiss Butker for “discriminatory remarks” has garnered nearly 19,000 signatures.

“These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress,” the petition stated. “They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity.”

Those who criticized Butker’s speech online include actor Bradley Whitford as well as DJ and rapper (and self-proclaimed Swiftie ) Flavor Flav .

But his speech was also lauded by some on the religious right, including conservative sports media personalities such as Clay Travis and Jason Whitlock , who defended Butker’s statements toward women.

“Not a word Harrison Butker says here should be remotely controversial. He’s 100% correct,” former NFL wide receiver T.J. Moe posted on X . “Those trying to convince women that being assistant VP of lending & intentionally childless at age 40 is more fulfilling than making a family and home are evil.”

Sports and culture commentator Jon Root also posted that Butker “exposed the lies that the world has been telling women.” Women, he wrote, are wrongly encouraged to climb the corporate ladder, view children as a “burden” and see marriage as “not worth pursuing.”

Still, a deluge of viewers online took issue with his attitude toward women and the LGBTQ community. Many women also rejected the premise that they would be happier staying at home in lieu of paid work, even if they do have a husband and children.

“I am moved. I actually had no idea that my life began when I met my husband,” neurosurgeon Betsy Grunch, known as Ladyspinedoc on TikTok, said sarcastically in a TikTok video . “It did not begin when I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with honors. It certainly did not begin when I graduated with a 4.0 GPA, Alpha Omega Alpha, from medical school. And I had no idea that it did not begin when I completed my residency in neurosurgery.”

Angela Yang is a culture and trends reporter for NBC News.

Stream Minecraft and earn rewards

Day 4: Watch a creator and get cosmetics for your platform!

Minecraft’s 15-year anniversary is in full swing with non-stop celebration raging across cyberspace. We’ve been having cake every single day ! At this rate, will we make it through all 15?! Only time – or belly space – will tell! 

At the time of writing, we're in the middle of a quest that deserves more attention than our stomachs. Not a quest like breaking out of the Matrix or throwing a ring into lava. No, hopefully, you’ll find this far more epic than those silly tasks. Most importantly, these are quests that you can – and should – participate in. 

TWITCH DROPS FOR EVERYONE

A party is raging over at a friendly neighborhood streaming service – and you’re invited. Watch 15 minutes of any Minecraft content on Twitch between May 15 – May 31 to unlock the 15th Anniversary exclusive item Purple Heart Cape* .  

That’s not all. After all, what would a quest be without a side-mission with additional rewards? By supporting a Minecraft streamer by subscribing or gifting a sub throughout activation, you’ll also unlock the glamorous Glitch Mask* . Is that a Twitch logo on top of your head? You bet it is! 

TIKTOK CAPE CODES

Meanwhile, there’s an equally amazing party happening over yet another streaming platform, and why pick one when you can participate in both? Running May 18 through June 18 , you'll have the chance to snag a TikTok-themed cape* by tuning in to Minecraft streams where creators have the reward enabled. 

Just drop the SUPER SECRET comment "Minecraft" (creative huh?) in the stream to get your hands on the in-game code. Then, head over to minecraft.net/redeem to claim and add a touch of TikTok style to your Minecraft adventures*! 

In addition, you'll can also score yourself a Diamond Helmet profile frame from May 18 through May 31 . To qualify: Head to aka.ms/tiktokcelebration on mobile and hit "Create post" to share a video on TikTok lasting one minute or more with the hashtag #MinecraftBadge. It's your chance to shape and share your Minecraft story and add some Minecraft flair to your profile photo!

Keep an eye on Minecraft's social channels for more details on how to participate.

TODAY’S FREE CHARACTER ITEM

If the above items weren’t enough for your already stuffed Character Creator closet, there’s plenty more to add! Throughout the entire 15-year Anniversary celebration, you can redeem a free item – every single day.

Today's hot item,  Emerald Expert , is the  only  latest fashion straight from the desert villages of the Overworld. 

To claim this desert dessert, start the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft and open the Dressing Room after 10am PST/7pm CET. Here, you’ll find your sparkling new Character Creator item, ready to be equipped!  

* Both the Twitch and TikTok capes are available for Bedrock Edition now, and will be in Java Edition by July 8. Make sure you redeem your codes by the June 30 expiration date! 

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110 Best "Happy Anniversary" Wishes and Messages for Couples

Whether you're celebrating your own big day or another duo you love, here's what to write in your card.

For husbands

For partner, for parents.

When it comes to extending these warm and well wishes, whether it's for your wife or husband or another duo you love, you go wrong with any of these thoughtful wedding anniversary wishes for couples that will pull at their heartstrings (and yours).

If you’re the one writing inside an anniversary card for your partner, include love quotes for her or heartwarming messages for him — or get personal and add inside jokes and references that only the two of you would know. Including personal tidbits makes the message even more impactful. When it comes to other couples, of couse, you don't have to wish anyone a happy anniversary, but when it's a particuarly big year, it's definitely nice to acklowledge it. You can use one of these in a card if they are close friends or family. Or, drop them in the comment's section on Instagram or send as a text after they share a photo of their day together.

For couples

• There’s nothing better than watching your love for each other flourish and grow each year. Happy anniversary to a wonderful couple.
• You two are made for each other and it shows! Happy anniversary to one of my favorite couples.
• Wishing you both all the love and happiness today and forever. Happy anniversary!
• No other couple complements each other the way that you do. Happy anniversary to the beautiful pair who makes marriage look so easy!
• The way you look at each other shows everyone around you just how much you respect and love each other. Keep being a shining example of what real love looks like. Happy anniversary.
• May God continue to cover and bless you in your union.
• Who said that marriage was hard? Not you guys because you make it seem absolutely effortless. Happy anniversary
• What a beautiful and loving couple. Wishing you a lifetime of love. Happy anniversary!
• No marriage is perfect, but you guys come really close. Happy anniversary!
• Wow, another year in the books! You guys are the perfect match. Happy anniversary!
• Happy anniversary to the couple who demonstrates unconditional love.
• It’s a privilege and honor to watch your love continue to blossom. Happy anniversary!
• May you be blessed with many more! Happy anniversary.
• You two are the most adorable love birds I’ve ever known. Wishing you a lifetime of love.
• Your love is so inspiring. You’re the perfect example of real love. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the couple whose love lights up every room.
• Family gatherings wouldn’t be the same without you guys. Happy anniversary to one of my favorite couples.
• I marvel at the wonderful life you’ve built together. You guys could teach a class on how to do marriage right. Congratulations!
• You two are a true inspiration! Cheers to making marriage look easy.
• A marriage anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, and partnership. You exemplify all of those qualities beautifully.
• Wishing you an eternity of holy matrimony. Happy anniversary.
• May your love continue to burn. Happy anniversary to one of my favorite couples.
• Spending time with you guys is one of my favorite pastimes. You make life more enjoyable. Happy anniversary!
• Another year married, another year to celebrate! Happy anniversary.
• Congratulations on another year together as a healthy and happy couple.

• Marrying you was the best decision I’ve ever made. Happy anniversary, baby. I love you with all my heart.
• Thank you for being my husband, protector, and best friend. Happy anniversary!
• There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t thank God that you’re my person. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Happy anniversary, babe!
• Spending my life with you is the greatest blessing I could’ve ever received. Cheers to another year together in love. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the man who will always have my heart. I love you!
• You light up my life in ways that you can’t even begin to imagine. Saying “I do” have been the two most important words I’ve ever uttered.
• Cheers to us! We’ve made it another year as one. I love you! Happy anniversary.
• Wishing us a lifetime together. Happy anniversary, honey.
• I’m the luckiest person on earth to have a husband as loving and kind as you! Happy anniversary.
• Every day my love for you grows deeper. I can’t imagine my life without you. Happy anniversary.
• Here’s to another year around the sun being great together!
• You’re the cherry on top of life. You make everything better. Happy anniversary!
• I’ve loved you since the first day our eyes locked. Nothing has changed. Happy anniversary to my better half.
• I love doing life with you! You’re the greatest and I’m forever grateful. Happy anniversary.
• Loving you is so easy. You’re truly the best husband any person could ever hope for! Happy anniversary.
• I’m so proud to call you my husband. Cheers to another year in love. Happy anniversary.
• I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. Happy anniversary to the person who brightens every day.
• I can’t believe I get to call you mine. Happy anniversary to my forever knight in shining armor.
• Some things are just meant to be. We’re one of them. Thank you for loving me another year. Happy anniversary!
• As long as I have breath in my body, you’ll always be the love of my life. Happy anniversary!
• Cheers to another fantastic year together. I look forward to many more. Happy anniversary, babe!
• When I saw you walk down the aisle all those years ago, I knew that we’d be together forever. Your beauty is unmatched. Happy anniversary, my love.
• I’m the luckiest person on the planet because I get to wake up to you every day. Here’s to another year of seeing beauty up close and personal. Happy anniversary.
• I’ll never stop loving you. Here’s to a lifetime together. Happy anniversary.
• So many years ago you made me the happiest person on earth. That feeling hasn’t changed. Happy anniversary!
• Your smile could light the darkest room. I plan to keep you smiling! Happy anniversary, sunshine.
• You make me better. Thank you for loving me after all these years. Happy anniversary!
• Wishing us the happiest anniversary. Our marriage is one of the things I’m most proud of.
• Having you as my life partner is the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. Wishing us a lifetime of happiness. Happy anniversary!
• Our love grows stronger every year and for that I’m forever grateful. Happy anniversary, my love.
• Doing life with you is one of my greatest joys. I’m blessed beyond measure. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the woman responsible for making me the happiest person to ever walk the earth.
• 365 down, a lifetime to go! Happy anniversary.
• I look forward to growing old with you. You are my favorite person and I’m the luckiest. Happy anniversary.
• I couldn’t have dreamed of a more perfect wife. You are everything and then some. Happy anniversary to the love of my life.
• Happy anniversary! I’m so glad I got to marry my best friend.
• Like anything, marriage has its ups and downs. Thank you for always sticking by my side through the good times and bad. I love you to infinity and beyond. Happy anniversary!
• You are my soulmate and I can’t imagine a second without you in my life. Happy anniversary.
• My love for you deepens with each breath. You are my favorite human.

• I can’t believe we’ve been together for so long, but I guess time flies when you’re having fun! Happy anniversary.
• You make me smile every day of the year and today is no exception. Happy anniversary to the love of my life.
• I love you more with each passing day. I love watching you blossom in all areas of your life. Happy anniversary!
• Through thick and thin, I will always love you. Happy anniversary!
• You’ll always be my rock! Thanks for rocking with me another year. Happy anniversary, my love.
• It’s such an amazing feeling to be loved by you. Happy anniversary, sweetheart.
• You bring so much joy to my life! I can’t imagine a day without you. Happy anniversary, honey.
• You are the yin to my yang. Happy anniversary to my lover and best friend.
• Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Happy anniversary, my love.
• Happy anniversary to the strongest, most thoughtful and caring person I know. Happy anniversary, baby.
• Life with you is like heaven on earth. I love you so much! Happy anniversary.
• You guys, I literally wouldn’t be here without you! So thank you for being the most amazing parents on the planet. Happy anniversary!
• I’ve grown up watching what it meant to be a loving and caring couple. Thank you for being the blueprint for a healthy marriage. Happy anniversary!
• Wishing my favorite couple a happy anniversary!
• Happy anniversary to you two crazy kids!
• I’ve learned from the best when it comes to what a happy marriage should be. Thank you for setting such a wonderful example. Happy anniversary!
• You two were made for each other and meant to be. I’m living proof! Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary to the most loving love birds I’ve even known.
• Your love for one another is so admirable. I’m lucky to have witnessed it on a daily basis. Happy anniversary to my all-time favorite couple.
• Happy anniversary to the best parents anyone could ever have! Wishing you a day filled with food, love, and laughter!
• Watching you look into each other’s eyes is something that will never get old. Happy anniversary, love birds!
• After so many years together, you’re starting to look alike! Just kidding. Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary, mom and dad! I’m so grateful to have the both of you as parents. Keep being the wonderful couple that I’ll always look up to.
• I know that you’ll keep enjoying each other’s company for years to come. Here’s to a lifetime of bliss.
• You two make marriage look easy. I hope that one day I can find someone who I can live happily ever after with — just like you guys! Happy anniversary.
• It’s hard to believe that you two have been together for half a century. But hey, who’s counting? Happy anniversary!
• You’ve both set a high standard on what it means to be happily committed. Thank you for being the best parents. Happy anniversary!
• Happy anniversary, mom and dad. I’m so glad you guys found each other because if you didn’t, where would I be?
• You two have a love that seems to get stronger each year. I love and respect you for always putting our family first. Happy anniversary!
• I hope you both continue to love and cherish each other for the rest of your lives. Happy anniversary!
• No other couple could ever compare to you two. Happy anniversary to the best to ever say “I do!”
• If marriage is anything like you’ve demonstrated, I can’t wait for my wedding day. Thank you for being a shining example in so many ways. Happy anniversary!
• I don’t know where I’d be without the two of you! Thank you for coming together to create such a magnificent human being: me! Happy anniversary.
• Happy anniversary! I’m so honored that I get the chance to celebrate your love.
• Decades of love, support and kindness. Your relationship is what I aspire to have one day. Happy anniversary.
• Best wishes and blessings as you continue walking life’s path united in love. Happy anniversary!
• Congratulations on another year of love and togetherness. Wishing you a fantastic anniversary!
• Here’s to another year of creating beautiful memories together. Happy anniversary!
• Celebrating your love today and always. Happy anniversary to a fantastic couple!
• Congratulations on another year of love and companionship. May your bond continue to strengthen with each passing year. Happy anniversary!
• Everyday we see how happy you make each other. That’s what they call true love!
• Wishing you both a lifetime of love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Happy anniversary!
• Here’s to the love that grows stronger with each passing year. Happy anniversary and cheers to many more years of happiness together.
• Happy anniversary to two incredible people who deserve all the happiness in the world. Cheers to your love!
• Congratulations on [insert number] years together — here’s to many more.
• Enjoy your anniversary and the many more to come!

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Twitch Minecraft Cape 2024 not available

I've redeemed it on this account, but it doesn't appear in the launcher or the website.

I tried redeeming a second time and it said the code was already used, and the "transaction" appears in the Order history part of the account.

Did I do something wrong?

(also, as a bit of feedback, the code was in the twitch notification, where text is not selectable, clicking the notification does open the correct page but the code is not prefilled. getting the code required the Inspect element tool, and I'm thinking some people might not know about this and then writing the code manually is just a pain. you could either send an email with the code, since it is selectable and copypastable, or have it automatically filled when opening the link)

Thank you and happy birthday Minecraft!

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supposedly it is only available for bedrock players, I also tried with Java but couldn't find the cape.

4 people found this reply helpful

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Its on july i think for java and for bedrock you have to be lucky to get it frist you will have to wait i think i hope this helped you

3 people found this reply helpful

I have the same problem

5 people found this reply helpful

EDIT: I READ THE ENTIRE POST AND IT SAYS: " Both the Twitch and TikTok capes are available for Bedrock Edition now, and will be in Java Edition by July 8. "

So we have to wait sooo long until it is unlocked .-. WHY MOJANG WHYYYY

49 people found this reply helpful

I had the same issue where I redeemed it to my microsoft account and it's listed in transactions, except I don't have it in bedrock either.

23 people found this reply helpful

Same im not sure why it didnt work

2 people found this reply helpful

The same happened to me and I tried it for the TikTok and Twitch cape

6 people found this reply helpful

This happened to me, I have claimed the Twitch cape, but it's not showing up on either editions of Minecraft..

11 people found this reply helpful

I have the same problem.

1 person found this reply helpful

I've been waiting for 2 hours, yet I still don't have the twitch cape. I already have the code redeemed and also checked and saw it's in my transaction history with Microsoft. I'm talking about the bedrock edition by the way.

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Benedictine College nuns denounce Harrison Butker's speech at their school

John Helton

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend. Charlie Riedel/AP hide caption

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl 58 opening night on Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend.

An order of nuns affiliated with Benedictine College rejected Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison's Butker's comments in a commencement speech there last weekend that stirred up a culture war skirmish.

"The sisters of Mount St. Scholastica do not believe that Harrison Butker's comments in his 2024 Benedictine College commencement address represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested," the nuns wrote in a statement posted on Facebook .

In his 20-minute address , Butker denounced abortion rights, Pride Month, COVID-19 lockdowns and "the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion" at the Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kan.

He also told women in the audience to embrace the "vocation" of homemaker.

"I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you're going to get in your career?" he asked. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world. But I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

For many Missouri Catholics, abortion rights means choosing between faith, politics

That was one of the themes that the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica took issue with.

"Instead of promoting unity in our church, our nation, and the world, his comments seem to have fostered division," they wrote. "One of our concerns was the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman. We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years. These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers."

The Benedictine sisters of Mount St. Scholastica founded a school for girls in Atchinson in the 1860s. It merged with St. Benedict's College in 1971 to form Benedictine College.

Neither Butker nor the Chiefs have commented on the controversy. An online petition calling for the Chiefs to release the kicker had nearly 215,000 signatures as of Sunday morning.

6 in 10 U.S. Catholics are in favor of abortion rights, Pew Research report finds

The NFL, for its part, has distanced itself from Butker's remarks.

"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," Jonathan Beane, the NFL's senior VP and chief diversity and inclusion officer told NPR on Thursday. "His views are not those of the NFL as an organization."

Meanwhile, Butker's No. 7 jersey is one of the league's top-sellers , rivaling those of better-known teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

Butker has been open about his faith. The 28-year-old father of two told the Eternal Word Television Network in 2019 that he grew up Catholic but practiced less in high school and college before rediscovering his belief later in life.

His comments have gotten some support from football fan social media accounts and Christian and conservative media personalities .

A video of his speech posted on Benedictine College's YouTube channel has 1.5 million views.

Rachel Treisman contributed to this story.

• Harrison Butker
• benedictine college