Just to dispel any potential disagreements: Employee engagement matters.

A 2013 Gallup poll found that 70% of American employees dislike their jobs, and this causes them to disengage from the company. Disengagement causes lack of productivity, lack of teamwork, and lack of… well… everything that makes the office work well. The funny thing is that it doesn’t take much to encourage engagement, and you, the loyal office ninja/happiness hero, have the power to change the office world for the better with something as simple as telling fellow employees that they matter.

The simple greeting card has the Shuriken-like power to cut through negativity and apathy, and the RIGHT greeting card can help turn the tide against employee disengagement. This article will give you resources and links to find the perfect card for the occasions where employees need recognition the most.

Birthdays

Boost employee morale by recognizing the fact that they were, not only born, but survived to “insert age here.” These birthday cards work for all types of employee personalities from the “GUYS IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!” person, to the one who quietly takes the day off to sleep in.

Paper Bandit Press’s “Calories Don’t Count” – $4.50 USD ea

This card is made from 100% cotton paper, and it is also 100% true: calories DON’T count when you’re eating birthday cake. If you love this card, Paper Bandit Press offers more than 70 different cards to fit any occasion, as well as a secret wholesale shop to get your favorites in bulk.

RabbitRabbit’s “You:Bacon” – $4.95 USD ea

If you work in a casual environment, and your co-workers appreciate a good laugh, the RabbitRabbit birthday cards are a riot. I will warn you that A LOT of them are NSFW due to random profanity, but if you take the time to search, you can find some office-safe engagement gold.

Paper Source’s “Chalkboard A2 Happy Birthday” – $12.50 USD set of 10

Do you need to bulk up on birthday cards? Paper Source offers a wide variety of beautifully designed cards that are available both individually and in bulk with messages that are safe for every office.

Baby Showers and Weddings

Startup life is nonstop, and when you’re working in the trenches eighty hours a week with your team, they become a second family.  Baby showers and weddings are major milestones in your work-family’s lives, so don’t miss out on a chance to congratulate, or gently tease, them about it. 

Lilikoi’s “Baby Polka Dots” – $5.00 USD each

This adorbs letterpressed masterpiece was pressed onto 100% cotton paper, so don’t let the card receiver try to use it as a baby blanket! It’s empty inside and large enough to let everyone in the office sign it.

LissaLooStationary’s “You Punched Fear in the Face” – $4.00 USD ea

Speaking of “engaged” employees, although not necessarily a wedding or engagement card, this cheeky employee greeting card embraces your employee’s brave endeavors outside of work. It takes more guts to propose or walk down the aisle than it does to show up to work, after all.

Jewelry Greetings’ “Cherry Blossoms” – Preorder Only

If you really like your employees, their fiance doesn’t have to be the only one “putting a ring on it.” This card comes with a punch-out outline that folds into a paper ring! They’re not yet available for purchase, but you can join a pre-order list (for free) to be notified when they become available, as well as get a special pre-order discount.

Condolences

Like offering praise, offering support during your employees’ times of need is important too. Employee engagement is more than just boosting morale. It’s about making each employee feel like they are valued members of the work-family.

jdeluce’s “Condolences Card” – $5.50 USD ea

This simple and elegant condolence card offers a powerful message of support. Like several others on this list, it is handmade with letterpress, and it radiates thoughtfulness and care.  The blank interior allows everyone in the office to send their thoughts.

Thank You

This wouldn’t be a successful article about employee engagement if we didn’t offer you resources for “thank you” cards! NEVER underestimate the power of thanking your employees publicly with a card that matches their personality.

CandidCulture’s “You’re Awesome!” – $14.00 USD per pack of 10

Put simply, everything that Etsy’s CandidCulture makes is perfect for the workplace. They make brightly colored greeting cards that were created with employee engagement in mind. This card, in particular, gets across a simple but highly effective message. The inside is blank, allowing you (or your boss) to craft a handwritten thank you note.

Lionheart Prints “Turbo Grateful” – $18.00 USD per pack of 6

Sometimes, you need to go elementary on your people … with watercolors! This playful employee greeting card is hand-lettered with watercolor and comes in a pack of 6 so you can thank more than one person!

Missive’s “Thank You Kindly” – $5.00 USD ea

For your more reserved employees, this monochromatic card offers praise elegantly, almost with an British accent! Save your best handwriting for its blank interior.

Playing your Cards Right…

See what I did there? Puns aside, employee engagement does not end with a greeting card, but it can certainly start there. Kind words made tangible can go a long way.

Can you think of a time when a card made your teammate’s day or better yet your day better? Let us know in the comments!