National Boss Day

National Boss Day is October 16th of each year. When the holiday falls on a weekend, it is generally celebrated on the working day closest to October 16th.

National Boss Day started in 1958. Patricia Bays Haroski, then an employee at State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois, registered the holiday with the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. Patricia´s idea was to show appreciation for her boss and other bosses. Her purpose in promoting National Boss Day through the years has been to improve the relationship between employees and their bosses. In particular, younger employees, she believes, often do not realize the problems bosses face in running a business.

She designated October 16th as the special day because it was her father's birthday. "I had worked for a large company and noticed that they never had a regular date set to pay tribute to our bosses," Haroski wrote in 1970. "I made inquiries, and through my network of secretaries, decided to establish a day in their honor. Reflecting on how my father had helped his white-collar daughters and sons many times with their problems concerning their work, I decided to register his birthday, October 16, as 'The Day.' In 1958, I gave it some authority by registering October 16th as National Boss Day with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 1962, Illinois Governor Otto Kerner proclaimed the day. This observance is fun for our bosses, and they do a lot of smiling that day."

Common observes of National Boss Day include giving a greeting card, gift, or some other token of appreciation to the "boss" (manager, supervisor or executive). Some organizations hold group activities such as company lunches or executive appreciation.

Plan ahead. Show your boss your appreciation by planning a lunch or having a gift basket delivered. Show him or her how much you appreciate the fact that you have a job. If you are a boss, let your employees know how much you appreciate your employees. Show them your appreciation by listening to them, standing behind them when needed and giving praise where praise is due.

Enjoy your day, you deserve it!

"Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work." ~ Booker T. Washington