Emily Mellwood
🍾 Welcome to 2026!
With the festive holiday season behind us and the rest of winter remains ahead, it’s time to get back into the swing of things. There’s still time to orchestrate activities and socials in January, if you simply ran out of time in 2025 – be sure to check out our January activity blog for helpful ideas! – but today, let’s explore opportunities for employee engagement in February.
Social themes that boost belonging
Black History Month
February is commonly recognized as Black History Month thanks to action by Carter G. Woodson in 1926, who recognized the omissions of Black individuals from the mainstream historical records. This month, we highlight the contributions, successes and injustices faced by our Black peers and work to further improve equity in America.
Ethnic Equality Month
February also hosts Ethnic Equality Month, which is a more general observance designed to promote human equality and cultural diversity, as well as challenge bias across racial and ethnic boundaries. For broadly multicultural organizations, this can be an opportunity to prioritize cross-cultural connections and deepen understanding and empathy.
LGBTQ+ History Month
We also see LGBTQ+ History Month in February, an important time to recognize the existence, contributions and persecutions of the diverse representations of queer folks throughout history. As queer people continue to face adversity all over the world for simply being who they are, continuing to recognize LGBTQ+ History Month continues to be an important time of the year for driving understanding, belonging and community.
Lunar New Year
February 17th marks the Lunar New Year in 2026, ending the Year of the Snake and beginning the Year of the Dragon – associated with strength, power and good fortune. Organizations can celebrate this occasion by hosting cultural events, offering traditional foods and encouraging employees to share their own customs and traditions.
Opportunities to show some love
February is filled with numerous chances to spread kindness and appreciation among your workforce. Hosting small celebrations or recognition events can go a long way in fostering a positive workplace culture. For example:
2nd – Groundhog Day | Host a poll for employees to vote for their shadow visibility prediction!
4th – Transit Equity Day | Does your organization offer commuter benefits? Host an informational webinar about what’s covered, how to use the benefit and – critically – how much money employees could save by using it!
5th – National Optimist Day | Encourage managers to host team lunches to share the good news of life, whether work- or home-related!
12th – Digital Learning Day | Remind employees that their growth matters to the business by highlighting online learning tools and opportunities to improve!
14th – Valentine’s Day | Offer employees festive appreciation eCards to send each other and highlight community across the organization.
17th – Random Acts of Kindness Day | Create a “gratitude wall” in your office or break room and encourage employees to post kind words throughout the day to encourage and recognize their colleagues, either personally or professionally!
20th – World Day of Social Justice | Support your CSR commitment with a webinar with an activist or a local non-profit organization to highlight important work being done in your own community and ways for your employees to step up if they want to participate.
Who’s hungry? Engage employees’ taste buds
All over the world, humans build connection and community through food. No matter the culture, religion, creed or philosophy, food brings people together. Not only does free food lift the mood (and therefore morale), but it also boosts financial wellbeing by reducing spend on groceries or take-out for that day. And putting unexpected money back in an employee’s pocket is an easy way to boost loyalty and retention.
- 3rd – National Carrot Cake Day
- 4th – National Homemade Soup Day
- 13th – National Tortellini Day
- 16th – National Almond Day
- 17th – National Cabbage Day
- 20th – National Cherry Pie Day + National Muffin Day
- 23rd – National Banana Bread Day
- 26th – National Chili Day + National Pistachio Day
There are, as always, even more food-based observances in February than I have presented here. There are also a variety of alcohol-based observances throughout the year that your organization can observe or celebrate – the 22nd is National Margarita Day, for example – but remember to be cautious: There are a lot of people who are uncomfortable with and around alcohol, for reasons that range from the mundane to the deeply personal. When you serve alcohol at your corporate events, make sure that alternatives are considered or provided for those who wish to participate but not partake.
Important events worth consideration
The month of February also brings attention to significant events that can serve as social distractions, such as the 2026 Winter Olympics, the annual Super Bowl, and the Daytona 500 season-opener race. And while these major events can cause work stress while people are splitting their attention, they are also valuable cultural cornerstones for building connection.
Hosting viewing parties for big events like the Olympics or a championship game can create informal gathering opportunities, where employees come together to cheer for their teams and bond over shared experiences. Furthermore, themed and celebratory activities can add an element of excitement and inclusivity to the workplace. Embracing these “distractions” – rather than punishing them – fosters a sense of camaraderie among employees, strengthening team dynamics and even cross-departmental engagement.
Feb 6th - 22nd – 2026 Winter Olympics
Feb 8th – Super Bowl
Feb 15th – Daytona 500
Health & wellness moments
Promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace is essential for overall employee wellbeing. February is American Heart Month, making it an excellent time to organize health checks, workshops and discussions about heart health. Particularly if your industry has an outsized impact on cardiac health, emphasizing healthy actions and safety precautions in this time is not only appropriate, it’s responsible. Observing special dates like National Toothache Day and National Organ Donor Day can also encourage employees to prioritize their health and engage in important conversations around nutrition and wellness practices.
1st - 28th – American Heart Month
9th – National Toothache Day
14th – National Organ Donor Day
Ready to plan even further ahead than February? Check out our 2026 HR Planning Calendar and find holidays and celebrations that can help you make the most of your communications and employee experience strategies. Download your free copy today!
