National Boss’s Day (or Bosses Day)

Boss’s Day, also known as Bosses Day or National Boss Day, is generally observed on or around October 16 in the United States. (If the holiday falls on a weekend, it is celebrated on the closest working day). It has traditionally been a day for employees to thank their bosses for being kind and fair throughout the year. This day was created for the purpose of strengthening the bond between employer and employee.

History: Patricia Bays Haroski registered National Boss’ Day with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1958. She was working as a secretary for State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois, at the time and chose October 16, which was her father’s birthday. She was working for her father at the time. The purpose of designating a special day in the workplace is to show the appreciation for her bosses she thought they deserved. This was also a strategy to attempt to improve intra-office relationships between managers and their employees. Haroski believed that young employees sometimes did not understand the hard work and dedication that their supervisors put into their work and the challenges they faced. Four years later, in 1962, Illinois Governor Otto Kerner backed Haroski’s registration and officially proclaimed the day.

Choosing a gift for your boss on Boss’s Day can be a bit tricky. Your gift should reflect your specific relationship with your supervisor. People who are lucky enough to have a good boss they are close to, probably know exactly what he or she would like. They can choose an individual gift that will fit their boss’ personality best. But if your boss is just the person who you occasionally see in the break room, you might want to just get them something simple and generic. Popular gift ideas, appropriate for any boss, include: office supplies, desk sets, planners, business card holders, flowers, and gift baskets. If you’re not comfortable giving your boss a gift for the holiday, you could always get them a nice card. It won’t be a difficult thing to do. By 1979 this observance had grown popular enough that Hallmark Cards issued a Boss’ Day card to honor the holiday.

In recent years though growing social awareness and class awareness has led to controversy about the celebration. Some people say that Boss’ Day should not be observed and that any gift-giving in the workplace should flow down because the employer generally makes more money and has more power overall. But while bosses may be in a position of greater power, they also have greater responsibility, and their efforts is what gives employees continuing work. So it is reasonable to say that their hard work and dedication deserve to be recognized and appreciated.

The event’s popularity is growing outside the United States, the holiday becoming an international celebration. It is now also observed in Canada, Australia, India, South Africa, and other countries.

Source: wikipedia.org

In 2025 National Boss’s Day (or Bosses Day) in USA falls on October 16.