Saying “Thank you” - One of the Most Overlooked Forms of Compensation

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Bill Doolittle

Bill Doolittle is executive vice president of exhibit & event sales for GES and is responsible for building GES’ corporate events group.

Is a paycheck the only form of compensation we can give to our employees? I’ll agree to disagree with those who believe that it is. The primary reason most people work is to earn the compensation to support their lifestyle, but I strongly believe that a person can’t be happy in their career purely by monetary compensation.

To me, one of the most overlooked forms of compensation is a simple thank you - showing your employee or coworker that their hard work is appreciated and you see the effort they’re putting forth.

Most folks are so consumed by daily tasks that a simple “thank you” gets lost. When was the last time you wrote a “personal note” on a note card to someone who really helped you or did something above and beyond?

With the holidays here, and everyone trying to wrap up projects and make deadlines, I think it’s the perfect time to truly show your coworkers how much you appreciate them.

Here are a few simple gestures to make their holiday season (or any day) a little brighter:

1. How about bringing their favorite drink from Starbucks in the morning? They’ve made your life easier throughout the year. Make theirs easier by giving them a little caffeine boost, and you’ll score extra points by remembering their favorite drink.

2. Celebrate individual accomplishments in a large team meeting or even plan a recap meeting of this year’s wins and shout out all the things that made you most thankful for your team. Public appreciation makes everyone feel special.

3. Notice excellence in a certain area? Call them into your office for a one-on-one meeting and let them know you’ve noticed their efforts and give them a gift that never stops giving, education. Send them to a conference or retreat relating to the area they’ve excelled in and show them you want to continue to invest in their individual development.

4. A simple post it note on someone’s desk, letting them know you appreciate their efforts goes a long way. It may just be the bit of encouragement they needed.

I’ll leave you with this, the No. 1 reason people choose to join a company, stay with a company or leave a company is the team they work with and who they work for. Why not make their time working with you rewarding? As many of you know, we frequently spend more time with our coworkers than our own families.

From my family to yours, happy holidays and thank you for making 2011 a great year!