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Recognizing Employee Appreciation Day with Franz Sebastian Salon


The past two years have been a challenge. COVID-19 created difficult situations for employees across the world, especially in jobs where remote work was not a possibility. For workplaces that had to remain open in-person for customers, it meant that recognizing employees putting in the extra effort to work safely during this time was a necessity.

First observed in 1995, Employee Appreciation Day is an official holiday observed on the first Friday in March and serves as a way for companies to formally recognize their employees’ hard work. But with the new normal full of stressors that are now an accepted part of the workday, Employee Appreciation Day 2021 took on new meaning. Research from the Cicero Group found that 37% of employees cite recognition as a motivating factor to produce great work, making it paramount for employers this year to provide their team with some form of positive feedback and encouragement in order to keep spirits afloat during these trying times.

Stylish woman in a mask and hat wearing a black shirt with the text Franz Sebastian Salon

The sleek design looks great on the black American Apparel Jersey T‑shirt.

Franz Sebastian Salon in Bethesda, Maryland knew they needed a way to celebrate their workers for Employee Appreciation Day this year. “Our team has been kicking butt and deserves to be recognized for their work and talent,” said Marketing Manager Anai Limber. During the past year, the entire team trained and received certifications in Barbicide© COVID-19 protocol in order to provide the safest experience to their customers and continued to offer their services to the Bethesda community. As a way to reward and recognize all their hard work, Franz Sebastian Salon created custom t-shirts for each employee.

With the Franz Sebastian Salon name emblazoned across the shirts in Belleza font, the team can rep their work and feel connected to each other. It also served as a visual indicator to customers to allow them to see who is part of the Franz Sebastian Salon team. With masks still a necessity at many businesses across the country, having a simple visual cue to recognize team members is a bonus.

A stack of custom black t-shirts with the text Franz Sebastian Salon in white printed on them.

The custom American Apparel Jersey T-shirt looks great and makes it easy to find the stylists.

The white text logo was printed on a black American Apparel Jersey T-shirt, which looked sleek and classy. The unisex fit meant that the entire team was covered, and the range of sizes available helped ensure that no one was left out. Outfitting each employee with a shirt in their individual size meant that it not only looked and fit better but also served as a level of customization that showed more care. In a study of over 40,000 employees across 20 countries, the O.C. Tanner 2021 Global Culture Study found that 70% of employees indicate that recognition is most meaningful when it is personalized.

Custom gear is a win/win for any business on Employee Appreciation Day. “It’s a small way to show you care a lot,” said Anai. Even beyond t-shirts, there are many customizable choices for businesses to provide their employees a personalized touch. Why not tailor the gear to your company? Aprons (such as Port Authority’s Stain Release Waist Apron) are perfect for food service, and personalized scrubs (like Dickies V-Neck Scrub Top and matching Drawstring Scrub Pant) can help motivate a team of medical professionals. Custom embroidered hats (like the Adams Pigment Dyed Hat) turn heads no matter what the business is!

Even with many workplaces transitioning to remote work outside of the office, it’s still necessary for teams to stay connected and for employees to show that they still care. Even if your employees can only see each other during Zoom calls, why not give everyone matching hoodies or water bottles to make everyone feel like they’re part of the team?

Man wearing Franz Sebastian Salon shirt giving the thumbs up

The professional look and fit of the custom Franz Sebastian Salon t-shirts got a thumbs up from the employees!

While Employee Appreciation Day happens once per year, great employees are to be celebrated all year round. Many companies specifically set up recognition programs in order to reward and empower their team members. According to the O.C. Tanner 2021 Global Culture Study, organizations with integrated recognition programs are three times as likely to report a positive employee experience and their workplace is four times more likely to report highly engaged employees. Providing seasonal, personalized merch for your team around the year as a way to reward them for their hard work can make all the difference.

Large or small, no matter the industry, Custom Ink offers a growing catalog of merch to fit your needs. Next time your team finishes a big project, nails a presentation, or just celebrates another year together, consider passing along some thanks in the form of custom gear.

Show Recognition with Custom Gear!


Kendra is the Copywriting Support at Custom Ink. She has a background in art but she loves writing, so she finds a compromise between the two by creating comics in her free time.

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