Six ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day at work

Valentine’s Day is here again. The season of sharing, giving, and spreading love to everyone around us — not just our romantic partners.

In view of that, celebrating Valentine’s Day at work is not a bad idea, right? With this year’s Valentine’s Day falling on a work day, it is a perfect opportunity to spread love, and appreciation and create bonds among colleagues.

Confused on how to do it? Here are ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day at work.

• Decorate the office

Transform the office space into a festive environment with Valentine’s Day-themed decors and colours. This can help create a cheerful atmosphere and set the mood for celebration.

The employees can as well be encouraged to decorate their workstations, lockers, and other personal spaces.

• Host breakfast

Start the workday off on a sweet note by hosting a Valentine’s Day breakfast in your workplace.

Set up a designated and decorated space in the office where workers can gather to enjoy delicious foods and drinks. However, if your work is done remotely, you can also order breakfast and get it delivered to your colleagues.

Hosting breakfast gives a more budget-friendly option than throwing an entire Valentine’s Day party. This provides an opportunity for colleagues to socialize, bond, and build relationships in a relaxed setting.

• Play dress up

Valentine’s Day can be celebrated at work by playing dress up or dress down — depending on the workplace’s usual dress code.

If the usual dress code of the workplace is casual, workers can play dress up by wearing red, white or pink clothing or accessories. However, if the dress code is always corporate, workers can get casual with little or more Valentine theme clothing or accessories.

To make it more fun, small prizes can be given to best-dressed individuals.

• Organise gift exchange

You could do something like a Secret Santa gift exchange with your colleagues on Valentine’s Day.

For instance, you can write each employee’s name on a slip of paper and place it in a bowl or box. Ask each employee to draw a name and act as a Secret Valentine’s Day Santa.

To keep the gifting budget-friendly, a certain budget and guidelines. A theme for the gift can also be added like a homemade gift, or a corporate gift to add an extra touch of creativity.

• Share appreciation notes/cards

Valentine’s cards or appreciation notes can be exchanged among colleagues on Valentine’s Day.

All workers can be provided with cards or notes where they can write messages of appreciation and gratitude for their colleagues.

An appreciation board can also be mounted in the office walkway. Below the board, markers, notes — which can be heart-shaped — and push pins will be provided.

On the board, colleagues will share how someone has made them feel appreciated at work or their appreciation to someone. This will help share love and also make people feel loved, appreciated, and recognised.

Aside from the note, act of kindness challenge can be done as well. Where workers are instructed to extend an act of kindness to each other throughout the week. This will encourage colleagues to help each other out and advocate for one another without expecting anything in return every other day.

• Volunteer as a team

Valentine’s Day is attributed with sharing and loving so showing affection to the less privileged isn’t a bad thing to do.

As colleagues/team, you can try to give back to society with the little you have. Join a program that aligns with your company’s mission, probably by helping to hand out food to the homeless or visiting an orphanage. Everyone deserves love, regardless.