Staff recognition tips & techniques
Recognition…Just for Coming to Work
The crowd erupted. Sixteen thousand fans
cheered…whistled…applauded. It was as if
something wonderful had just happened.
But nothing had happened. The referee still hadn’t
dropped the puck…and wouldn’t for several more
minutes. None of the twenty-two Edmonton Oilers
had done anything yet…no highlight reel goals, no
crushing bodychecks, no dazzling saves. All that the
players had done so far that January evening was to
skate out on the ice.
It was the workplace equivalent of arriving at work.
There really is nothing unusual about showing up
for work on time. Daily, millions of workers do this in
hundreds of thousands of workplaces across Canada.
And no one seems to notice.
Unlike better-paid professional athletes, these “regular”
folks are never greeted with applause when they
arrive. For the most part, the only times they receive
feedback are when they show up late, or not at all.
Somehow, this picture doesn’t seem right. Why
should professional athletes be greeted so enthusiastically
when they arrive for work, while everyone else
is greeted with silence and seeming indifference?
Shouldn’t there be times when teachers, nurses, retail
workers, service providers, technicians, and other regular
folks be told that they are appreciated…just for
coming to work day in and day out?
You may not have an arena that you can fill with
cheering fans, but there are simple ways you can show
that you appreciate your staff just for being there.
Be present when they arrive. Greet them as they
enter the building or the work area. Say good morning.
Shake their hands. Occasionally, offer them a
muffin or donut. Serve them breakfast. On particularly
chilly mornings, provide a warm welcome in the
form of a steaming cup of hot chocolate. On a fine
spring morning, offer each a flower.
Do something to let them know that you are happy
just to see them…just because they have shown up
for work!
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