Category Archives: Management & Leadership

Should Super Bowl Monday be a Holiday?

Posted on February 3, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Did you know the Monday after the Super Bowl is notoriously unproductive?

Consider human resources expert Susan M. Heathfield’s article, “Make the Super Bowl a Workplace Win.”  It cites interesting statistics from an employee survey by career community Glassdoor, which asks: “Is the Super Bowl good for the workplace?”

The results:

  • 20% of employees say employee morale is typically better in the office the day after the Super Bowl.
  • 22% of employees notice, however, that the Monday following the Super Bowl is commonly a less productive day than usual.
    (Need some last-minute productivity boost suggestions?  Check out the blog Workplace Productivity.)
  • 8% of employees plan to take the day off following the Super Bowl.
  • 9% of employees plan to take the Monday off as a vacation day.
  • 3% of surveyed employees admit that they plan to call in sick the day after the Super Bowl.

Some Companies Offer Perks on Super Bowl Monday
The survey asks employees if their companies offer perks for Super Bowl Monday:

  • Several employees say they’re either allowed to work from home or use the Monday as a flex day.
  • Another employee says their weekly Monday morning meeting gets bumped until later in the day on Super Monday.
  • Other survey respondents say their employers buy breakfast for employees on the Monday after the game.

Should Super Bowl Monday be a Holiday?
Some even say Super Bowl Monday should be a national holiday and not just sports fanatics.  In her article, “Do We Need a National Holiday on the Day After the Super Bowl?”,  Lisa Johnson Mandell  argues it’s a lost day anyway.  She notes that in 2010, “1.5 million Americans didn’t show up for work the next day at all, and an estimated 4.4 million showed up late. Then there are all the people who do show up on time who are fuzzy, drowsy and blurry-eyed.”

What Can You Do?
For one, take advantage of the high morale employees have on Monday.  gThankYou! Breakfast MeetingChances are your employees are in great moods the day after the Super Bowl—or horrible ones, if their team lost—but nonetheless they’re engaged and talking about the game and how they spent Super Bowl Sunday with family and friends.  It’s something almost everyone in the workplace can relate to and chatter about.

You’ll make the whole day more productive if you allow employees an hour in the morning to gather and talk. Consider hosting a simple breakfast for everyone to share or make it a potluck event.  A simple gesture such as this not only provides a needed transition for employees to focus for the day, but also builds long-term morale and goodwill too.

Be sure to announce special plans in advance, so those thinking of taking the day off or calling in sick will have an incentive to attend.  If you restore normal productivity on Super Monday, it will be well worth the time, effort and money.

What do you think? Do you see diminished productivity on Super Monday? What kinds of perks might work well in your workplace?

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

 

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Posted in Empolyee Engagement, Management & Leadership, Showing Gratitude to Employees, Trends

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Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates by gThankYou!

Posted on December 20, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates – The Perfect Holiday Gift for Employees!

gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificate

Recognize your employees’ achievements this holiday season with a gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificate.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated, especially during the holidays. And a thoughtful gift of food this time of year is especially appreciated by all.  Imagine your employees’ warm feelings when you hand them a gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificate, along with one of our cheery seasonal Enclosure Cards.

gThankYou! Joyful Snowman Enclosure Card

Joyful Snowman

Employees appreciate the convenience and practicality of your holiday gift—recipients can redeem their certificates for either a whole turkey or half or whole ham, at just about any store, anytime. You’ll be front and center in recipients’ thoughts as their gThankYou! gift of a ham or turkey enlivens their holiday tables.  And the gift will keep on giving as they enjoy delicious leftovers, courtesy of you.

It’s not too late to share your gratitude with employees this holiday season.  Give the perfect holiday gift: a gThankYou! Turkey Or Ham Certificate of Gratitude gift along with one of our free customizable Enclosure Cards with your personal message and company logo.

And during this season of gratitude, we at gThankYou! wish you, our readers, the happiest of holidays this year and always. Peace and joy to you and your families, and Happy New Year!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in Employee Gifts, Showing Gratitude to Employees, Turkey Or Ham Gift Certificates, Workplace Gifts

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Five Ways to Feel Grateful

Posted on December 8, 2011 by | Leave a comment

According to Mike McCullough, Director of the Evolution and Human Behavior Laboratory at the University of Miami, it seems gratitude soothes the savage beast in all of us.  Not that anyone is actually a beast, but research supports that by showing your employees gratitude, not only does it help them – it also helps you feel happier and remarkably, sleep better.

gThank You! Gratitude The New York Times posted this interesting data in a fascinating article by John Tierney, “Findings: A Serving of Gratitude May Save the Day“.

“Cultivating an ‘attitude of gratitude’ links to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior toward others, including romantic partners. A new study shows that feeling grateful makes people less likely to turn aggressive when provoked.”

Show Gratitude During the Holidays
A Clinical Psychology Review study by Alex Wood et.al lays out the details if you are interested.  So if you missed the opportunity to show employees your appreciation at Thanksgiving, the upcoming Holiday season gives you a second chance.

Gratitude Lite
Not feeling it? The Times quotes the University of California, Davis’ Robert Emmons , author of Thanks! and other books on gratitude. Emmons recommends starting out with “gratitude lite.” He and colleague Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami conducted experiments, asking people to keep a brief, weekly “gratitude journal” listing five things they felt thankful for, like a beautiful sunset or a friend’s kindness.

After two months, the journalers were more optimistic, felt happier, reported fewer physical problems and spent more time working out, than control group members . They also fell asleep more quickly at night, slept longer and woke up feeling more refreshed.  Wow!

Five Ways to Feel Grateful
The New York Times article includes five tips experts offer for getting in the spirit:

  1. Do something nice for a family member:
    Do one small kindness for a relative at your holiday celebration – listen attentively to yawn-worthy recollections, say thank you for a thoughtful gesture, or express admiration for a talent.
  1. Turn the other cheek:
    If you count your blessings, you’ll be less likely to retaliate if a coworker or family member delivers a typically snarky comment. Say something positive instead and awaken that person’s empathy—they’ll pass the gratitude along.
  1. Share the wealth:
    When you show gratitude, people realize they mean a lot to you, perhaps more than they thought. It’s a great way to uplift yourself and others.
  1. Pay a gratitude visit:
    Write a very specific 300-word letter to someone who has changed your life for the better. Deliver it in person and read it aloud. “You’ll be happier in one month,” guarantees University of Pennsylvania’s Martin Seligman in a New York Times quote from his book, Flourish.
  1. Seek “deep gratitude”:
    The New York Times quotes Emmons:  “As a culture, we have lost a deep sense of gratefulness about the freedoms we enjoy, a lack of gratitude toward those who lost their lives in the fight for freedom, a lack of gratitude for all the material advantages we have. The focus of [the holidays] should be a reflection of how our lives have been made so much more comfortable by the sacrifices of those who have come before us.”

Recognize Your Employees
Got your gratitude on?  This holiday season, thank your employees for their diligence. Be specific about how their efforts have fostered your organization’s growth and success in 2011. We’ve said it before, but a holiday Turkey Or Ham Certificate of Gratitude from gThankYou says “We appreciate all you do for us”.  Pass along the gratitude – you and your recipient will both benefit.

Happy Holidays!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in Gratitude, Gratitude Research, Management & Leadership, Showing Gratitude to Employees

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News Release: gThankYou Announces New Winter Holiday Enclosure Cards

Posted on December 1, 2011 by | Leave a comment

gThankYou announces new festive Enclosure Cards for the Winter Holidays.   These fun seasonal Winter and Holiday themed Enclosure Cards can be customized with your personal message and Company Logo, making them the perfect addition to your holiday gThankYou! Certificate of Gratitude Gift.

gThankYou! Gingerbread House Enclosure Card

Gingerbread House

“It’s the season of gratitude and the perfect time to recognize and reward employee’s hard work and contributions over this past year”, says Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer of gThankYou.  “A gift of a whole turkey or ham, groceries or even holiday pie can brighten someone’s day this time of year and for many, may be an important contribution to a holiday meal celebration for their family.  A thoughtful gift of food at the holidays is appreciated by all.”

gThankYou! Gift Certificates offer company leaders a convenient way to recognize and reward workplace success, holiday time or anytime.   gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude come in a variety of meaningful yet affordable varieties including: Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, Turkey or Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Certificates, as well as, Other Popular Varieties   (such as Pie, Ice Cream, Pizza and Fruit & Vegetables).  Recipients choose any Brand and can shop at virtually any Grocery store nationwide.

gThankYou! Enclosure Cards are provided free with purchase of any variety of gThankYou! Gift Certificates.  What’s more, gThankYou! Enclosure Cards can be customized with your personal message and company logo.  And, nearly all orders still ship same day.  You’ll find these new Enclosure Card designs plus other Winter Holiday favorites on the gThankYou! website.

New Winter Holiday Enclosure Cards:

gThankYou! Holly Berries Enclosure Card

Holly Berries

gThankYou! Joyful Snowman Enclosure Card

Joyful Snowman

gThankYou! Crystal Snowflake Enclosure Card

Crystal Snowflake

gThankYou! Holly Border Enclosure Card

Holly Border

gThankYou! Penguin Dance Enclosure Card

Penguin Dance

gThankYou! Starry Tree Enclosure Card

Starry Tree

gThankYou! Peace Dove Enclosure Card

Peace Dove

gThankYou! Gingerbread House Enclosure Card

Gingerbread House

gThankYou! Enclosure Cards are available for all seasons and variety of occasions; gThankYou also offers Autumn and Thanksgiving Enclosure Cards,  Spring and Summer Enclosure Cards, and many More Enclosure Cards.

gThankYou! Gift Certificates are the ideal workplace gift and appreciated by all.  Share your gratitude today!

About gThankYou

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.

Follow the company blog – “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in * News Releases - gThankYou!, Employee Gifts, Enclosure Cards, Grocery Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, Turkey Gift Certificates, Winter - Holiday Cards

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Putting the “Thanks” in Thanksgiving

Posted on November 20, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Your employees work hard for you all year, and what better season to show your appreciation and gratitude than now, as we celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends.   Whether it’s with a gift of a Thanksgiving Turkey or a handwritten thank-you note, your gratitude will be appreciated.  It’s the perfect time to put the “thanks” in Thanksgiving.

1.  Deliver Your Gifts Personally
If your budget allows for a Thanksgiving gift, and you can, deliver your gift personally to employees, with a handshake, a smile and a thank you. After all, as Doug Conant , former Campbell’s Soup CEO and the architect of a successful turnaround there says, “You’re on display 24/7. It’s not the words on the wall; it’s how you show up in every interaction.”

In an interview on Rules for Leaders at ChiefExecutive.net, Conant urges CEOs to recognize the importance of every exchange with employees, no matter how small.  He’s so passionate about this topic, he co-wrote a book around this subject that you might enjoy, TouchPoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments.

2.  Send Them with a Personal Thank You Note
gThankYou! Thank You NoteIf a gift isn’t in the budget this year, or personal delivery isn’t practical, send a handwritten thank you note to each employee.  Making that connection early with employees, and always looking for opportunities to celebrate them, is a great way to strengthen your relationship.

A personal thank you means a lot to employees. Says Conant in his HBS blog “Secrets of Positive Feedback”, “believe it or not, I’ve sent roughly 30,000 handwritten notes to employees … over the last decade”.  While some react that thank you notes are a waste of time, Conant says in his experience they “build goodwill and boost productivity”.

Include a Quote
For a change, consider using an inspirational quote to express your thanks. Although you’ll probably want to echo William Shakespeare’s tone in the play Twelfth Night,

“I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks,”

rather than former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli…

“I feel a very unusual sensation—if it is not indigestion,
  I think it must be gratitude.”

Sorry, we couldn’t resist—these quotes and more are available at The Quote Garden.  Another favorite resource is Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations.

Thank You Note Templates by Lynn Gaertner-Johnson
Not sure where to start, or looking for a different approach for your thank you note?  Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, founder of Syntax Training, offers these and more thank you note templates in her Business Writing blog:

“Employee “Thank You”:

Dear ______________ [name],

During this month of Thanksgiving, I have been reflecting on the things I am most grateful for. Primary among them is our talented group of employees.

Thank you for the work you do to make our organization great. You help us provide award-winning services to our clients. Without your commitment, creativity, and high standards, we would not be the thriving company we are. I am very grateful for your efforts.

I wish you a Thanksgiving filled with abundance and bright moments.

Warm wishes,
______________ [name of senior executive or manager]

Brief  “Thank You” to Employees:

Thank you for everything you do to make this a successful, terrific place to work. Have a wonderful, long weekend filled with good things!

Happy Thanksgiving!”

In addition to Lynn’s examples, you can also find sample employee thank you letters online at Thank You Notes & Cards.

3.  Show Your Thanks
If you prefer, show your thanks by dedicating an initiative desired by employees and hold a “thank you” party to roll out introduction.  Or, poll employees as to their top choice for “giving back” to your community and organize an all company (that means Management too) community service project.  A great way to put the “thanks” into Thanksgiving is rolling up your sleeves with employees to work together to help those in need.

Regardless of your style and how you do it, connecting with employees and taking the opportunity to thank them, when ever you can, pays dividends for everyone.

All the best for a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Send Us Your Stories
How do you put the “thanks” into Thanksgiving at your workplace?

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in Employee Gifts, Gratitude, Management & Leadership, Rewards & Recognition, Showing Gratitude to Employees, Thank You, The Art of Thank You, Turkey Gift Certificates, Workplace Gifts

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Turkey Gift Certificates for Thanksgiving – Show Employees You Care

Posted on November 8, 2011 by | 1 Comment

The gift of a Thanksgiving Turkey to Employees is an American Tradition

Gift Certificates are the Leading Thanksgiving Gift for Employees
“Gift certificates for food items are the Thanksgiving holiday gift of choice for employers, followed closely by the holiday turkey,” says a Bureau of National
Affairs (BNA) report,  “Workers to Enjoy Less Thanksgiving Holiday Paid Time Off in 2010″.   “For eight of the past 10 years, gift certificates for food items have been the leading Thanksgiving gift and 2010 was no exception.”

gThankYou! Turkey Gift CertificateAccording to the BNA, while the percent of employers providing a Thanksgiving gift to employees is down from its high in 2004 of 23%, current gift giving levels are similar to other post-recession periods.  Budgets today are tighter for everyone.

Thanksgiving Gifts of Turkeys Reinforce an American Tradition
A New York Times article says some historians speculate that passing out turkeys to workers during the holidays began in 19th-century England with bosses who had read about, and did not want to be compared with, Ebenezer Scrooge.

In this country, Thanksgiving turkey-giving was a way to “introduce immigrants to an American tradition,” says Mitchell L. Moss, a professor of urban policy at New York University.  “It was a way to do holiday spirit for people who weren’t familiar with the holiday.” It’s still an affordable and meaningful way to thank employees and celebrate the gratitude of the Thanksgiving season.

Turkey Gift Certificates make Employees think of You as they Celebrate
A thoughtful gift of a Thanksgiving Turkey puts you as an employer, front and center as your employees celebrate this special holiday with family and friends. And that’s something to be grateful for.

It’s Not Too Late to Buy Your Employee Turkey Gift Certificates
Thanksgiving may be just a couple of weeks away, but there’s still plenty of time to share your seasonal holiday gratitude with employees. Simply order much-appreciated Turkey Gift Certificates from gThankYou!

More About Scrooge….On a related note, Harvard Business Review discusses “The Economic Legacy of Ebenezer Scrooge”  and Forbes names him No. 6 in the Forbes Fictional 15.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in Employee Gifts, Management & Leadership, Rewards & Recognition, Showing Gratitude to Employees, Turkey Gift Certificates, Workplace Gifts

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Five Ways to Retain Your Best Employees

Posted on October 29, 2011 by | 1 Comment

gThankYou - I love My Job!As Marshall Goldsmith of Smith Communication Partners  states in his report “Retain Top Talent”,  “if you don’t modify your HR practices to match tomorrow’s reality you will lose your competitive edge.”  Goldsmith’s premise is that employers have to manage their human assets with the same rigor used to manage financial assets, and goes on to list ways to retain the best employees in today’s environment.  Here are several tips inspired by Marshall Goldsmith’s “Retain Top Talent”.

5 Retention Tips:

  1. Clearly identify the people you want to keep.
    In the article, “How to Identify Top Performers”, Bill Gilbert of WM Gilbert Associates says top performers must not only have the right skills and abilities to work in your organization, they must want to work there.  “Fit” is as important as having the skills needed to do the job well.
  1. Let them know you want to keep them.
    Because talented employees can often find other employment, Goldsmith reminds us that we need to remember to recognize, reward and let employees know they are valued.  MANAGEREVOLUTION  recommends “re-recruiting” your top performers so they stay with you after the economy recovers.
  1. Provide recognition.
    Goldsmith says, “High impact performers are leaving organizations for three reasons: lack of recognition, lack of involvement and poor management. Show your best employees you appreciate them.      gThankYou - Good Job!

    Not sure how to best recognize employees?  Here are “25 Ways to Reward Employees (With out Spending a Dime)” by HR World.  Looking for an affordable and way to recognize and thank Employees, how about gThankYou! Turkey Certificates in celebration of the Thanksgiving season.

  1. Provide opportunities for development and involvement.
    The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program says, “By providing opportunities for employee growth and development, organizations can improve the quality of their employees’ work experience and realize the benefits of developing workers to their full potential.”  For more on this topic, you might enjoy our recent post, “Top 5 Reasons to Send Your employees Back to School“.
  1. Challenge the compensation plan.
    If you pay for performance rather than seniority, Goldsmith explains, top talent is more likely to stay.  Pay tied to performance is a particularly effective motivator for high-performing employees.BLR.com has tools for compensation planning and an interesting article, “2012 Compensation Budgets Focus on Top Performers,” for more information on coming trends in this area.


Your Bottom Line

Gilbert also offers these statistics:

  • Top performing unskilled employees are 19% more
    productive than average unskilled employees.
  • Top performing skilled workers are 32% more
    productive than average skilled workers.
  • Top performing managers and leaders are 48% more
    productive than average managers and leaders.

He asks, “What would it mean to your bottom line if you had more top performers?”  We’d like to know too.  How do you retain your best employees and what advantages do they bring to your organization?

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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What Employees Want Most

Posted on October 27, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Knowing what’s important to employees and meeting those needs helps employee morale, retention and your bottom line!

HR expert Susan Heathfield emphatically believes retaining top performing employees is key to the long-term health and success of your business.  “Managers readily agree that retaining your best employees ensures customer satisfaction, product sales, satisfied coworkers and reporting staff, effective succession planning and deeply imbedded organizational knowledge and learning,” she writes.  “If managers can cite these facts so well, why do they behave in ways that so frequently encourage great employees to quit their jobs?”

gThankYou - Thank You! PictureMaybe it’s because managers don’t really understand what’s important to employees says Susan Cullen, president of Quantum Learning Solutions, Inc., who cites several important research surveys showing:

the No. 1 thing employees say they want from their employers is….full appreciation for their work!

The first survey, conducted by the Labor Relations Institute of NY, was published in Foreman Fact in 1946, and has since been repeated with results replicated many times since then, most recently ending in 2001.  It shows the top three things managers believe employees want, contrasting with what employees actually say they want.

Top Three Things Managers Believe are Most Important to Employees

  1. Good wages
  2. Job security
  3. Promotion and professional growth opportunities

While those are all in employees’ top ten list  (No. five, four and seven, respectively), they’re not the top three.

Top Three Things ACTUALLY Most Important to Employees

  1. Appreciation for their work
  2. Being in on things
  3. Understanding of their personal problems

The discrepancy, writes Cullen, shows the value of intangible rewards: appreciation, involvement and understanding.   What Bob Nelson, author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees  calls the the “secrets of successful employee recognition”.   Importantly, the three things most important to employees involve their relationships with their direct supervisors.

Cullen also notes research shows a manager’s ability to communicate with, coach and engage staff has a direct link to retaining top talent in the workplace.  Once again research shows us recognizing and appreciating employees’ contributions is of vital importance to employees’ workplace happiness and business success.

Do your managers understand employees’ need for recognition and appreciation?  What do you do to show employees your appreciation for their work?

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in Gratitude, Management & Leadership, Showing Gratitude to Employees, Thank You

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NEWS RELEASE: gThankYou! Introduces “About Us” YouTube Video

Posted on October 24, 2011 by | Leave a comment

gThankYou! Employee Gifts is pleased to announce introduction of our first video, “gThankYou! – Learn More About Us” , premiering here and on the gThankYouVideo YouTube Channel.

The gThankYou! Video features founder and Chief ThankYou! Officer, Rick Kiley.  Art work was developed by the wonderfully creative artist and illustrator Chris Gash.  And video production was adeptly managed by local favorite, Paul Ranola of Requisite Video.

We hope you enjoy our gThankYou! – “Learn More About Us Video”!  Please visit the gThankYouVideo YouTube Channel to share your comments (we hope you select “like” for the video), and send a link to friends, co-workers and others you think might be interested in learning more about gThankYou!

When you choose to thank employees, we hope you consider gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude.

To Learn More About Chris Gash:

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in * News Releases - gThankYou!, Employee Gifts, New Products, Workplace Gifts

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News Release: gThankYou Announces Partnership with Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

Posted on October 18, 2011 by | Leave a comment

gThankYou, LLC  is pleased to announce our partnership with the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.  We applaud the Chamber’s commitment to supporting business development and small businesses Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce Logo in the Madison area.

You can find gThankYou! on the Chamber’s online Business Directory.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts.  gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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