It’s finally here! How excited are you that it is National Boss Day? Lucky for me, I have a great boss (and yes, she may read this), but for those who may not be so lucky and have to sign the card going around the office with platitudes for someone that maybe isn’t as wonderful as the card indicates, it must really be a mystery why this holiday ever came to be a nationally recognized holiday. Even those with a wonderful boss may be curious about its origins.
I decided to take it upon myself to investigate. I started my search for the truth with whom I thought would be the very organization responsible for such a thing: Hallmark. But to my surprise, according to their corporate website (http://corporate.hallmark.com/Holiday/National-Boss-Day), this holiday was actually started by a woman named Patricia Bays Haroski. Back in the 1950s, Ms. Haroski worked for State Farm Insurance in Illinois and she worked for a man whom she truly respected; in fact, I would venture to guess that she really loved her boss. In 1958 she registered October 16 as Boss Day with the U.S Chamber of Commerce. Why October 16, you may ask? And, why do I assume she loved her boss? Because October 16 is her father’s birthday and her father was her boss!
While this may not be one of those holidays that causes elaborate celebrations and much merriment, it is a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the good bosses. As I think most of us can attest, when you have a good boss, it is reason enough to celebrate!
