15 Heartwarming Employee Birthday Message Templates for Remote Teams

In a world where many, or most, of your employees aren’t in one central office when they work, celebrating birthdays gets a little more complicated. You can’t simply pick up a greeting card and a generic cake anymore and call it a day. 

This shift puts more pressure than ever on coming up with the perfect birthday message for each and every employee — which can be a daunting task. And that’s why we’ve curated this collection of 15 messages for every birthday wish in the workplace, specifically for remote and hybrid teams. 

The importance of celebrating employee birthdays on remote teams

When your employees aren’t working in the office, the traditional in-person office birthday celebrations don't work. But celebrating birthdays meaningfully boosts employee morale and productivity, as well as connecting colleagues to each other and employees to your company. 

In fact, happy and engaged teams benefit your company’s bottom line — they deliver up to 50% better performance than non-engaged teams. And birthdays, while they’re a personal event, are a great chance to show employees you recognize and value them as a whole person. 

Of course, the birthday celebration isn’t automatically beneficial. To truly increase employee engagement, they must be meaningful and personalized. These templates are a starting point, but they should be filled in with the unique details that make each employee their own wonderful self. 

15 heartwarming employee birthday message templates

Template #1-2: Birthday card 

There’s a reason birthday cards are a time-tested classic — they’re always appreciated. You can drop a greeting card on the birthday person’s desk if they work in the office regularly, or send it to their home in advance so they can open it on the day if they’re remote. Bonus points if you get all or most of your team members to sign it as well for extra birthday cheer!

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“Happy birthday, [name]! [Company] is incredibly lucky to have you — with your infectious positivity, your creative thinking, and your way of bringing a smile to every meeting and event, no matter how small. We hope you have a great day!” 

“Wishing you a very happy birthday, [name], from the whole team! Enjoy this day because you deserve nothing less than the best — that’s what you bring to work every day. Here’s to another wonderful year!”

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Template #3-4: LinkedIn 

Social media can be a fun way to share birthday wishes for an employee with the wider world. Just keep these messages professional since it’s public, but you can have a little fun as well and show off your fun, supportive company culture into the bargain. 

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“Today we get to wish our treasured teammate [name] a very happy birthday! Words alone can’t express how much they add to our team, but we’ll try — with their collaborative spirit, kind heart, and friendly presence, they make our company a better place every day.” 

“We wish [name], our [title] and valued teammate, a very happy birthday today! They contribute not only their experience and expertise to the team, but also their unconquerable and cheerful spirit in everything they do. We hope you have a wonderful year, [name]!” 

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Template #5-6: Slack 

Your internal social media can also be a great place to send a happy birthday message — and the whole team and company can jump in with their best birthday wishes as well. (Plus a few fun emojis and GIFs!). 

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“Happy birthday, [name]! You’re a great employee and we’re lucky to have you, but you’re also so much more than that — a devoted cat dad, a professional remote fun organizer, and a wonderful person. Here’s to you on your [age] birthday!”

“Sending happy birthday wishes to [name] in [department] today — we hope you have a birthday celebration that’s just as sweet and special as you are! Your empathy, enthusiasm, and expertise make you an irreplaceable member of [company].” 

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Template #7: Funny 

Don’t be afraid to get a little funny in your birthday messages, if your employee would appreciate it and your company culture would support it. 

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“Happy birthday to our beloved [name]! May your celebration be as lit as your birthday cake today. Our office would be a less fun place without you!” 

Template #8-9: Heartfelt 

If you’d like your message to be a little more from-the-heart than funny, it’s always best to make it meaningful and specific. Fill in the relevant details about your employee to write the perfect birthday message. 

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“Wishing you a great birthday, [name]! You bring so much kindness, brightness, and joy to our whole team every day, and we’re so grateful to have you. We hope this birthday will be as joyful and peaceful as you are!”

“Best wishes for your birthday, [name]! You’re calm under pressure, graceful in the face of anything the workplace throws at you, and always make the team feel and function better. May your birthday be as beautiful as your spirit!”

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Template #10-11: New employee 

Celebrating your new team members’ birthdays can feel a little tricky — you don’t always know enough about them yet to craft the perfect personalized message. But these templates can help you get started. 

“Wishing a very happy birthday to [name], the newest member of our team! We hope you have a great year personally, and we’re so excited to see what you’ll accomplish professionally at [company] as well. Warmest birthday wishes!” 

“[Name] is a new member of our team, but another year wiser today! Please join me in wishing them a very happy birthday and another year of good health and happiness. We’re so delighted to have you here at [company]!” 

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Template #12-13: Long-term employee 

For employees who have been with  your company for a long time, delivering a heartfelt and personal message might be easier. Be sure to recognize all the hard work they’ve contributed to your company, but also who they are as a person — you can save the long list of professional accomplishments for their work anniversary. 

“Happy birthday to our amazing employee [name]! They’ve been with us at [company] for many years, and we’re excited to see what wonderful things the next year will hold for them as well. Enjoy your birthday!” 

“Happiest of happy birthdays, [name]! You’ve chosen to spend [years] of your [years] of life at [company], and we’re looking forward to many more. Your curiosity, empathy, and bright approach to work and life make this a better place to work every day!” 

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Template #14-15: Birthday video 

It’s 2023 — you don’t need to stick to paper or the written word to deliver a wonderful birthday greeting anymore. Sending a happy birthday message via video can make it feel more personalized and friendly, especially for employees who work remotely. Record a quick message using a tool like Loom or the video recording software on your computer, like one of these templates: 

“Hey [name], it’s your birthday and that’s a big day for you and for us! [Company] is lucky to have you as an employee, I’m lucky to have you on my team, and your coworkers are lucky to have you as a colleague. Have a wonderful day!”

“Happy birthday, [name]! I hope this message finds you happy, healthy, and ready for another journey around the sun. Our team is lucky to have your energy, your experience, and your positive attitude at work every day. Enjoy your special day!”

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Conclusion

Remote teams need special occasions and celebrations just as much as in-office ones. They’re a great opportunity for connection, joy, and team bonding. In fact, 64% of employees say that employee appreciation is even more important for remote workers, so don’t skip out just because it’s more complicated these days. Give employees a spotlight for the day and watch them shine. 

Celebrating your employees’ birthdays is fun — but remembering them isn’t always easy. Using employee engagement tools like Cooleaf can automate those birthday reminders and messages so you never miss an important and happy day again. Try Cooleaf today and see for yourself!