Today’s guest post comes from Benjamin McCall. He runs ReThinkHR.org and specializes in OD, T&D and business strategy (& he is for hire). You can follow Benjamin on Twitter @BenjaminMcCall
I recently read an article on Inc.com about Tony Hsieh entitled WHY I SOLD ZAPPOS. In the article, Tony mentions the board thinking that employee happiness is nice for PR but his “social experiments” weren’t as important as moving the business forward or profits. Think about that as you read this article…
In the current economy, employee appreciation and celebration is not often seen. Some would argue that this appreciation is equally unappreciated by the workforce. An easy argument to make when many supervisors and employers have a hard time justifying celebrations much less extra perks to recognize people in this economy.
These days we forget the little and even big-fun surprises that can be done — not in the form of pay, a pat on the back, or a short review/evaluation in the secrecy of the managers office.
Below is a video of an experience one public transport operator had. His Danish employer, Arriva, arranged a surprise birthday celebration. This guy is only a bus driver but received a king’s celebration.
(Click to view via the ‘Daily What’ – 2 min & 44 secs)
I wonder, in these moments, what was going through that driver’s mind? I’m sure you can assume by the look on his face.
Even bigger questions:
- Do you think he will promote his company?
- Do you think he will be appreciative and show appreciation to his customers (passengers)?
- Do you think he will work harder and go the extra mile in the future?
and above all
- DO YOU THINK HE WILL EVER LEAVE?
Hmmm…
I wonder… when is the last time you took the time to appreciate or help someone feel appreciated?
Do you remember when an employer, supervisor, colleague or a client saying sincerely “Happy Birthday?” A well-to-do “thank you” for all you have done? When is the last time you have given appreciation? When is the last time you felt appreciated?
How do you think the small, sincere things you do to celebrate your employees will effect their morale? How do you think it will affect the bottom line and image of your company? Better yet, how will the actions you take affect your culture?
I would love to hear what you have done to give recognition. Would love to hear the examples of how you have been appreciated. Would love even more to see examples of the results!
BUSINESS NOTE: I know this is not possible for every company/employee. I know that many will say this is not cost effective. Yet can you imagine the idea of it? The bottom-line is to appreciate and show recognition of the fundamental driving force of your organization. While business thinks that profits move the business forward, it is really the innovative and appreciated employees that rock.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Bravo- great post- people bought from Zappos because of the inspired service they received from the motivated people. the merchandise was not unique. Leaders need to find ways to catch people doing things right in addition to developing their people. A day should not end for a leader until they take inventory of who they reached out and thanked- every day- for a contribution.
Nice post. One thing my company did to show appreciation for its employees was to allow Friday casual attire next week and the week of the 4th (we normally have to wear business attire M-Th). It cost them pretty much nothing to do, and yet everyone is very excited for it. I think there’s lots of simple things like this that employers can do to make employees feel appreciated; it’s not always just about the money.
Good common sense advice. Please post on our site!
Thanks.
Mike D
Ben, don’t you think this is a little paternalistic? I mean, c’mon, it’s 2010. Aren’t we passed Zappos-like celebrations and parties? I’m waiting for a more mature version of work: be a good coworker, do your job, don’t fuck shit up for other people, and appreciate/recognize hard work and contributions in an adult-like way. Am I nuts?
PS – Love being a commenter on my own blog! Yeah!
Thx for the comments everyone. The zappos article just got me thinking about recognition. Not sure if I can comepletely drink the whole glass of Best Buy, Dunnhumby and Zappos Kool-Aid… but I will take a few sips to see how it taste!!!
– I do think that regardless of what level you work, you should do the job that you are paid and hired to do and rock. No questions about that. Howeve, many companies barely show any appreciation (in the form of pay, benefits, recognition, bonuses, etc etc) like they use to or should.
@Debbie – Good point to make about their products. Zappos openly says they do not compete on price or product. They do believe and practice that the culture is #1
@Tim – I think that is great in the warmer months. I used to work for a place that required shirt and tie period. What I would like to ask you Tim is: you did this to show your appreciation of employees, but is this what your employees wanted and appreciated back? How was this act by the company taken?
@HRMonkey – ok who thought of this name. I wanna know the story!
@Laurie – Come on dude. Aren’t you sentimental at all! Doesn’t this just make you feel loved
To all – the “idea” behind the video is more of what I’m talking abou. When you show to the right candidate/employee, the equity you recieve back far exceeds what you gave.
Now bring on the disagreements!
I think the Zappos culture sounds great, though I would totally fail the “how well do you know this person?” test. Work social events are just like more work for me most of the time. But it does sound like their employees are by and large very happy.
I realize benefits are a huge cost for employers, and that the lower copays/premiums or higher 401(k) contributions are what actually matter to people, but there is something about a company that goes above and beyond on benefits that says “good employer” to me. My husband’s employer is not the highest-paying in the industry, but the benefits are excellent and I have a positive emotional reaction to that as well as appreciating it from a pure financial standpoint. It seems to imply that they care about and appreciate their employees, whether that is true or not.
The other thing that makes a good impression on me is if an employer actually seems to care about and take organized action on the results of its employee satisfaction surveys. Trying to explain away the results or tell us we “shouldn’t” feel a certain way is a really fast way to piss me off.
Recognition is nice, but I say hit me where appreciation sings the most: in my pocket! A well placed raise/bonus never fails here.
Aside from the basics (eg health ins, etc.) Most “perks” touted by many companies provide zero value to me. So I’d rather have the economic ability to obtain extras that matter to me by myself. In fact, I argue that I am a more attractive employee for absolving my employer of the responsibility of identifying & implementing “perks” that truly matter to me.
@Benjamin (answered assuming I was the driver):
Do you think he will promote his company? -Sure, while warm fuzzy feelings last.
Do you think he will be appreciative and show appreciation to his customers (passengers)? -see above.
Do you think he will work harder and go the extra mile in the future? -see above.
Do you think he’ll ever leave? -Sure should a better offer come along. A better question is: Do you think that company will maintain the level of commitment (ie employment pkg) required to retain him (deter him from looking elsewhere)?
@ the end of the cold day, it is really all about the Benjamins.
Each year I plan a party day for our employee appreciation event. My company designs and manufactures RFID products and are a middle age start up. I’ve rented segway scooters, set up a giant radio controlled car and blimp course, and set up circus games/food as main events, alnog with what’s become standard – on site massage, espresso cart, and a video game room. People have fun every year and look forward to the next one. Except this year; I was actually verbally attacked and abused by a manager who was upset that his team was so buy that he couldn’t let them participate at all. He cursed and swore like a sailor, and all of a sudden, somehow I represented everything that this guy couldn’t stand about the company. While I was hurt and upset to say the least, I turned it into an opportunity to make certain that his team was well taken care of. The other 99% of our employees enjoyed the day and told me how much they appreciated what I had done. You can’t please everyone at the same time, but you can try your best to provide meaningful appreciation that doesn’t have to cost a fortune. I spend about $4000 on 110 people each year. Little things go a log way!
Nice article re affirming that treating people is not only the human thing to do but it builds relationship and teamwork. The other stuff are outcomes to doing the right thing.
Thanks for reminding us all
@spacedcowgirl – what you are really talking about is the “culture.” Every company has one. The perception is just different for each business, department and even each employee. The values and thoughts behind the culture is what kills or grows it. Sounds like, for you at least, the culture is a great one!
@Geekette – Money is a definite motivator. I love money, more for what it can get me and the safety net it provides rather then the dirty paper it is. Yet we know not all are motivated by money. Funny how we discuss motivators. Daniel Pink did a study on motivation at work and how money, for certain levels of activities, doesn’t matter. Take a look.
Drive: What Motivates Us – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
@Autumn – Tides can turn very quickly. Often it is the inward battles a person faces that sometimes boil over. I applaud you! When you mention the money, mgmt usually thinks $4000 why are u spending $4000. But turning that into a per person cost makes it much more tolerable. “This year it cost us $36 buck a head!” Good luck with the next one.
Wow, I’ve said this at nearly every company I’ve ever worked for.
Recognition can mean changes in compensation, or a frill/perk/special something that costs money, but it can also be just words and acknowledgement.
I’ve said that in every employee survey and every review I’ve ever been in when they’ve asked, “How can we improve team morale/motivate people?” Almost every company needed – desperately – to have its managers do a FAR better job at simple acknowledgement and thanks. (And almost all of those companies ignored that feedback and continued to lose good talent.)
So many employees who get stuck in the first few stages of development usually don’t get this kind of tangible feedback and appreciation. A lack of clear communication and acknowledgement that what’s been done so far is solid = fear of doing more or changing pathways.
Managers want to dangle the carrot and keep employees working for the next goal. But it’s a tricky balance – withhold praise and acknowledgement and the rabbit decides to take off for greener pastures.
I like how fun the Zappos appreciation is. Inventive managers can do this without a big budget. It may be a little over the top, but it’s a whole lot better than the alternative – when managers grudgingly get in front of us at a meeting with the whole we-were-forced-to-do-this-by-HR vibe pouring from every pore, so they can all tell us in their best monotone voice that we did a great job and oh, look, here’s a free pedometer/jar opener/pen with the company logo.
I’ll take genuine, heartfelt excitement and praise any day.
@Ben I’m of the pat-them-on-the-back-the-moment-good-things-happen leadership camp. But like @Geekette writes, atta-girls/boys don’t pay the bills.
When I was running recruiting and OD for Dictaphone in the late 1990s, the General Counsel and I were tossing around ways to recognize and reward the technical parts of the company. We ended developing an Intellectual Property Incentive Program: Different monetary awards were paid – immediately I should ad – to employees who submitted an invention disclosure, had a patent filed, or had a patent issued. Even better, we analyzed the existing patent portfolio for its historical impact on revenue – for instance, certain patents were the DNA that ended up in products that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for the company.
We rolled out the program with great fanfare: A company wide all-hands meeting that was highlighted by calling the top 5 inventors whose work generated millions upon millions in revenue for Dictaphone.
We then handed them grossed-up checks: These were not small piddly amounts. We saw a 300%+ increase in invention disclosures which amped up excitement, creativity and patents issued. Not to mention how it helped the employment brand.
Recognition works when managers are measured on it; once a year, once a quarter are nice when no one else is doing it but it has to happen all the time.
If you’re a parent with kids (or a loony HR blogger with cats), imagine if all you did was “recognize” them on their birthdays (even better, recognize them on their birthdays and give them a gift card). It has to be personal for it to really mean something.
No different if you’re a manager of people…
I had a job as an external consultant pushing through a major project with tight time frames. I needed an assistant and was told I could have “Mary” since she wasn’t “any good anyway.”
Mary and I worked together very well and made the deadline. I went for a walk after the project was tied up and bought her a corsage (it was Christmas time and I saw it in a flower shop I passed). I was a little reluctant to give it to her because of mixed messages but I called her into my office and said, “As a token of my appreciation ….”
She started to cry and told me she’d been in a car accident about a year before and had whiplash – had gained about 40 pounds and got headaches.
She then went out to the main clerical area and went from person to person showing her co-workers what she had received.
I learned to get over my mis-givings and just give praise and appreciation in unusual ways and it has never come back to bite me – it has however, rewarded me with golden moments.
I’ve actually found that appreciation has become easier in this crappy economy. When business was booming, we’d have “fun events” once a month and a big party once a year, and people complained because they didn’t like the food selection at the posh party or they’d bitch about how they had a dentist appointment the day of the monthly fun event and why did we always schedule them wrong. We created this entitlement culture by spending extra money and non-billable hours on birthday cakes, BBQ’s, and parties in overpriced venues.
Now we’re less than half the size we were before the recession and there’s really no money to spend on frippery. Our fun events are potlucks, and our CEO will take an employee out for a $3.00 latte on their birthday. And we get loads of positive feedback now. Granted, it has much to do with the group still remaining after layoffs, but I think it’s key that appreciation be personal. Hanging out with the boss over coffee for an hour goes much further than the expectation of some new fun event every month.
Granted, a large company can’t have the CEO meet with each employee, but why can’t a manager take an employee out for coffee? Same dynamic, really. Of course, if that manager is a dumbass, this causes other problems. But some sort of connection between a higher-up and the rank-and-file is really important.
@H_Aria :: but CEOs can regularly meet in small groups once a month over breakfast and really hear issues. I’ve put this together at a few places and it works – as long as the CEO isn’t a pretentious jackass (that’s where coaching comes in handy)
@Patrick – “How can we improve team morale/motivate people?” umm do what it is that most people would rather not do… spend time getting to know your employees. If people were to do this even once every other week sincerely. You wouldn’t need a bus and a birthday party!!! Now how much would that save?
@Steve – so do you think that that bus driver, those moments and that recognition was not “personal” to him. I don’t know if you can argue that. But with the incentives for patents and what not I think what you did for your company was what your employees liked and wanted. I am simply saying that recognition for a job well done and doing that recognition sincerely and appropriately is what is needed vs “hey man… umm good job on the job! now do some… ‘door slams’”
@Dave – Bravo. We never know what people need until the act is given. She needed what you gave and, you didn’t even know it. Also, didn’t help you feel a little appreciation on her reaction and doding to the other staff… I bet you teared up… come on man admit it! Your a man! lol
@Aria -it’s the thought and sincerety that counts. true – it doesn’t take a lot of money but regardless whether companies spend 1 million or 3 bucks on employee recignition… One thing holds true between the two < the time was given to that employee to let them know!
I am a capalist and an optimist but I am also a momma's boy too!
I work in an industry where the employees tend to be a little bit younger, and employee appreciation is a huge part of our workplace culture. Because we have had to cut some of the bigger celebrations from our budget (like our annual holiday party), we have added smaller celebrations – paycheck treats, celebrating unusual holidays like Recess at Work Day, and making sure to visit all of our locations with treats whenever we win an award or company recognition. Each of these celebrations is generally less than $200, and even doing something once a month adds up to significantly less than our $30k budget for our annual dinner.
Sure, it would be great if we could all just be satisfied with doing a great job, but human nature tells us we want something more than that. We want to be recognized and appreciated. Even though it’s true, we don’t want to feel like we could be replaced tomorrow. We want to feel like we are indespensible to the company we spend most of our day at. Especially in this tough economic time when so many people don’t feel they have job security (especially in my industry – banking…yikes), they can at least know they are appreciated and have fun while at work, and employers can help take their mind off of some of the bigger stressors. At least at our company, employee recognition and appreciation has really paid off and our employees love working here because they know we appreciate everything they do everyday. Happy employees = happy customers = happy bottom line and CEO!
@Benjamin :: Of course it was personal to him. And it’s nice to receive hashlove, emails with Jacqui Lawson cards, and $20 Starbucks gift cards for working late four weeks in a row, and especially to have your employee publicly acknowledge your birthday (did you see the looks on the faces of the PASSENGERS? Do you think they’ll tell their friends about the events or perhaps inquire about working there? You betcha).
The toughest part about recognition is finding out what works best for the company you are or want to be. That’s what worked for me and Dictaphone – which I think is one of your subtle points.
But this isn’t taught at Harvard B-school…
Recognition is not something that is to come from the company. Too many managers and supervisors sit back and wait…and wait.
All it takes is to start be greeting their team every day, getting to know them as people, not just as workers.
Good companies do it every day by putting the spotlight on their staff – not the CEO or some board members! At my last company we did a great career project and interviewed 12 staff – from operators to an IT help desk person – to showcase potential careers for college students. Imagine my reaction when I was asked by the Board why we didn’t interview some of them!
It is not rocket science, does not cost the earth and is easy to do. Real recognition requires sincerity and is beyond the type of hoopla that sounds fake and trying to boost the ego of the giver not the receiver.
@Ashley – I wonder if in younger workplaces, where things ten to be more open, if employee appreciaton is a big deal as a result of the “need for acknowledgement.” Not only in the work place but also in life. We all want acknoledgement and to know we are appreciated, btu to various degrees.
$200 bucks is cheap. How many people do you typically have attend?
@Steve L – Oh yes even the passengers may love the brand more. As I have said before, that toughest part of the recignition is finding out. I think if you do it lil by lil versus waiting once a year or until there is a problem… that’s when people miss the boat. Not taught at harvard as a major pre-requisite or any other business school just like it isn’t a large importance to many organizations; because that is not a line item number that many see as a way to build profits or save on operations.
@ Charles – Agreed. As I told another commentor, once every other week and doing it sincerely – can move mountains. You know we don’t believe it is rocket science but for those that aren’t use to doing it as a daily practice,,, it is!
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@Benjamin McCall – I agree, I think in younger workplaces there is a bigger “need for acknowledgement.” Everyone wants recognition to a certain degree, but the younger employees do tend to appreciate it a bit more, whereas the older employees tend to be motivated more by money.
It seems as though the younger generations also have a feeling of entitlement and think they should be able to move up the corporate ladder within their first year. I think appreciation efforts alleviate this somewhat, because although they may not be able to move up as quickly as they would like, they still feel they are a valued member of the company. Of course, this isn’t going to work for everyone, as people are motivated by different things, but to a certain extent I think it works.
We have about 200 employees in our company. In the past when we have won awards, we have delivered the makings for root beer floats to all of our branches, or delivered chocolate chip cookies to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day. When front line employees see the top executives in the company making personal deliveries to say thank you, they take it to heart. These are inexpensive ways to say thank you, and employee feedback has shown us that employees appreciate them. Of course, these aren’t the only things we do to show our appreciation, but they are inexpensive ways to keep morale up throughout the year.
@Ashley – All of us have a sense of entitlement. It is our environment, circumstance and own drive that allow us to choose to voice it! The differences is how each generations parents allow or disallow them to react or act, how sheltered or thrown out the wolves they are. I think it can be interesting the results.
applause – great post. great find on the web.
This celebration speaks volumes for who this driver is as a person, which carries over to his employment. Not sure about that one? Think about the crowd that created this experience for the driver. Who of us wants to go above and beyond to recognize another jerk in the office?
We don’t.
@Ashley – I wonder myself how much of this younger generation is actual “entitlement” and how much is actual desire to have more control and understanding of growth avenues at companies.
Our younger generations are spending upwards of 18 years in some type of regimented schooling program, mastering new subjects EVERY QUARTER. Imagine how hard you have to pull on the breaks to go from an MBA program today to most jobs in America today. It can be a culture shock. A lot of companies are ill-equipped to handle this transition. It’s easy to just call it “entitlement” and leave them to manage it themselves. I guess we’ll see how it plays out the next few years and which companies are going to come out the winners.
Thank you AC!
I think the reason this was such a touching show of appreciation is because it was specific and celebrated this one person – not the entire company.
Holiday parties are fine – but the moments I love most at work are small and personal and don’t cost much money.
I work hard because I like to do a good job – but when someone notices that I’ve gone above and beyond and sends me an email or takes me out for coffee – it means more to me then any picnic or party could have.
However, I do agree with some of the comments regarding money. If you’re not paying your employees what they’re worth, no amount of coffee is gonna fix that.
@Stef – Celebrated is what makes us feel motivated and specific is what makes it mean more!