While most of us associate Labor Day with the unofficial end of Summer and ‘back to school’ time; let’s not forget who it is we are really celebrating– the work force and their contribution to the success of our businesses and great country. In honor of Labor Day, we put together these 7 Creative Ways to Celebrate Your Employees:

1. Be flexible with the schedule. This time of year brings many challenges for your team members (eg- squeezing in that one final vacation with loved ones, kids heading back to school, etc.). So sit down with each of your employees and have an open dialogue about the hours/days they need off so that you can accomodate. A little bit of flexibility here will go a long way in showing your team how much you value quality of life.

2. Honor their free time by letting them unplug. So many times we see business owners letting staff members have time off but forcing them to answer calls on their cell phones and return messages while they are away. That’s a big no-no. Instead, let people truly unwind device free! Outsource the handling of your business calls for a few days– it won’t cost much. In fact, if you need our help, YesTrak live agents would love to take your calls (and your staff will love you for it!).

3. Organize one final Summer event. The end of Summer can be a sad time for people. Kids head back to school or off to college, beach days and bbq’s come to an end, etc. reddit ask So let your team know you understand their sorrow by having one final organized Summer blowout! Team morale is an important aspect of any business– hosting one final event outdoors delivers great bang for your buck.

4. Give praise with personalized notes/messages. Nothing shows you care like a personalized message of praise to each of your team members. So be creative– write hand-written notes, film quick videos, do it with pictures, whatever you think will resonate best with your staff. You want the entire organization charged up for a great finish to the year, so let them know now how much you appreciate their hard work with personalized notes/messages.

5. Create a ‘Trade Positions Day.’ This is one of those decisions you will be glad you made, as weird as it may sound to institute. Get your team fired up on a ‘Trade Positions Day’ in which you mix up everyone’s role for one full day. In fact, set the date and let your clients or patients know you are doing it, and they will think it’s a fantastic idea and appreciate your creativity and team spirit. The business owner answers phones, the back office manager meets and greets visitors at the front desk, etc. Make it fun and watch the smiles light up across your offices! Each member of your team will also earn a new-found respect for their fellow employee, which is always great to see.

6. Get excited about Fall! While Summer is great, Fall has a ton to offer as well. For example, football season is finally upon us and many of your staff members will be counting the days to kick-off! Therefore, there’s no better time to harness that energy to increase camaraderie around the office. Plan a friendly football pool, offer up some fun prizes, etc. You want your team members sharing their passions with others instead of sneaking peaks at football news when no one’s looking… Even the non-sports fans can get into an office football pool if organized correctly.

7. Set goals for the remainder of the year. While ⅔ of year is now behind us, there’s still ⅓ left and these last few months are critical to achieving your annual goals. While many businesses may be on track to reach their targets, others may be far behind with no chance at hitting the marks. That’s ok, there’s no rule that says you can’t revise your goals during the year. Instead, recalibrate your targets for the remainder of the year and get your team bought into realistic goals you know you can accomplish. Achieving success is what’s most important, so don’t be afraid to admit a goal can’t be reached in order to set a new one that can.