Thanks-giving needed at work too!

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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it hasn't been over-commercialized and trivialized. It's only purpose is to recognize and appreciate our country's history and everything we have...something we don't do enough of. This year, as you celebrate with family and friends, consider, too, your work "family." The work community you belong to is as important as the neighborhood you live in.

Saying "Thank you" and other pats on the back are such simple things, and yet I constantly hear from all levels of employees that they don't feel appreciated or recognized at work. And now that changes have turned the workplace upside down, we need it more than ever.

How about you? Are you contributing to a healthy community at work? Are you a morale builder or buster? To find out your A.Q. (Appreciation Quotient), take the following quiz:

1.      Your employee says to you, "I had to work through my break to get this done by 1:00 but it's ready for Mr. Jones. I know he's a demanding customer." You respond:
a. "Yeah, Mr. Jones is always a pain in the neck."
b. "Good. Thanks."
c. "Thanks for giving up your break to get this done. I sure appreciate it when you make me look good to the customer!"

2.      The same custodian has been cleaning your work area for the past three years. You see him when you work late several times a week. You:
a. Don't know his name.
b. Know something about his family or at least one of his outside interests.
c. Know his name but you don't have time to make small talk with people you don't deal with on your job.

3.      Your peer has just told you that something you are doing is hurting your image and credibility. You had no idea that you were being perceived this way. You:
a. Say, "Obviously, you misperceived what I was trying to do. If you knew what my intentions were you never would have taken it that way."
b. Say, "If I were you, I'd pay attention to your own image before I started taking pot shots at
someone else's."
c. Say, " I had no idea...thank you for coming to me about this. I realize it must have been very difficult for you to tell me. Could you give me more examples so I can understand what you mean?"

4.      A long-time employee is retiring today. You have the invitation to his farewell luncheon sitting on your desk. You're falling behind on a project and debating about whether to go to the lunch. He was your manager years ago and helped you learn new things and grow on your job. You:
a. Go to the lunch and tell him how much his support helped you in your career.
b. Skip the lunch. He can't help your career anymore now that he's retired.
c. Skip the lunch and write him a note.

5.      You're the head of operations. A long-term customer wants a tour of your facility. They like to do business with you and are satisfied with the products your company produces for them. You:
a. Walk him through the plant and office yourself.
b. Ask two good employees who work with this customer's products to lead the tour and introduce the people who work on this product line.
c. Walk him through the office and plant and introduce him to the managers.

Suggested answers for your A.Q.: 1. c 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. b

1. (c )The employee is giving you a hint that they would like to be appreciated for their extra effort. If you miss it, they might wonder if it's worth it to put in the extra effort. If you keep on ignoring their extra efforts you may see a good employee become an average employee...or even one with a negative attitude.

2. (b) If you take the time to get to know the custodian you probably are taking the time to get to know people you work with directly. It's a signal that you respect other people and are interested in building a healthy work community.

3. (c) It's tough to accept feedback like this but if you thank people for having the courage to tell you, they will respect and admire you.. It will boost your career and your relationships because they know they can tell you the truth.

4. (a) It's important to thank people who support you and help you grow on your job. It takes time and energy to mentor someone and the only payback coaches get is a heartfelt thank you and the satisfaction of helping others.

5. (b) Employees who produce a product or service are often treated like a machine on the plant floor. Why not let them showcase their work and talk face-to-face with the customer they serve. It will build pride and ownership in what they do, and likely impress your customer. This meaningful recognition of your employees goes a lot farther than a verbal pat on the back from you and is an opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

Would you like to bridge the commitment gap with your employees?   We provide customized training workshops for managers and supervisors, that will change behavior, create a healthy culture and build a customer-focused team.  Call us today at (800) 348-1944.