July 28, 2022
The workplace is a social environment. So, it’s no surprise that certain social customs apply there, usually magnified from the world outside a working environment. We want to address one critical practice, which often goes overlooked in professional settings. That is saying “thank you”.
Most people will admit that they enjoy being recognized for the work that they do, especially when they aim higher than the expected outcome. We often call a job that goes unrecognized a “thankless job”, but even in our personal lives, when someone notices that we have cleaned a room, done the dishes, or taken the dog for a walk, we find a little more meaning in these necessary, routine tasks.
It’s a hard reality that the workplace often overlooks so many tasks that go into running a successful business. In some places, especially in jobs that focus on task-driven responsibilities, the outcome is expected and rarely appreciated. In some cases, employees feel that the only recognition they receive is when something isn’t done, or when a mistake is made.
Most people, over the course of their careers, will feel undervalued for their work. We know the defeat of performing a thankless job. At GLC, we want to keep employees from ever feeling this way. We want to fight that with courtesy and positive recognition.
Part of what we aim to implement is a compliment culture, not as a matter of force, but as an actual outcome of our teams’ effect on the office as a whole.
We thank employees when that credit is due, in a number of ways. Sometimes it really is a word of sincere thanks for doing diligent and consistent work. When an employee goes above and beyond, build them up for their efforts.
We see it as an important duty of a manager to know the strengths of those on their team. It’s also important to ensure that employees know that they are seen at work, that their work has value, and carries meaning for those around them.
One of the things we at GLC do to thank and specifically recognize employees is offer awards. Our annual Gotta Love Champions awards recognize employees who have contributed their excellent skills to our company as a whole. This award is given by our upper management team. We also have quarterly President's Awards, given to a handful of employees who have had a special impact on their departments, offices, and other areas of business. One of the things we stress, especially with the President’s Award, is that anyone can earn recognition regardless of the job they hold, seniority, or rank of position.
One of the dangers that people sense from the term “complement culture” or from encouraging thanks for tasks completed is that recognition for efforts may come across as insincere or forced. We never want employees to feel a hollow sense of recognition for their genuine efforts. Our mentality and goal are not to go out of our way to point out how amazing every mundane thing is, but to stress that we value effort, creativity, diligence, consistency, and a positive attitude in the workplace.
There are so many ways that companies can go one extra step to thank their employees, to recognize them, and instill value in a job that oftentimes feels goes without gratitude. We believe that this mentality is one of the many contributors to our employee retention rate being so much higher than businesses in related fields.
Don’t just tell employees you care when they start their training. Show them that their work is valued. Remind them that their efforts impact the business and others working there. Finally, reward excellence because your champions are one of the most valuable assets in a successful business.