Happy Labor Day

September 4, 2006 · Filed Under Adventures in (Mis)Management, Stupid Employee Tricks 

What have you done for your employees lately?

Labor day is a good time to reflect on that.  Yes, you as an employer provide a job for your employees. Sometimes you enable them to do other good things with what you pay them (buy a home, put a child through college, donate to a charity).  Your employees give back a lot too. They devote many hours to your business and maybe even your salaried people do a bit more, even if it is for the hope of a bonus at the end of the year (a risk they share with the business owners).

Have you ever said to yourself “I am sure glad I have Steve on this job”?  I know I have.  You should say it to them.

Many of the people that come to this blog (both managers and employees) argue for an adversarial role between businesses and employees.  They worry about being taken advantage of. Sometimes the best way is to play hardball.  Sometimes an employer wants to take advantage of you. Sometimes an employee wants to take advantage of you.

But that’s not always the case and that’s something everybody can remember. With your best employees in your company (which I hope is a majority), Labor day is a good reminder to say thank you to them.

I hope you do.

Check out HRM Today for the latest in the HR blogosphere.

Comments

2 Responses to “Happy Labor Day”

  1. muldar on September 5th, 2006 9:47 am

    For the past five years I have been the HR Manager for a growing hospitality company. Tomorrow, will be my last day. Why? Because no-one in upper management ever said “Thank You.” While my new position will come with a 20% increase, with some gentle encouragement and acknowledgement from my soon-to-be-former employer, I probably would never have started looking for a new position.

    [Reply]

  2. KellyMac on September 6th, 2006 5:56 am

    I think “Thank You” and “Job Well Done” are two of the most underused phrases by management. Sometimes that is all us line staff need or want from our boss(es). Those two little phrases have the power to make my day, my week, my month. I don’t understand why a lot of people in management don’t get it that happy employees are generally more productive employees who miss less work.

    [Reply]

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