Paraoptometric Appreciation Month is the perfect excuse to go all in on gratitude. Your team works hard, and September is the time to make them feel seen and supported.
We’ve put together ideas beyond the welcome (but standard) gift card or catered lunch — little things that will make this month feel more special: swag they’ll actually use, recognition that makes them laugh, playlists to get them through the day, and surprise treats to brighten the week.
Personal swag
- Custom scrub jackets embroidered with their name
- Engraved/personalized badge reels or eyewear toolkits
- Cool eyewear-shaped jewelry or pins
Not sure where to start with this kind of gift? Google is your friend here. Paste “small businesses that specialize in optometry-themed merch” into the search field and see what the AI overview gives you. Lots to explore.
Involve your patients
Create staff superlatives categories (Best Listener, Most Cheerful, Explainer Extraordinaire) and have patients vote. Reveal results with an “awards ceremony” and follow up with a simple one-on-one recognition and thank you.
Beyond patient-voted awards, you might also let your team make categories for each other (Tech Tamer, Patient Whisperer, Best at Keeping Calm When the Schedule Blows Up…). Funny or ultra-specific categories are ideal here. It gets the whole group involved, and as we know, humor goes a long way.
Note: Lots of options for mini trophies online, with room to write the award category in gold paint pen (or use a label maker).
Career investment
The AOA recommends a gift of AOA membership for your team. Of course they do! But the idea is a good one. Show your staff appreciation for who they are and who they want to become by covering a CE course, certification test, conference attendance, or industry association membership.
Tip: You might schedule a quick career check-in chat with each paraoptometric — ask what certification, CE, or skill they’d actually be excited to pursue.
Team playlist
Build a collaborative Spotify/Apple Music playlist where each staff member adds their go-to focus songs, amp-up songs, relaxing songs, whatever you decide. Play it in the office during September. You can even share the playlist link with patients.
If your team is small and you need more songs, let patients nominate their favorites, too. It’ll be more community-oriented and will create fun conversation at appointments.
Wall of thanks with a twist
Set up a bulletin board style wall of thanks and a station where patients can leave messages of appreciation (or staff can leave public shoutouts for each other). Make it more interactive by bringing a Polaroid camera. Share photos of each team member, funny photos taken throughout the month, and pics taken with patients to pin alongside the messages. Consider asking for silly throwback photos of everyone and add those, too.
Surprise treat drop-ins
Instead of one big lunch, sprinkle smaller surprises: a local coffee spread one morning, gourmet popcorn on a Friday, or take-home fancy ice creams in the freezer. Keeps the appreciation going all month instead of in one burst.
