Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate a coworker or employee’s work anniversary? It’s easier than you think.
Celebrating work anniversaries shows your team that you care. Year after year, and even decade after decade, your employees’ dedication should be celebrated for the special and rare gift it is! By acknowledging and celebrating these milestones, you’re boosting employee engagement and retention, so there are even more anniversaries to come.
We’ve got everything you need to make this anniversary special. First, we’ll provide you with some sample happy work anniversary messages to say thanks. Then, we’ll dive right into the video creation process by giving you a free video template filled with the perfect happy work anniversary images. Finally, we’ll tell you where and how to share it so you can kick off the celebration.
Let’s dive in!
What to say in a happy work anniversary video
- "Work wouldn't be the same without your positive energy and relentless drive — thank you! Here’s to another great year."
- "Survived another year of meetings that could’ve been emails — you’re a legend!"
- "Happy anniversary! Your dedication and creativity continue to raise the bar for everyone around you. We’re lucky to have you."
- "You've made such a lasting impact — not just on the work, but on the people too. We’re all proud to be on your team. Happy anniversary!"
- "Happy fifth work anniversary! That makes 5 years of brilliance, dedication, and success — and you're just getting started!"
- "Here’s to your 10-year anniversary! Your loyalty and leadership are truly inspiring. Thank you for being an integral part of our company."
Want even more ideas? Here’s a list of 30 employee anniversary quotes!
Inspiring quotes for work anniversaries
Looking for a little extra oomph and inspiration to pass on to your team? How about a quote? We rounded up some quotes about loyalty, dedication, and making milestones. This can help show your team that you value their work, their time, and their dedication to the company holistically.
Quotes about employee loyalty and dedication
- “Loyal employees are not just workers, they are the backbone of any successful business.” - Anonymous
- “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” - Phil Jackson
- “A company is only as extraordinary as its people.” - Howard Schultz
- “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” - Robert Collier
Quotes celebrating employee contributions and impact
- “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life… the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” - Steve Jobs
- “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” - Jim Collins
Quotes for work anniversaries and milestones
- “A milestone isn’t just a measure of time — it’s a testament to dedication, consistency, and passion.”
- “Work anniversaries are not just dates — they’re celebrations of resilience, value, and growth.”
- “Your years of service have built more than just a career — they’ve built a legacy.”
- “Tenure is more than time — it’s experience, trust, and proof that excellence endures.”
Where to find the best happy work anniversary images
Now that you know what to say, it’s time to choose the visuals. Our employee anniversary video template comes pre-loaded with work-friendly images that are perfect for celebrating your team.
The easiest way to access happy work anniversary images is to use our free video template.
Once you start a project, you can pull stock photos from our Getty Images library and add them to your video with a few clicks. Just search for keywords like “celebration,” “office party,” or “employee appreciation” to find the right ones.
Tips for choosing the right images:
- Use team-specific or personalized images when possible
- If you’re using pictures of individual team members, make sure you have their permission before posting them online
- Look for inclusive and diverse visuals to support your main photos
- You can search for creative images of numbers (like in our template) to symbolize the anniversary
How to make an employee anniversary video with Animoto
Creating happy work anniversary videos is easy and takes little to no more work than a regular card would! That’s all thanks to Animoto’s free video templates. Once you create one employee anniversary video, you can use it as a custom reusable template that will be ready to go for every work anniversary to come.
Step 1: Grab a template
To make your own video in minutes, first use the template linked below or get started from scratch.
Step 2: Add your photos
Now for the photos! Upload a picture or two of your employee and your team. Then, just drag and drop it into your video.
Step 3: Share your message
Copy and paste one of the employee anniversary messages from above to make your video personalized and memorable! Then, swap out the placeholder text with their name and anniversary year.
Pro tip: You can add personalized messages from the rest of your team to your video too! Just ask them to share their message then copy and paste it in. It’s that easy!
Step 4: Add your brand
If you want to make it even more special and on-brand, you can change the colors and font to match your company’s brand. Then you’ll have it all ready to go for the next employee anniversary down the line.
Step 5: Share and celebrate
Last but not least, it’s time to share! Download your video to send directly to your employee, play in your next all-hands meeting, or post in a shared Slack channel. That’s all it takes to make your employee’s next anniversary extra special, and make them feel more appreciated than ever.
Bonus: Example captions and social media tips
For LinkedIn:
Tip: Tag the employee and team to celebrate with you.
Example caption: Celebrating [Employee Name]’s [X]-year work anniversary today! Your dedication, leadership, and positivity make a lasting impact every day — and we’re lucky to have you as part of the team. Here’s to continued growth and success together. 🎉 #WorkAnniversary #TeamMilestone #EmployeeAppreciation #HappyWorkAnniversary
For Instagram Stories:
Tip: Use polls to guess how many years they have been with your team and include stickers for celebratory flair.
Example caption: 5️⃣ years and still going strong! 💪We’re celebrating [@employeehandle or name] today — for all the laughs, the leadership, and the hustle. Swipe to see some of our favorite moments! 🥳 #WorkAnniversary #HappyWorkAnniversary #OfficeVibes #TeamGoals
For Slack/MS Teams:
Tip: Share your video and create a thread to share the love!
Example caption: 🎉 Big shoutout to [@employee] on their [X] year work anniversary today! Thanks for all the ways you support the team, make us laugh, and help things run smoothly. We’re lucky to have you! 🙌 Drop your favorite [@employee] memory or emoji below 👇 I’ll start.
Other ways to celebrate and communicate with your team
Video is a powerful tool for HR and internal comms! From regular engagement and announcements to in-depth trainings, video makes it easy to connect with your team. Here are some other celebrations and occasions that are a perfect fit for video. We’ve even got the templates to match!
Welcome To The Company
Company Appreciation
Employee Birthday
Holiday Message for Employees
Manager Training
Make this anniversary special–make a video
Recognizing work anniversaries isn’t just a kind gesture, it’s a powerful way to boost team morale, show appreciation, and strengthen employee retention. When people feel valued for their time, loyalty, and contributions, they’re more likely to stay engaged, motivated, and committed to your company’s success.
We’d love to hear how your team celebrates milestones! Share your favorite work anniversary traditions or ideas, or tag us on social media.
Happy video making!
