Fundoo Times
Boss Day is celebrated to appreciate bosses for their efforts. Explore the origin and history of National Boss's Day which has now turned International.

Boss's Day History

Are you following the monotonous routine of going to work, sitting there all day long, coming back home and sleeping it off? It is often that we forget to appreciate those around us, especially the one who has been a pillar of support during your ups and downs in performance. Cherishing what this special person has done for you generally comes with plenty of admirations. Expressing what you truly feel never goes unacknowledged. It is for this reason, October 16th of every year is celebrated as Boss's Day (otherwise referred to as Bosses Day or National Boss Day). Be it a boss, manager, supervisor, CEO or any senior, they all need to be duly credited for the efforts that they bestow on you. A good boss is someone who is fair, honest, understanding, approachable and supportive. Popular ways to show gratitude involve flowers, cards, gifts to make him/her feel valuable. But, has it ever occurred to you as to how and by whom Bosses Day was founded? The history and origin of Boss's Day is something that everyone employee must be aware of and it also makes for an interesting reading! Read on to learn exactly why this day was chosen to compliment people in supervisory positions.

Origin Of Boss's Day
  • 16th day of October 1958 was important to Patricia Bays Haroski. It was on this day that she created the concept of National Boss's Day. She submitted it to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and it became certified in the United States and Canada.
  • Haroski was an employee of State Farm Company in Deerfield where she was the secretary and her father was her boss! She realized that her senior battled all the hardships of the job without being appreciated for it.
  • He was her only motivation and inspiration and it was then that she decided that her father's birthday, October 16th would be known as Bosses Day nationwide. This was done to officially honour the superiors who have been giving good advice to employees all along and it was also aimed at better employee-employer relationships in the future.
  • In the year 1962, the Governor of Illinois, Otto Kerner, who was more than happy to welcome this proposal, proclaimed this day as the National Boss Day. This idea slowly became famous among other countries like England, Australia and even South Africa.
  • But it was not until 1979 that Hallmark started publishing Boss's Day cards. By the year 2007, this became extremely common and there was almost a 90% increase in the total size and celebrations of National Boss Day.
Today
  • Boss's Day has come a long way from just being a note of appreciation given to the senior in charge to being a mark with immense respect from both ends. This day acknowledges and helps employees realize the pressures of work and related stress that bosses face almost daily.
  • The role of a boss was previously just to give orders and supervise work. Now, it is revolves around being a mentor, a team builder and/or a motivator and encouraging subordinates to conduct actions in a certain manner to achieve the best possible results. Guidance and interactions frame a major part of their responsibilities.
  • Gifts, cards, flowers, decorations, parties, lunches, homemade crafts etc can all commemorate your boss's wisdom on this day. If you are not very close to your supervisor or are still a fresher in the job, then there are e-cards specially customized for men and women bosses.
  • Celebrating Bosses Day is like a stepping stone to success at work since satisfaction depends largely on the bonds formed.
Reading about the history and the evolution of Boss's Day, helps us realise what thinking went into making a day specifically dedicated to our bosses. Our chieftains deserve all our respect, not only on this particular day but, on all those days when they guide us through the maze of our responsibilities at our work place. This is also another way to help people stay connected and motivated. Research suggests that performance levels from candidates who celebrate Bosses Day are greater than those who don't.