Father's Day - An Opportunity to Engage

Today is Father's day. World over it is a way of saying to one's dad how much he means to them! Days like father's day, mother's day etc. are laced with emotions and sentiments. And that's why it reminds me that such days may be excellent engagement opportunities with the employees. Recently a watch manufacturing company in India came-up with a unique way of celebrating mother's day. Instead of giving some gifts for the employee's mothers, they invited the employee'smothers to the office on Mother's day. They were treated well, pampered and had fun events all day. The 'mothers' also had a chance of looking at their sons and daughter's workplace and the respect that they has earned for themselves. Such a initiative by the company created both a emotional and rational connect with the employees and their family members. Emotionally the sense of pride that both employees and their mothers would have felt must have given them a feeling of realization of all the years and efforts that they have invested in shaping their own or their prodigy's career. On the rational front, the mother and through them their families would have got a better sense of the kind of responsibilities that their son or daughter shoulders in the company and hence would have become more empathetic to them and their professional demands.
Ofcourse the same cannot be replicated today on the occasion of father's day, considering the weekend coincidence. However there can always be a special way to connect and engage with the employees and their families.
Not too long back I read a blog by the Daniel Group which impressed me a lot. Here it goes:

Today is Employee Appreciation Day March 4, 2011

We designate days to appreciate the people who shaped us and our  country.  There is Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day,  Presidents Day, Teacher Appreciation, among many others.
Today is Employee Appreciation Day, and it is dedicated  to the people the help make your company what it is.   You wouldn’t be  here without them, and you most likely couldn’t do what they do.
With 84% of people intending to look for a new job this year, according to a recent study, now would be a great  time to strengthen your relationship with your employees.  If you  hadn’t had the chance to do so, take this excuse to talk to your employees.  Recognize their contributions and thank them.  After all,  happy employees are a key to a successful company.