FEBRUARY 19

Let them know you were thinking of them.

BRING THEM SOMETHING BACK

When traveling on a business trip, bring something back for your staff to enjoy. It doesn’t have to be expensive. This is one case where it really is the thought that counts. Bring home a case of apples from Washington or chocolate from Europe. This is really easy if you’re attending a convention. Just pick up a few extra-cool giveaways like T-shirts, squeezy toys or blinking ballpoint pens to share with the folks back home.

You’ll find that, in this case at least, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.

FEBRUARY 20

To get recognition right, you must have …

PERFECT TIMING

Informal rewards—everything from hand-written cards to movie tickets, from spa trips to a free lunch —should typically be presented at least once a month to the people who create the most value and at least once a quarter to your core performers.

FEBRUARY 21

“If you just set out to be liked , you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.”

— Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister

HAVE YOU GOT IT FIGURED OUT?

Giving praise without a purpose is like a boat with holes in it. It just doesn’t float.

Recognition is not about being nice; it’s about results. So, before you make a single award presentation, sit down and figure out what you want to accomplish. Don’t hold back; imagine your ideal future. Then consider these specifics:

What do our clients value?
What does the company value?
What do our employees value?
What is our basic purpose?
What is our competitive situation?
What will make us more productive, more valuable to our company, more efficient in the purpose of our vision?

Once you’ve got a plan, put it into action through recognition.

FEBRUARY 22

Employees can write the book on procedures. Let them!

TAKE NOTE OF WHAT EMPLOYEES HAVE TO SAY

Here’s a great way to show employees that you are listening: interview your staff and capture their wisdom about “how we get things done around here” on paper. Put the thoughts together in an organized manner and hand it out to new hires when they start.

Your new people will benefit from the accumulated knowledge, and your established employees will feel honored that you think that much of their opinions .

FEBRUARY 23

This reward really hits the spot.

STRESS-REDUCING RECOGNITION

For a team reward, bring in a massage therapist and chair for a day. Your employees will not only thank you, they’ll be healthier. It’ll be a day they will remember and work hard to make happen again.

Ahhhh.

FEBRUARY 24

This award program will get their hearts racing.

FLEX YOUR RECOGNITION MUSCLES

Set goals for individuals to get fit. Reward employees who exercise a certain number of days in a month. Give healthy rewards, like fruit baskets or exercise equipment.

FEBRUARY 25

The need for appreciation is timeless.

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

In a 1949 study, employees were asked to rank the rewards of their jobs. Then their managers were asked to rank what they believed the employees wanted. Highest on the employees’ lists were (1) feeling appreciated and 2) feeling that they were being informed about things that were happening. Managers were blown away. They had believed their employees would put good wages and job security first.

In fact, most managers had no idea how highly their employees valued appreciation.

The study was repeated in the 1980s and again recently. The result? Each time, the findings were exactly the same.

Buy on amazon.com >>

Gostick A., Elton Ch.

<< Previous page

Table of contents

Next page >>