Workplace celebrations
M A Mannan
In Todays business climate, workplace celebrations range from monthly birthday parties, weddings, childrens accomplishments to rewards for company accomplishments have become more important than ever before. Employees want to be appreciated. They need managers to help them feel valued. No employee seeks to be mediocre; all seek to be magnificent.
Studies indicate that employees find personal appreciation and recognition more motivational than money. It creates high level of emotional commitment and loyalty in them. Technologies, Systems, Process are good for compliance and workplace celebration needs for discretionary performance. With employee celebration workplace and the employee in it will become more positive, productive and enjoyable. Employee morale and teamwork go high. In tight financial times, employee celebration in the offices provides an effective low-cost way of fueling engagement and higher levels of performances from employees.
Celebration can be both spontaneous and formal or predetermined. Certain ground rules for Workplace Celebrations are management need to feed material needs of the employees before they can feed the spirit with celebration, They need to make time and initiative for celebrating employees in offices to create work environments that are both positive and reinforcing, management will develop a culture so that everyone in the office to catch others doing something right and important for Celebrations while manager should have dedicated budget for the purpose when powerful celebration can happen at no cost and minimum cost, approach of celebrations will differ from person to person due to
individual differences, occasion, time and purposes.
The program should encompass variety, Celebration programs should reflect the companys values and business strategy the programs have a short life span and must be changed frequently
Some of the most effective forms of celebration cost nothing at all. A sincere word of thanks from the right person at the right time can mean more to an employee than raise, a formal award or a whole wall of certificates or plaques. Part of the power of such rewards comes from the knowledge that someone took time to notice the achievement, seek out the employee responsible and personally celebrate in a timely manner. The type of celebration employees most preferred is personalized, spur-of-the-moment celebration from their direct manager or supervisor. Like Personal phone calls from managing director, Vice president, President, any other competent authority, Open praise, Letter of recognition, Bulletin board notice, Day off, Half day off, E-mail acknowledgement, increased territory, etc.
We all agree that many highly effective forms of celebration cost nothing. Like wise, if we raise our available budget from nothing to a nominal amount, we can use a wide range of reinforcers. With a modest investment of time, energy and thoughtfulness, any manager or management can deliver a unique and truly memorable employee experiences. Such as Birth day card, Cake, gift, Award pin, Sales giveaway, Recognition lunch, Leader of the month, Flowers or a bouquet, Club membership for a certain period, Gift certificate, Invitation at home, Dinner with managing director, Ticket to events, etc.
Many employees perceive the use of social reinforcers as highly desirable. They wish their organizations would give fewer tangibles and use more social reinforcers. Keeping this view, many companies management exchange public praising at the end of company meeting or in any other gathering. Like, they invite employees to their home for a special celebration, and recognize them in front of their colleagues spouses.
It goes without saying that celebration, to the employee signifies that someone noticed and someone cares.
What is the point of going all out to do something special if no one notices and it does not seem to make a whit of difference? All employees want to do a good job, a creative job if they are provided with the proper environment.
Celebrations obviously fuel in developing proper congenial working environment culture for any organization in increasing employee satisfaction, engagement and performance.
The writer is Group HR Head, FedEx GSPs in Bangladesh.
