I love when I find examples of employee appreciation in pop culture! I can always count on scenes from “The Office”or Dilbert comic strips for comic relief. Both do an excellent job of making fun of some pretty outrageous appreciation blunders. 

I recently learned about this scene from Seinfeld, and I’m certainly going to add it to my video library! In the clip, Jerry and Kramer both give Elaine birthday gifts, but one of them completely misses the mark. Can you guess who made the faux pas? 

This week is National Backyard Games Week, and I love my backyard games! I’ve built up a decent collection of them in my garage. At my house, we’re always ready with a game of bean bag toss, ladder golf, badminton, Frisbees, and even bubbles for the neighborhood kids. It’s common to find me outside on a beautiful summer evening playing a game with neighbors and friends. Backyard games provide an opportunity for camaraderie, fun, and enjoying the outdoors – all things I love!

I’ve noticed that my time spent playing backyard games has improved my friendships (and my sweet game skills!), so it makes sense to me that we should bring games to work. If playing games at home is energizing and improves relationships, imagine how it could influence your team!

I talk a lot about handwritten thank you notes on the Recognition at Work blog, and we have many articles on the topic in our Recognition Resource Center. When you talk and write about something so much, it can be easy to forget about the magnitude of its impact. In most of my articles, I instruct readers to write a thank you note to an employee or co-worker. Baudville is the place for daily recognition after all!

Recently, I was reminded that a thank you note can be a powerful tool for customer retention, too. Within the past week, I learned of two unique instances of organizations using the thank you to leave a positive impression on a customer.

First, I had the privilege of speaking at the Greater Ann Arbor Society for Human Resource Management  chapter last week at their monthly luncheon with a friend from Credential Check. During the presentation, my co-presenter shared that all of his sale representatives do A4s after sales visits. (If you work in an office, you’re probably familiar with the A4 paper size, approximately 8.5” x 11”.) Every sales representative is required to write an A4 thank you note after a customer visit before they even drive out of the parking lot! Sales reps have stationery and stamps in their car, so the letter gets mailed immediately, and the customer gets wowed.

 

Also last week, my dad had an outpatient procedure at a local hospital. Thankfully, everything went well and my parents had all good things to say about their experience. The icing on the cake, however, was when they received a thank you card in the mail from one of his nurses. The card was simple, it said thank you for letting us care for you, and was personally signed by the nurse. The simple gesture of a thank you note made an impact on my parents who told the whole family about it over the weekend.

Have you ever received a thank you note from a company who just wanted to recognize your business? How did it make you feel about the company?

Now imagine how your customers would feel if you sent them a thank you note after a large order, or included a personal note in their shipping box. How would your business grow? Think about the referrals and word of mouth marketing you’d receive!

This week, give a handwritten thank you note a try! Grab your own A4, stationery, or mini note cards (my personal favorite), and take a few moments to write a sincere thank you. I guarantee your card will have a lasting impact! 

Teacher Appreciation Week kicked off yesterday, and that means today, the Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week, is National Teacher Day!

We’ve all had teachers who have made a difference in our lives either through their unique teacher style, personalized encouragement, or caring heart. Regardless of the last time you were in a classroom, you’re never too old to thank a teacher!

Take a moment this week to express your appreciation for a special teacher you had growing up or a teacher who’s currently working wonders with your child. Saying thank you is free, but the value is priceless!

Here are four ways you can say thank you on National Teacher Day:

1. Send an ePraise. Our free ecard system is perfect for sending a note to a former teacher. All you need is their email address and a quick personal note from you. We even have Teacher Appreciation designs! 

2. Post a Tweet. The National Education Association is encouraging both current and former students to send tweets with the hashtag #thankateacher.  They recommend these sample tweets:
o If you can write your name, #thankateacher
o If you followed your dreams, #thankateacher
o If you can read, #thankateacher 

Around Baudville, it’s common knowledge that May is a busy month full of appreciation holidays and events. (Need help keeping track of all the upcoming events? Visit our Recognition Event Calendar!) Both National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week take place May 6-12, and with the recent growth of the healthcare industry, we know that a lot of appreciation will be taking place!

In honor of next week’s festivities, I’m dedicating today’s High Five for Friday post to healthcare professionals! Here are five ways you can recognize during National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week:

1. Treat Them! Just because they work in healthcare, doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy a sweet treat! Make a batch of your favorite homemade cookies or check out one of our sweet appreciation gifts and give them to your team or favorite healthcare professional. Add a gift tag or handwritten note to make the gift more personal. 

2. Make a Thank You Gift. Appreciation gifts that are personal are the most effective at expressing your message, and what’s more personal than a handmade gift? I recently found this