Comments on: Employee Appreciation That Doesn’t Suck

By: Jlakko

Jlakko — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 03:17:04 +0000

Were I work we have this lame program where the staff can show appreciation to each other on an e-mail system, well its getting to the point that were just thanking everyone for doing their job, even management sends out thank-you's this way….I don't need presents, or public acknowledgement, if the manger would say thank-you to me on a one to one basis and actually mean it, well that would make my day…

By: stevenschlagel

stevenschlagel — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:15:07 +0000

Ah, I have a post in queue right now, not published, about a similar topic. We talk alot about customer engagement, but much of that starts with leadership engagement…you have to care about your employees! You can't expect them to care about your business success if you don't know their birthday, don't recognize that they've stayed late on a project 2 nights in a row, feed them a meal. Really simple, terribly underperformed by managers…

By: Bill Kracke

Bill Kracke — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:07:58 +0000

I couldn't agree more. A certificate DEVALUES the appreciation. My boss stopping by to say "hey, thanks for all the extra time you are putting in. I am glad you are part of the team." is worth more than an "Employee o' the Week" certificate.

And you don't have to be loaded to make it work. My wife works at a school where money is tight, but after chaperoning a dance (giving up a night off to watch prepubescent drama) she found a gift card to a decent chain restaurant in her box. It wasn't much, but it was something tangible that reached beyond the walls of where she was employed.

The message was simple: thanks for giving a little bit extra -- here's a little bit extra to make your next night off easier on the wallet.

Either appreciate with real tangible goods or real heartfelt emotional currency. Something you banged out using your laser printer and a Word template means I am worth 5 minutes of your time and $0.12 in toner and paper.

By: This Week Around the Web « Mel's Work in Progress

This Week Around the Web « Mel's Work in Progress — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:53:47 +0000

[...] Employee Appreciation That Doesn’t Suck [...]

By: Associate Recognition That Doesn’t Suck : Slacker Manager - Management and Leadership Advice – How to Be a Good Manager

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:42:02 +0000

[...] can read the entire post at Beyond Freelancing to get a little more meat around each [...]

By: Jeffrey Tang

Jeffrey Tang — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:11:02 +0000

I think someone must have sent out a mass memo to every single business school in America touting the importance of employee appreciation certificates … they're EVERYWHERE.

By: Jeffrey Tang

Jeffrey Tang — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:09:25 +0000

Great point! Although expensive rewards -can- be good, it's not really the money that counts. It's that bit of extra effort, thought, and investment in people that truly makes a reward worthwhile – and memorable.

By: Jeffrey Tang

Jeffrey Tang — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:06:08 +0000

Nice! Much better than a cheap little gift card, right?

By: lorienos

lorienos — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:26:49 +0000

Jeffrey–Awesome post. Too many companies think the lame certificates make up for the extra hours and time away from our families.

By: Digigirl

Digigirl — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:30:40 +0000

My boss will occasionally take people out for an afternoon sailing on his sailboat when they've put in some extra effort or made a big achievement. It doesn't cost him anything more than $20 for some drinks and snacks and his time -but it makes a HUGE impact. It is him bringing people into his personal environment, spending time with them and giving them an afternoon off. Everyone who's gotten this really remembers and values it. It's a great motivator!