Employees Place
High Value On Being Appreciated
By David
Saxby, Measure-x
Everyone likes to be
appreciated and employees at utility companies are no exception. But do they
know they're valued? Do you know that employees who feel valued are more
likely to do a better job?
Every employee, in one way or another, impacts
your bottom line. Even employees who have no direct contact with customers
have an impact on revenues through the services they provide to staff
members who do. Thus, it's in your utility's best interest to make sure that
all employees receive recognition for their efforts. Besides, they deserve
to be honored for a job well done.
Here are 15 ideas for demonstrating
employee appreciation.
No 1.
Mail a personalized note to each of your employees at their home thanking
them for their hard work and dedication. If possible, acknowledge special
accomplishments, length with the company or anything that personalizes the
message. Create a plaque with their name on it that sits in the lobby for
the world to see. I recommend "1001 Ways to Reward Employees" by Bob Nelson
as a resource for those looking for ideas on employee recognition.
No 2.
If your company has a newsletter, print a thank-you letter from the
president, chief executive officer or department vice president that shows
appreciation for employees' efforts.
No. 3.
Hold an internal open house. Encourage departments to visit other
departments so everyone can see what it takes to run the company. Every
department, job and employee is valuable.
No. 4.
Declare a particular week to be your utility's Employee Appreciation Week
and surprise staff members with a small gift each day. Small gifts are a
great way to let them know you care. Possible gifts include a donut on
everyone's desk, a gift certificate to a movie, a small candy bar, a balloon
inflated and tied to their chair and a gift certificate for an ice cream
cone. An option is to let individual departments set their own appreciation
weeks rather than having a company wide program.
No. 5.
Have a "trading places" day when bosses spend an hour or two doing staff
members' jobs while the employees supervise them. This exchange can have
benefits far greater than expected.
No 6.
Focus on exceptional employees by giving them a special reward or a mention
in the company newsletter or both.
No 7.
Name an "Employee of the Day" for each day during Employee Appreciation
Week. Send an e-mail to announce the daily winner. Ask the winners to
present some of their success tips and techniques at the next staff meeting.
No. 8.
Distribute special awards or certificates of appreciation. Acknowledge
outstanding work and special victories. Acknowledge those who took a risk
even if it didn't bring the expected results. Reward those who try.
No. 9.
Decorate departments with posters, banners and balloons to create a festive
atmosphere.
No. 10.
If appropriate, encourage the staff to decorate their cubicles or
workstations. Make it fun.
No. 11.
Recognition is not just about saluting the top performers; it's about
recognizing people who improve their skills every day to do a better job.
Your investment in recognition will have a stronger impact when it touches
more people.
No. 12.
Recognition is not just the annual awards banquet or the monthly meeting
where people are acknowledged for their efforts. Recognize a positive
attitude or behavior immediately. Compliment and reward people when they are
using those skills they have learned. Create that special recognition award
that you can put in their hand to reward them on the spot for a job well
done.
No. 13.
When you hear a positive remark about an individual, repeat it to that
person as soon as possible.
No. 14.
Ask your employees for their ideas on how they would like to be recognized
for a job well done. You might be amazed by the low-cost suggestions they
share with you. The more personal the recognition is to the employees, the
more impact your efforts will have and the longer they will remember it.
No. 15.
Most companies have a hard time investing money in something that doesn't
give them measurable results. Establish a process to measure the impact that
recognition has on sales and service. Survey the customers; survey the
employees and track sales or productivity before and after you implement the
recognition program.
Studies show that most employees place a high
value on simply being recognized or being complemented for a job well done.
Many employees are looking for a pat on the back or a work environment that
spurs them on to do outstanding work. Their enthusiasm can be contagious.
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David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
