Economic uncertainty seems to remain in the air, but it’s also clear that the job picture must be improving, at least in the macro, from some recent things I’ve been reading on certain career-focused Web sites.
This recent post from Career Builder advises companies how to attract and win over ideal job candidates. The list includes lots of perks that range widely:
- Offering a healthy work/life balance
- Having flexible or alternative work schedules
- Corporate volunteering groups and efforts
- Cross-training opportunities
- A “Green” facility
- Tuition reimbursement
- Health benefits for an employee and his/her family
- Casual dress
- Dogs in the office
- Employee trips
- Candy at the reception desk
- Free yoga
- In-house massage
- Learning opportunities
- Fun contests to promote recognition
- 15 days off during the holiday season
- Profit sharing
Missing from this list, arguably, is the key strategy of engaging current employees and offering them a tangible system that helps them set, achieve and celebrate goals. Employees under your roof now are your greatest asset, and best advertising tool to boost your ranks with top-performing people. Best to start the year right by setting a policy and agenda toward employee engagement for a sustainable organization.
As discussed in this recent post from Jo Confino, executive at the London-based Guardian, employee engagement is not really rocket science, but more a matter of communication. Says Jo:
“We are delighted that our most recent employee survey has shown that our staff engagement programme has led to a dramatic uplift in the scores on sustainability, compared with the same survey the previous year.”
According to Career Builder, the job forecast for the upcoming period is improving. It’s probably a good time to shore up employee engagement to build a truly sustainable and productive workforce.
Categories: Thank You Power · Trends
Tagged: Employee engagement, employee rewards, job picture, Sustainable workforce
To the fortunate many who received gThankYou! Ham, Turkey or Grocery Gift Certificates recently, congratulations! Yours is a thoughtful and useful reward for a job well done!
To help you through the process of using your gThankYou certificate, I’ve created this handy primer designed to answer any questions. Since I, too, was the recent recipient of my first gThankYou Turkey Gift Certificate, I thought there no better way to help than to share my own experience
Told that my gThankYou Turkey Gift Certificate would cover $20 toward the purchase of any Turkey of my choice from any grocer, I went shopping. Here’s how it worked.
After settling on the exact Turkey I wanted – Kosher this year – I planned where to shop for the perfect size Turkey at a good price. I found the perfect bird at Trader Joe’s, a national specialty food retail chain that caters to the foodie crowd. The bird fit my criteria, and those spelled out on the certificate (it needed to cost at least $20).
Certificate in hand, I advanced toward the check-out. After I presented the certificate, my checker examined it and began reading the instructions. He was a first-timer too, having never seen a Certificate from gThankYou. A manager responded, and after he read the certificate instructions, completed my transaction.
After hardly the bat of an eye, I was done. It worked just like a coupon presented during the check out process. But this was better, because I was fulfilling a reward.
A few tips:
- Pay attention to the specifics. Details on your certificate will tell you what the gift covers: Turkey, Ham or Groceries and for how much.
- Certificates will have a good-through date. Use the certificate by this day to ensure you receive the full benefit of your gift.
- Expect to wait a minute or two for verification from a store manager. Shopping during a slower time of day on a slower store traffic day will minimize your wait.
- If you run into stores with questions, there’s a toll-free number on the certificate that managers or clerks can call on the spot.
- Rest assured that the certificates are usable for any specified item at any store, even if they’ve never (as was my experience) processed a gThankYou certificate. It’s the real deal.
It was truly an unexpected thrill to receive a gThankYou Gift Certificate. I felt proud using it, and enjoyed serving the Turkey I purchased with it, which this year had more of a story. Share your experience getting and using gThankYou certificates, and serving the resulting meals.
Categories: Employee Gifts · Showing Gratitude to Employees · Thank You
Tagged: Using gThankYou! gift certificates
The anticipation is nearly killing them. My kids, still young in the world, just can’t wait until they can open the gifts under the tree. It makes me wonder when in life we start to cherish giving and the tangible benefits this simple act bestows.
Thanks to a recent New York Times piece, “In Month of Giving, A Healthy Reward,” by Tara Parker-Pope, whose Well columns have this year has become some of my favorite Google Reader picks, I know a lot more about the gifts of giving. During this season, it’s important to be mindful of those rewards.
There are real reasons we feel good giving people gifts, whether they’re gifts of time, talent or a treasured trinket. It’s particularly interesting that scientific studies confirm that giving is, indeed, good for you.
Quoted in the piece, Stephen Post, who wrote “Why Good Things Happen to Good People” says that giving and helping provides benefits that last years.
“It turns out that giving — far more than receiving — is a surprisingly potent force whose impact reverberates across an entire lifetime, nourishing health and happiness in astonishing ways.”
Post directs the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics at Stony Brook University, which has compiled evidence of the good of giving in 50 studies.
So, as we near the end of the year – the end of the decade, in fact – and thoughts turn toward incremental ways you can change your daily life for greater happiness, health and good, keep in mind the power behind a simple Thank You and other little ways to include giving in your daily life. You could be the greatest benefactor.
Categories: Gratitude · Gratitude Research · Thank You · Thank You Power
Tagged: Giving, great ways to say Thank You
Ham used to be kind of a mystery to me. Most Hams you find in grocer’s cases come fully cooked — you only need to glaze, if desired, then reheat. Selling an already cooked item most people bake anyway was a curious phenomenon.
Plus, there are a wide variety of types and cuts of Ham to choose with terminology that adds intrigue: Country Ham, City Ham, fresh Ham, cured, cottage Ham, spiral cut . What does it all mean? In the interest of clearing up any confusion, we offer this guide for choosing the best Holiday Ham for your table, along with the best recipes for the two primary Ham types. 
With his knack for explaining culinary matters, TV cook Alton Brown has the best definition of ham styles: “A city ham is basically any brined ham that’s packed in a plastic bag, held in a refrigerated case and marked ‘ready to cook’, “partially cooked” or ‘ready to serve’. Better city hams are also labeled ‘ham in natural juices’ “
These references will help sort out the other terminology:
Knowing more about Ham and the difference in varieties lets you be in control of the cooking, or reheating, whichever you choose!
Categories: Ham Recipes
Tagged: Ham Recipes, Ham Types, Holiday Ham
In case you’re wondering about the power of Thank You and appreciation in the workplace, consider the loads of information being shared on creating workplace happiness and the importance of this concept in achieving productivity.
Peter Warr and Guy Capperto’s new book “The Joy of Work?” is among the work being presented on this hot topic. We spend one quarter of our lives at work, so it’s important to make the best of it, says Warr, emeritus professor a the UK-based Institute of Work Psychology. It’s important, Warr explains in a New York Times article, to focus on job satisfaction or finding meaning in your work, describing nine necessary elements of happiness in work and life. These include: having some sense of empowerment, using and expanding your skills.
There’s more:
- Consultant and author Alexander Kjerulf (self-dubbed Chief Happiness Officer) offers 10 reasons happiness at work is the top productivity booster. Among the benefits of workplace happiness Kjerulf cites: less complaining, more energy, higher optimism, increased motivation and fewer sick days.
- Performance Coach Arvind Devalia chimes in with his 12 steps to workplace happiness. He cites a UK survey that found that two out of three people are dissatisfied with thier jobs and encourages workers to “See your work as a game. Life is meant to be fun and if you are going to spend a third of it at work, you might as well enjoy the game.”
This offers more proof that employees, and companies, gain from thankfulness and appreciation.
Rick Kiley is President of gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI. gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies demonstrate commitment to valued employees. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.
Categories: Showing Gratitude to Employees · Thank You Power · Trends
Tagged: Alexander Kjerulf, gratitude at work, Gretchen Rubin, Guy Capperto, Institute of Work, new york times, Peter Warr
Now more than ever, it’s important to show employees appreciation. Corporate America’s favorite employee gift seller gThankYou.com can help you say Thank You with added sparkle this season.
Festive Yule Tree
gThankYou.com has added dazzling new enclosure card designs to help personalize Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham and Grocery Gift Certificates. Designs include a colorful string of lights, a wrapped gift topped with vibrant and frilly ribbon, and a plump snowman sporting a top hat and scarf. Each design available at gThankYou® (www.gthankyou.com), created by artist Amy Pierquet of Waterfront Graphic Design, makes traditional year-end employee gifts more special.
“Time and time again, we run into research that stresses the role that conveying Thank You to your employees plays in company success,” said Rick Kiley, President of gThankYou.com. “Our Gift Certificates add modern convenience and a personal touch to a time-honored tradition that companies have used to say Thank You to employees this time of year.”
While convenience is the top reason employers choose gThankYou Gift Certificates, most opt to personalize their gifts by choosing a festive enclosure card and have the Gift Card printed with their company name and the name of the recipients. These services are offered at no extra charge. Personalization adds that special touch employees notice; a boon for companies seeking to keep employees engaged with rewards programs that get results.
Easily order Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham or Grocery Gift Certificates online at www.gthankyou.com in $5 denominations from $10 to $30.Certificates are a breeze to give, often distributed with payroll, and loved by employees who can redeem them at almost any grocery store for the Turkey, Ham or Groceries of their choice.
A popular choice for end-of-quarter and seasonal employee gifts, gThankYou Gift Certificates help companies celebrate success combining the time-honored tradition of providing a Turkey for the table with modern-day ease of online buying. Find out more at www.gThankYou.com or by calling 888-484-1658.
About gThankYou.com
The ideal employee gift, gThankYou Gift Certificates are meaningful, affordable and appreciated by the entire family. Convenience is the top reason companies say they choose gThankYou Gift Certificates as the perfect opportunity for workplace leaders to recognize success. Most gThankYou customers give Company Gift Certificates to all employees in the company, division or workgroup at holiday times or the conclusion of a successful project, month or quarter.
gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com ) is based in Madison, Wisconsin. Find out more about gThankYou on the company’s website. And read more about how Thanks can boost your company at the gThankYou.com blog. Contact: Rick Kiley, President, gThankYou, LLC, info@gthankyou.com, 888-484-1658.
“gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.
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Categories: * News Releases - gThankYou!
Tagged: * News Releases - gThankYou!, Grocery Gift Certificates, ham gift certificates, turkey gift certificates
Snow started to fall last week in Wisconsin. Rudolph has made his annual broadcast appearance. And the grocer’s cases are piled high with Hams of all shapes and sizes. Yup. The Holidays are definitely here. It makes sense to plan some simple and easy meals for the busy weeks ahead.
While it has the reputation of a fussy dish, Ham is really the original home meal replacement . Most Hams available at a grocery store come fully cooked. Given Ham’s ease of preparation – just pop it in an oven to reheat – there are many possibilities. Use it for a quick meal or ingredient in a soup, for example, which cooks while you’re engaged in holiday pursuits. Here are a few favorites to get you through the harried holiday season:
Happiness is returning home from sledding, shopping or Wassailing to a pre-made meal.
Categories: Ham Recipes
Tagged: great ham sandwiches, Ham Recipes, ham soups
November 30, 2009 · 1 Comment
Some think leftovers are the best part of a traditional Turkey Dinner. Others have a different opinion (don’t ask about the year we won a very big Turkey from Wegman’s while living many miles away from family to help eat it.)
gThankYou! to Closet Cooking for Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas
Truth is, the vast array of ways to use up your leftover Turkey illustrates the versatility and economy of a big roast Turkey. If you’re still searching for ideas, consider some tried-and-true favorites from these great Turkey leftover resources:
You’re certain to enjoy the results whichever way you choose to use up your Turkey leftovers
Lynn Welch is a contributor to gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI. gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies recognize employees’ great work at Holiday Time. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.
Categories: Turkey Recipes
Tagged: Turkey leftovers, Turkey Recipes
The emails just kept coming from our local community center, which usually collects food, assembles and distributes 1,000 plus Thanksgiving Baskets a year to needy area families. Last weekend, they were still shy a few items – more like hundreds of tin roasting pans and boxed pie crust mix. This year, demand was higher and more food needed.
It hit home. People this year and are in need of basics. Being able to provide a Turkey Dinner with all the fixings is a real gift. That’s why today I’m thankful for generosity that has filled family’s tables across the country this Thanksgiving. A special Thank You to those who use ingenuity to get Turkeys on tables this year, like one gThankYou customer that used employee cash donations to purchase gThankYou Turkey Gift Certificates for its food drive benefiting families of a local school.
Writes Wendy Stane, Star-Telegram Special Events Coordinator, 
“…employees’ generosity in cash donations far exceeded previous year’s contributions. These turkey certificates will go to all families in need who submitted an application for assistance compliments of YOU, the Star-Telegram employees. Thank you! In the past, actual food donations required a bob tail truck loaded down and several volunteers to load and unload. With fewer resources this year, we were still able to provide 80 families with a turkey certificate and 31 with a complete dinner kit.”
The certificates were a big hit, according to this from Cynthia Monsevalles, a counselor at Hubbard Heights Elementary:
“The Turkey Certificates to be redeemed at any store were a great idea. Every family got one. Thanks. Through our PTO, a special teacher fund and Star-Telegram we were also able to provide a food box for every family.”
The story is the same, I suspect, most every place. When times are tough, people take the opportunity to shine with acts of gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at gThankYou!
Lynn Welch is a contributor to gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI. gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies recognize employees’ great work at Holiday Time. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.
Categories: Gratitude · Thank You · Trends
Tagged: great ways to say Thank You, Thanksgiving, the art of "thank you"
It’s rare to gain insight to employee happiness in the workplace.
Australian psychologist Timothy Sharp, of the Happiness Institute recently asked 50 people what they consider to be the top three things that contributed to happiness at work. Their answers provide very valuable information to HR managers.
While I won’t rehash all five things Sharp outlines as steps to happiness at work, number three in particular struck me as relevant: Give Thanks
Says Sharp:
“Employees want to be valued as members of a team and organization. But they also want to be told, frequently and appropriately, that they are valued, as people. They want to be thanked and appreciated for their accomplishments. When managers and colleagues openly congratulate employees for their wins or efforts, it makes everyone happier.”
Sharp explains that this response is consistent with a great deal of research into what he terms the “social and emotional benefits of gratitude.” University of California-Davis psychologist Robert Emmons discusses this concept in his book, Thanks!.
He explains gratitude as a way of life, and provides tips on how to practice it in our everyday lives arguing that it enhances our sense of self-worth, while at the same time strengthening social ties. Emmons continues his study of expressing thanks, which he calls the “forgotten factor” in happiness research, saying that it increases the happiness of both giver and receiver.
Sounds like required reading for anyone interested in boosting workplace happiness…and maybe the rest of your life, too.
Rick Kiley is President of gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI. gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies demonstrate commitment to valued employees. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.
Categories: Gratitude Research · Thank You Power · Trends
Tagged: gratitude at work, Happiness Institute, Robert Emmons, Timothy Sharp
