By Jenny Kazan-Mills, SPHR
This Sunday, May 11th is Mother’s Day – a day to celebrate all of our moms including our grandmothers, moms, sisters, daughters, cousins, aunts, etc. We send cards, flowers and gifts across the continent to say “thanks” to all of our moms. Our children make special and unique hand-made gifts for our moms year after year in elementary school. Some of us take our moms to brunch or make them a delicious homemade breakfast. Sunday is their day to feel extraordinarily special, to be pampered and to be recognized for all of their hard work year after year.
As managers, do you treat your employees like you treat your mom? Do you recognize your staff for small achievements and large accomplishments? Are you regularly saying “thank you” and “I appreciate your hard work?” All of us move through our day just trying to get our jobs done. We respond to a constant flow of emails, phone calls, texts messages almost on a 24 hour basis.
So how can we recognize our employees? Here are some suggested methods (Of course, it’s best to choose a method that best suits the individual’s personality.):
- Verbal, written or formal praise from managers or peers
- Gift cards
- Personal notes
- Spot bonus awards
- Choice of interesting and challenging projects
- Opportunities to attend trainings or conferences
- Opportunities to mentor other employees and work outside one’s department
- Company logo items or other merchandise
- Catered breakfast or lunches
- Plaques or trophies
So this Sunday, be sure to wish your mom or the mother figure in your life a Happy Mother’s Day and on Monday be sure to say “thank you” to all of your employees!