Boss's Day 2024: When is Boss's Day 2024 & 2025?

Below you can find dates of Boss's Day 2024 and Boss's Day 2025. In the table you can check how many days you have been on holiday, which week is the holiday and which day of the month.

When is ..? Date Day of the week Week Number Day left
Boss's Day 2024 October 16, 2024 Wednesday 42 212
Boss's Day 2025 October 16, 2025 Thursday 42 577
Boss's Day 2026 October 16, 2026 Friday 42 942
Boss's Day 2027 October 16, 2027 Saturday 41 1307
Boss's Day 2028 October 16, 2028 Monday 42 1673
Boss's Day 2029 October 16, 2029 Tuesday 42 2038
Boss's Day 2030 October 16, 2030 Wednesday 42 2403
Boss's Day 2031 October 16, 2031 Thursday 42 2768
Boss's Day 2032 October 16, 2032 Saturday 42 3134
Boss's Day 2033 October 17, 2033 Monday 42 3500
Boss's Day 2034 October 16, 2034 Monday 42 3864

Boss’s Day

Boss’s Day or National Boss’s Day is celebrated each year on October 16 in the United States, Canada and some other countries and it was registered with the United States Chamber of Commerce in 1958 by Patricia Bays Haroski.  She chose the date for the celebration as the 16th October because that was her boss’s birthday.  her boss also happened to be her father so we reckon she was slightly biased!  LOL.  The day was officially proclaimed Boss’s Day in 1962 by the Governor of Illinois. The day was established to demonstrate appreciation and recognition for all good bosses out there and the tough roles and responsibilities that they hold.

Boss’s Day Background

Boss’ Day was created by Patricia Bays Haroski in 1958 when she registered it with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce while working as a secretary at State Farm Insurance. The date she selected was her father’s birthday, due in no small part to the fact that she was working for him at the time.

She felt that the work her father did was rarely recognized and that employees rarely showed appreciation for these people who kept their workplaces moving smoothly. By 1979 it had grown popular enough that Hallmark Cards issued a Boss’ Day card to honor the holiday.

Boss’s Day Celebrations

There is a power differential between employees and employers, where the employer generally makes more money and has more power overall, and thus it has been posited that Boss’ Day should not be observed and that any gift-giving in the workplace should flow down.

It’s an interesting debate, but we feel that it’s important to recognize that Bosses are people too, and while they may be in a position of greater power, they also have greater responsibility, and their efforts are what gives employees continuing work.

Perhaps both Boss and Employee need to work together to create an environment of teamwork in the workplace, and Boss’ Day can be a good step in that direction. 

Boss’s Day Customs and Traditions

Celebrate Boss’ Day by giving them a nice card, or just stop in and let them know how much you appreciate what they do. If you realize that you don’t really know what their work consists of or what demands are placed on them, Boss’ Day can also be a good opportunity to learn exactly what they do each day to keep your workplace moving smoothly.

Boss's Day is meant to be a day for employees to appreciate their supervisors, and to provide an opportunity for bosses and employees to improve their relationships. Boss's Day is also known as National Boss Day, but it is not a nationwide public holiday. 

Catch the special day to say thanks to your bosses who help provide confidence, guidance, and leadership at work every day. Nowadays, custom challenge coin for corporations has become a popular way to foster workplace camaraderie and motivation. It also serves well as an appreciation to bosses on an individual level or by the whole team. You can feature any warm or fun quotes, a cartoon profile of your boss, or best wishes for your company on either side of the coin. Get your memorable yet inexpensive commemorative coins for Boss's Day at GS-JJ with a free online design system.

Corporate challenge coins

Boss’s Day Facts

  • The word 'boss' originated from the Dutch word 'baas'. Baas means 'master' which was the common title for the ship captain.
  • Other meanings for the word boss include: swelling, top-class, or cow/calf.
  • The first time the word 'boss' was used as an American English term it was to replace the word 'master', in 1625.
  • Hallmark did not publish a Boss's Day greeting car until 1979. Today there are more than 56 different cards to honor bosses.
  • There are estimated to be approximately 11 million people working in supervisor/management roles in the United States.
  • Some people give their bosses gifts such as business cards, flowers, or gift certificates on Boss's Day as a way to show their appreciation.
  • Of all the bosses in the world approximately 40% are female. Approximately only 12% of American companies have female CEOs.
  • On Boss's Day employees are supposed to avoid confrontations with their superiors out of respect for them.
  • 'Boss' is the 3714th most common surname in the United States.
  • The word 'boss' became popular in the 1950s as a slang term for top notch or first rate.
  • Bruce Springsteen is a famous singer and songwriter who became known as 'The Boss' throughout his career.
  • Famous songs that refer to bosses include Elvis Presley's 'Big Boss Man', and Moxy Fruvous' 'I Love My Boss'. One of the former members of Moxy Fruvous has been criminally implicated in Canada for abusing his position as a boss against female employees and interns in 2014.
  • In 2008 Yahoo conducted a survey and discovered that 43% of the employees do not like their boss' style of management.
  • It is often said that 'people don't leave companies, they leave managers'.
  • In a survey approximately 86% of Americans gave their bosses praise but 32% admitted to disobeying the bosses' orders.
  • Boss's Day is a controversial holiday. Not everyone believes that employees should be honoring bosses.
  • Boss's Day gifts for women can include flowers, cards, gift certificates, gift baskets, business stationary, lunches, plants, wine or chocolate.
  • Boss's Day gifts for men can include cards, gift certificates, business stationary, lunches, golf gifts, whiskey, cigars, pens, mugs, or even sports memorabilia.
  • It is not mandatory that employees give their boss a gift on Boss's Day.
  • Boss's Day is also now celebrated in Canada, South Africa, India, Ireland, Egypt, and Australia. 

So, what does a great boss do?

A great boss,

  • Shares information instead of hiding it. Have you ever worked for an information hoarder? Some bosses seem to think that every piece of information they share reduces their power and authority. In fact, just the opposite is true: great bosses know that sharing information empowers their employees, instead of diluting their own power.
  • Puts a lot of thought into hiring. Bad bosses think nothing of hiring a jerk with great credentials because they’re only interested in how that person will perform. Great bosses think of the entire team. They recognize that their current employees are going to have to work with the new hire every single day, and they look for someone who will complement the team holistically, rather than just fill in a certain skills gap.
  • Looks for and celebrates wins. Great bosses don’t have a “Why should I praise you for doing your job?” attitude. They look for reasons to praise their employees, both privately and publicly, and they take the time to celebrate milestones, instead of just driving everybody on to the next project or deadline. They understand that getting a paycheck doesn’t cancel out that inherent need to feel valued and appreciated.
  • Respects your time. Great bosses don’t give you the impression that their time is more valuable than yours. They don’t keep you waiting for scheduled meetings. They show up prepared and get to the point, instead of trying to impress you. And they don’t goof off on your time. It’s not that they’re unwilling to have fun at work, but they don’t do it at your expense, causing you extra stress or making it necessary for you to stay late to catch up.
  • Behaves empathetic. Bad bosses only see their employees from the perspective of how the employees reflect on them. If their employees are doing a great job, they look good; if their employees are performing poorly, they look bad. Great bosses, on the other hand, see their employees as more than just extensions of themselves. 
  • Tries to be accountable. Bad bosses are quick to point the finger when something goes wrong. They’ll throw their employees under the proverbial bus without a second thought. Great bosses understand that a large part of their job is being accountable for the team’s performance. They know that this just goes along with accepting a managerial role. That doesn’t mean that they don’t offer the team feedback on what is going wrong, but it does mean that they take the blame publicly. 
  • Says thank you. Bad bosses think the work their employees do is something the employees owe them. After all, they’re getting paychecks, right? That’s true — but great bosses look past work as a transactional relationship and realize that people are putting a huge part of themselves into the work they do. They say thank you, even if it is “just part of the job.”
  • Creates leaders. Have you ever noticed how sometimes all the promotions come from within one manager’s team? That’s no accident. Great bosses pull the very best out of their people. They inspire, coach, and lean into people’s strengths, and when their employees are ready for new challenges, they gladly send them on their way. 

Boss’s Day Symbols

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.

Activities may include giving team and personal cards, baking cakes, giving out gifts, potluck party, after work celebration. You may 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.

Check out the Boss's Day in the following years.