Employee Appreciation Day celebrates workers
Friday’s lineup includes free food, talent performances, snow cones, a collective art piece and more ways to say “thanks.”
Calling all Carolina faculty and staff! It’s time for the Office of Human Resources’ celebration of you and all you do for the University community, with a Friday full of food, fun and sharing words of thanks.
Employee Appreciation Day is back as an in-person fall event.
Theannual eventwill take place 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, in the Pit and the Frank Porter Graham Student Union and will feature activities, giveaways, networking and food.Participation is free, and attendance is work time for staff. Supervisors and managers should allow employees to attend the event.Free parking will be available in Cobb Deck on Paul Green Drive.
The theme of the day is “Carolina Blue is the color of appreciating you,” said University Program Manager Sherene Jenkins, special assistant to the vice chancellor for human resources and equal opportunity and compliance.Be sure to wear your Carolina Blue!
“We’re excited to be able to gather in person both to celebrate the amazing and dedicated staff who make the University work, and to acknowledge how far we’ve come — together — over the course of the past few years,” said Becci Menghini, vice chancellor for human resources and equal opportunity and compliance.
Offerings and agenda
The day begins with a hot breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes and more in the Pit from 6:45-9 a.m. foremployees beginning or ending their shifts.
Starting at 10 a.m., you can receive a flu shot or COVID-19 booster, no appointment needed:
- Flu vaccines: Student Union room 2518A-B.
- COVID-19 booster shots: third floor of Student Stores for employees who have completed their primary COVID-19 immunization series.
Most of the event’s activities will take place 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in or around the Student Union:
- Department/local business fair where employees can visit University departments and local vendors to learn more about services and products.
- Carnival games and inflatables, including an oversized version of Connect Four.
- Hands-on art-making workshop with Boston-based artist Sheila Gallagher, which will culminate in a collective artwork.
- Caricature artists.
- Giveaways and hourly raffles.
- Employee talent performances.
- Pelican’s snow cones.
- 360-degree photo booth, where users strike a pose on an elevated platform as a camera rotates and captures a video.
- Student Stores 20% in-store discount.
Another popular Employee Appreciation Day staple is returning — barbecue! Jenkins says turkey, pork and, for vegetarians, jackfruit barbecue will be offered for lunch from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
“When you take the time to show appreciation, employees feel their value and can be proud of the different contributions they make to the overall mission of the University,” Jenkins said. “It motivates people, increases employee engagement and just makes for an overall positive workplace culture.”
Cheers to Peers
Want to show appreciation for a colleague? One easy way to make a team member’s day is throughCheers to Peers, an online site introduced by the Office of Human Resources.
How it works: Submit a short message (no more than 75 characters) of gratitude to give credit where credit is due. Thesubmission formwill be open through Oct. 19. Messages will be published Oct. 21 on theEmployee Appreciation Day webpage, where you will be able to search for ones you’ve sent and received.
As Employee Appreciation Day approaches, Jenkins says more than 1,800 messages have been submitted.
“I think people really appreciate being able to say thank you,” she said.
