An old friend of mine found the 123-Awards.com Facebook page and left a comment for me that was very interesting. He pointed out that his company which employs around 300 people hands out recognition gifts for birthdays and other personal milestones!
I was floored by this. What a great idea. Recognizing personal as well as job-related achievement really sends a message that an employer cares about you. That they are involved in your life, not just your job.
Businesses often struggle with ways to bring their employees closer. While it's typical to recognize business success like sales or project milestones, isn't that just part of the deal? Like a person's pay, you expect to been congratulated for achieving major milestones that are directly related to your work.
But what about personal milestones? An individual is much more than just the person who shows up and does their job. They have lives. And personal achievement can be so many things.
Sometimes there could be a relationship between personal and professional achievement, such as completing a certification or degree, but there are also times when people who work for you deserve recognition for doing something outside of work.
While everyone may have a birthday or anniversary that could be recognized in some small way, many people are actively involved in contributing to society. Volunteer work is something that should be encouraged and there is no reason why an employer shouldn't be the one to do it.
Recently one of the people I work with, after years of practice as a amateur musician decided to join a band and start gigging whenever possible. I think this is a perfect situation for someone to step in and pat him on the back.
Does anyone else have an example of when a personal achievement might be worth recognition by an employer? I'd love to hear from you.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
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