A Great Investment!

A supervisor of a company in the Colorado area granted an interview to a friend's son, a graduate business student, making ready his thesis statement. The young man asked questions about marketing, budgeting, and the most beneficial market procedures. The conversation and questions also including corporate and business risks and challenges, protecting assets and the problems and practices in increasing sales. The CEO admitted that managing a firm's long-term reserves had always been at the heart of his energy and determining stakeholders was important. Weighing choices in every aspect was his response to the question about best decision-making practice. The 60 minute interview was almost over when the graduate asked his last question about what was the biggest liability and what was the biggest asset in the company. After blundering through a list of financial jargon, the CEO stopped unexpectedly and thought carefully before saying that all of that was secondary because the employees could be the greatest asset or they could be the greatest liability. The folks working for you can make or break the company. Simple as that. The CEO then took our friend's son out to lunch and they continued to discussion. The conversation included examples from the CEO's working experience when he worked at a restaurant through college and when he managed various establishments. He had many examples of how good workers actually made the company money and the managers and owners did not always know it or recognize it. At the same moment, a rude or incompetent or an employee with a bad attitude could ruin not only the sale at the time, but later. They discussed about the television show Undercover Bosses where CEOs make as if to be new employees on the ground level for a week to actually get some in field experience and insight. The CEO confessed that he had thought of doing that. The two of them throughout lunch talked about different episodes and came to the conclusion that employees do make or break a company. And usually what they want most even more than money or raises is to be treated respectfully and to have their efforts acknowledged. They want a thank you of some kind whether it be just a sincere thanks, a gift card, money, a promotion of a gift. The graduate shared that his mom who had been an administrative assistant had just quit her job the week before saying she had just had enough. Her boss not only did not see what she had done but did not seem to care about rewarding anyone. When she suggested he give gift cards he said that was fine but she would have to give them and write the note and he put her on a small budget. After a year she suggested they give time off to employees but he refused saying. She observed morale was extremely low and he did agree and she was to come up with something. She told him to come into the next morning meeting, which employees hated, with food. He told her to get some cheap donuts from the supermarket. She started just standing up to him and said no, he needed to spend some bucks and get quality pastries or food and quality coffee boxes from the Panera Bread down the street. He appointed her to do it and to be sure it was there on time. It worked and employees liked it. She needed a totally different idea for the mid afternoon meetings. So when she saw the huge basket delivered next door with all kinds of treats for employees she was impressed and contacted the basket company, Baskets by Rita. For the same money they put together a large basket with goodies to put in the break room for everyone to enjoy. It was big and they delivered it to her that day. The boss walked in with the Thanks A Million Gift Basket and there were cheers from the once tired employees. The student made an appointment the next day with his adviser to change his thesis topic to center on the importance of appreciation and acknowledgment for employees contending that they are the most valuable long term investment.

Ideas that could improve employees' attitudes!

Today's blog post features recommendations garnered from various firms about how to increase morale and not destroy great employees. Striving to keep the place of work positive should be of major concern to CEOs and bosses. Losing money and time is a great concern. If workers are happy and like to come to work production grows. If they feel that they are part of the team and that they are valued they become engaged to the company. Factory made thank yous and expected pats on the back even heightens and the common bonuses or gifts or treats lose their impact after awhile. In fact employees begin to bank on probable gratitudes and gifts and treats. If you get donuts every Friday it becomes the standard and just a common part of the work schedule. If you give a gift card for every 10 sales it becomes anticipated and if you miss one you will get anger instead of thanks for the gift cards you gave. Remember the movie with Chevy Chase in the Christmas movie where he banks on the yearly bonus from work and when it is not given one year the boss becomes the bad guy in everyone's eyes. In the movie and in real life people just assume the bonus, money gift, turkey, whatever is the norm every year. Often they order merchandise or spend the money before it even comes in. For that reason companies need to be very careful not to do the same thing week after week or month after month or year after year. Food treats should not be the same because they become anticipated and actually become rather boring. Some would say that money is always the best way to go because everyone can spend it however they want. True, but it also can get old. If you toss out a dollar at the weekly meeting one week for something, the next week you bring in a gourmet coffee cart. If you give a grocery card for Christmas one year you need to deliver a gourmet gift basket the next year. If you provide lunch a day one month you need to do something different the next month. Most executives feel that this type of creativity is not a part of their positions and it is not crucial. Morale boosters are very critical. business appreciation are the most effective way to say thanks for a task well done and to encourage hard work in the future. Most of the time organizations use secretaries to find ideas and put together the thank you. For women bouquets and spa packages and gift cards work. For men beer tubs, hardware/home improvement gift cards are great. Restaurant gift certificates are good too. You just have to get innovative. Corporate Gifts or Company gifts can be frustrating when you are including a lot of people in one office--it could be a gesture of empathy or a thank you gift to a whole office or company. You either have food delivered or if you are worried about food spoilage send a gigantic corporate gift basket with various items. My company has put the burden on me, the administrative assistant, to come up with two new options each month to spend only $300 on the 20 employees. They said I need to find gifts of tokens to include everyone. I am looking for new ideas for next month but this month we have seen a huge difference in favorable attitude around the office after my two appreciation gifts were done. The first was for each employee to find one dollar bills in various places during a week. This last week to thank them for their efforts, we had an Ultimate Choice Gourmet Gift Basket arrive to overpower the snack table. After hearing workers talking about the Aurora movie theatre shooting victims, we chose an Aurora gift basket company, Baskets by Rita and we were not disappointed. So remember to thank your employees and show gratitute for a job well done and to encourage really hard work.

Thanks A Bunch

It would appear as if the custom of giving thanks has become obsolete over time. Mailing a hand written thank you note was at one time traditional for both personal and business situations, but now many people assume it's enough to nonchalantly whip up an email with a prompt thanks before retreating to their active every day lives. Now don't misunderstand me. I understand that the world is much more fast paced than it once was and many people barely have time to relax and catch their breath, but thinking about it, that only gives you that much more reason to send a heart felt thank you. Since we've become less accustomed to receiving a suitable thank you, it makes a much greater impression when we do get one. It truly is a nice surprise to see that someone bothered to say thanks. I haven't even mentioned the effect it can make on your business. In taking the time to send a personalized thank you, you may express to your customer how important their business is to you. By developing personal relationships with your clients, you are guaranteeing their loyalty and giving them a reason to do business with you instead of your competitors. If I haven't managed to convinced you that sending a thank you gift or note is worth the time it takes, why don't you consider sending something that takes little to no time at all? Sending flowers or a gift basket from an online store takes about as long as sending an email, but sends a much better impression. Gift like Thank You Gift Basket Here's a thank you gift basket that will bring smiles to anyone you send it to. A red faux leather and sea grass basket will make a great impression. Say thanks for all you do when you send this useful high quality basket filled with great tasting goodies. We add our Colorado medley snack mix, Boulder chips, Mrs. Fields chocolate chip cookies, caramel corn, thank you shortbread cookies, chocolate bar, Lara fruit and nut bar, and Ghirardelli chocolate squares to this basket. This appreciation gift basket is perfect any time you want to say thanks. Forget all excuses and exercise some good old fashioned courtesy the next time you have the opportunity to say thank you. Baskets By Rita is one online business that has a good assortment of gift baskets for any occasion. (Insert database). Thanks for listening! To give someone the hint or pass on this excellent advice, repost this blog on Facebook or Twitter!