September 2005
Vol. 21, No. 3
How appreciative are you?
In the last week, 33% of all employees have been recognized by their superiors for a job well done. However, an equally notable 33% of employees don't even recall the last time their boss gave them a proverbial "pat on the back." This is according to a survey conducted by a non-profit organization of employers dedicated to making recognition not only a people strategy in the workplace, but a business strategy as well. And, the numbers are on their side. A recent study by Northwestern University showed that rewarding employees for professional accomplishments and recognizing personal lives leads to employee job satisfaction, improves performance and attracts quality employees; and surely that leads to employee retention. What's more, the study links job satisfaction directly to customer satisfaction, and we all know customer satisfaction is good for business. It's not always possible or appropriate to turn congratulatory measures into a financial bonus, but every employee at every level in the workplace deserves at least a kind word of appreciation from time to time. Individually or as a group, people need to know they're appreciated. While most employers would agree that giving praise for hard work is an obvious way to keep employees happy, how often do employers overlook non-businessrelated events that offer plenty of reasons to celebrate, like anniversaries or birthdays? These occasions are certainly worth noting to the individuals reaching such place-markers in life, and recognizing them for their years of dedication (and in some cases survival) is as easy as an informal card or an impromptu party. So, as long as we're keeping track of those years that some of us may wish there weren't so many of, let's make all our years of counting a reason to celebrate! Here at Quill, we recently introduced our very own "Where's the Party?" packs to encourage employee recognition and to make those sometimes no-time-to-plan parties fast and simple to coordinate. They can be used for everything from Holiday and Congratulatory parties, to Baby and Bridal Showers. Best of all, they include
A newsletter just for you!
everything you'll need to make decorating for a party anything but the chore it used to be. If you're having trouble thinking of some ways to make your employees or co-workers feel special, here are some things to keep in mind: G While most birthdays, engagements and marriages can be informally noted with a card, perhaps a few decorations could make a promotion, retirement, anniversary or personal milestone a special occasion. G If the budget or time is unusually tight, an informal but sincere gesture is equally appreciated and memorable as a more formal one, but if necessary, revisit someone's special day at a later time. G When giving gifts, make them both personal and useful – if Adam in Accounting is still using an abacus, bring him to the twentyfirst century with a fancy new calculator. If you know that Stacy loves to cross-stitch in her spare time, consider a book of patterns. A good gift is something the recipient might not have purchased on his or her own but will enjoy using in or out of the office. G Unless you're working in a small office or business where close personal relationships do develop, gifts should be from a group, and depending on the size of the department, limit the value of the gift from $50 to $100. This prevents individuals who may not know the recipient well from feeling obligated to donate more money than they would normally be willing to offer. G Never give money as a gift – it's too impersonal. Besides, it's a lot less awkward to answer the question "have you had a chance to use those golf balls yet?" than "how'd you spend the money?" Perhaps the most important thing to remember when trying to recognize employees and co-workers is to do it often! Sincere congratulations or well-wishes are always appreciated, for whatever reason. And watch your back because you never know when it'll come around and hit you – kindness is catching!
Don t forget...the Pen Pal has a new home! We are conveniently located in your invoice, or find us online at www.quill.com/penpal
Dear Pen Pal, September always signals the end of summer, and we begin to move ahead to a brand new season full of promise and renewed activity. We hope over the past few months, you were able to relax and re-charge your batteries as you enjoyed your summer activities. As Fall rolls around, so do thoughts of all the upcoming holidays and special events that will fill the days ahead. This holiday season will be particularly exciting for us here at Quill because we've added a brand new product for you to enjoy. Our "Where's the Party?" decorating kits make their official debut this month. The new kits contain banners, balloons, confetti and foil cutouts - everything you need to celebrate and commemorate an event at your office or workplace. Six different celebratory kits are available, including those for birthdays, retirement and general congratulations. Now, you can conveniently order whatever you need right along with the rest of your office supplies, and you'll be all set to celebrate! Log on to www.quill.com to check out this new product. Celebrating special events and successes at work is truly important. It's a great way to say "thanks for a job well done," and emphasize the special effort or skill each individual brings to the job. Recognizing someone in a special way can go a long way toward making them feel worthwhile and emphasizing how valuable their contributions really are. Londa S. Della Londa S. Della Editor
Break with Tradition when sending cards
December is the traditional time of year that companies send cards to those they do business with, but what can get lost in all the requisite holiday cards that companies send out is, well, the company. Clients are so inundated with cards that they are more likely to notice if you don't send a card, than if you do. If you want to send your customer a holiday card to let them know how much you appreciate their business, why not try the holiday with the word "thanks" in it - Thanksgiving! Timing is everything. If a client receives one Thanksgiving card and ten holiday cards, the Thanksgiving card will make more of an impact. It's also something different. It shows that whoever sent the card made a conscious decision to send a Thanksgiving card instead of just going through the motions of sending out the predictable holiday card in December. It shows you're going the extra mile. That matters. Let's get personal. Another way to show that you're putting more effort into a card than just signing your name, is by personalizing it. Quill's Holiday Print Shop (www.quill.com/holiday) offers a multitude of holiday cards (including Thanksgiving) with 19 custom-printed holiday greetings to choose from, as well as the option of creating your own personalized message of up to four lines. Since we're thinking outside the gift-wrapped box here, why stop at Thanksgiving? Quite honestly, this "Send Thanksgiving Cards to Customers" movement makes so much sense that it's bound to explode. If you really want to convey
Quote of
the Month
“It’s always worthwhile to make others aware of their worth.” ~~ Malcolm Forbes
a personal touch that is so important to customer relations and assure that your correspondence will not be lost in a flood, you can create your own personalized holiday card using Art Explosion® card software. Do you have a client who specializes in cardboard box manufacturing? Skip the fruitless search of corner drug stores and sit at your own PC to create a Boxing Day card for the Craft Cardboard Creators Company. Or a Flag Day card for the All-American Flag Corporation. Or a St. Joseph's Day card for Papa Romano's Italian Eatery. Tying in little-known holidays to very specific customers conveys your thoughtfulness and sense of humor. Of course, tying one very wellknown “holiday” to a specific client may be your best bet in personalizing a greeting card. A birthday card is a simple way to show you’re attentive to your clients and appreciate their business. If you don’t know your client’s birthday, subtely drop, “hey, when’s your birthday?” into your next conversation. Sending a card of appreciation, especially one that shows you know your customer and are taking time to acknowledge them, succeeds in its obvious goal and keeps your company in the forefront of the client's mind. Those are the clients that call, and those are the clients that ensure you'll have plenty of Thanksgiving cards to send out each year.
Creative ways to say “Thank You”
There are few things in this world appreciated as much as the words "thank you." Hearing this expression of kindness has the potential to motivate, but finding the right words to express gratitude can be difficult and too many times recognition goes unnoticed. Gratitude can be expressed in many forms… and there are many simple, creative ways to express yourself without devoting an exorbitant amount of time and money. If giving a card is the method for you, here are a few tips to make your cards more meaningful: • Whether you're purchasing a ready-made card or creating one of your own, you should always add a personal note to show the recipient that you care. • When sitting down to write "thank you" cards, always remember to specifically write what you're thankful for. • Hand-written cards show that you made time to create a heartfelt thank you, but if you're short on time or lack the creativity, a handwritten addition to a store-bought card will still add a personalized touch. • Even though we live in a technological society with access to e-mail, voicemail, and text messaging, hand-written notes always have more meaning to the recipient. Robyn Freedman Spizman suggests thanking your boss in her book, The Thank You Book: Consider thanking your boss when she gives you constructive criticism. Let her know what you learned from it and you will come out like a winner. An example of such a letter might be: “Dear Cindy, Working with you is such a pleasure. In fact, whenever we are meeting, it doesn’t feel like work at all. You have taught me about being professional, and I will always value your advice. Thank you for being a wonderful role model. Sincerely, Ruth” Be creative and avoid the commonly used card by exploring other ways to show your appreciation. One simple way to recognize individuals and express gratitude is by printing their name(s) in a company newsletter or flyer. Not only will this show your appreciation, but the associate will be honored and recognized by their peers. Another easy and public way to give thanks is to present the individual(s) with a certificate of appreciation signed by management or their co-workers. With a little more effort, add a sweet treat to your "thank you" message. Here are some clever ways to tie candy into your thank you:
• Lifesavers: "Thanks! You're a lifesaver!" • Nestlé Crunch Bar: "Thanks for helping in a crunch" • Almond Joy: "Working with you was a joy!" • Extra Gum: "You're extra special" • Kudos Granola Bars: "Kudos to you!" • Cake: "Thanks for making this a piece of cake!" • Jar of Jam: "Thanks for getting me out of a jam!" • Nuts: "I'd go nuts without your help!"
For appreciation on a larger scale, why not give a small inexpensive gift that appeals to an individual's interests. Gift certificates are a simple way to show your acknowledgement and let that person know you have invested time learning about them. For example, if they like books give them a gift certificate for their favorite bookstore; if they're big coffee drinkers, a gift card from a popular cafe will really perk them up. Always remember: • Be prompt; the sooner you can get out that "thank you," the more meaning it has to the recipient. • No matter how you choose to express your gratitude, don't let a "thank you" go unsaid. Even a sincere verbal "thank you" goes a long way in showing that you care. You don't have to wait for a holiday or special project to recognize someone's hard work, instead thank them on an obscure holiday or in the middle of the week for no other reason than to say, "you're great." To help ensure everyone is recognized for their work, try spending a few minutes each day or week to jot down the contributions of your team members and why you value their work. If you still can't think of a way to truly express your gratitude, remember to treat them how you would like to be treated. If you did the same thing for them, how would you like to be thanked? And finally, I would like to thank you for reading this article. It's really appreciated!
News
You can use
◗ If you need a little boost composing an appropriate thank-you
greeting cards. The site is also a great resource for information on proper workplace behavior and tips on other areas of interest like business travel. ◗ When you've gotten your thank-you notes all set and ready to send on their way, your best resource for those hard-to-find zip codes is the U.S. Post Office's website at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.htm. Simply type in the mailing address and the site will find the zip code for you. Also for your convenience, the site provides access to a complete yellow pages reference to businesses nationwide.
note for a co-worker or client, log on to www.officelifetips.com for help. The site provides tips and insight into many aspects of office etiquette, including appropriate behavior in business situations and even advice on proper office design and décor. An online newsletter and answers to frequently asked questions are also provided. ◗ More advice and guidance on office etiquette can be found by visiting www.sideroad.com/Business_Etiquette, including details on writing business-appropriate thank-you notes and
Thank you . . .
A message from Larry Morse, Quill President Treat both well and everything else takes care A recent article in The Chicago Tribune of itself. “Thank yous” go a long way. caught my attention and A famous Harvard Business School got me thinking about Journal article a few years ago described a something that I believe “service value chain.” It depicted all the steps is very important. The of taking care of customers and ultimately, caddy for a very making a profit from repeat sales. It talked successful professional about having values, strategy, etc. But right up golfer, actually ranked front in that chain is how you treat your number one in the world people. The way you treat your people is the last year, said he was way they will treat your customers. How true quitting because of the is that? Unfortunately, we all see it played out stress of the job. He every day in our lives, and mostly for the liked the job, and earned close to $1 million last year. So what can be stressful about that? worse. It takes so little to treat people well, and yet so many people in It seems that the caddy authority just don’t get it. was just not happy, The way you treat It has always made me especially with the way your people is the way crazy to see managers in a he had been treated by his boss. “I just wasn’t they will treat your business, even our own at times, act like they have to getting the respect I customers. be firm and insensitive to deserve,” he said. He be effective and prove went on to say that he never got as much as a “Good morning,” or “Have a good evening,” how tough they are. That just does not work let alone praise for a job well done. And with and never has. People can see through that in an instant. People want to be led by those that that degree of success, he must have been share and put other first to get the job done. doing something right. If his boss did speak to him, he said, it was only to say something And people -- all of us -- respond so much more openly to that approach. It doesn’t take negative. “There is only so much you can take, no matter how good the money is,” the much to treat people well and with respect. In his best-selling work on the best kind of caddy said. companies, Good to Great, Jim Collins defines Wow! Respect is more important than money! Actually, I have always thought that to how important leadership like this is to the success of a company. From his extensive be true. Sure, we all need to earn a living, be research, he describes various kinds of leaders. as successful as possible, etc. But we need respect, dignity, and a sense of importance to At the top of his hierarchy is not the biggerthan-life, charismatic CEO/Manager, but what make us truly happy. I have seen it over and he calls the Level 5 Leader. The Level 5 over again. How tough is it to make sure we Leader is defined as someone who builds say, “thank you” to those who work for and with us? In my view, taking good care of your greatness through a blend of personal humility and professional will. This kind of leader is people is essential to the success of any organization. Happy, fulfilled people are more committed to the organization and to its people productive, plain and simple. And it is so easy and puts his ego aside. I firmly believe that this is true, and is the model for the future. to do. This is the kind of leader that says, “thank At Quill, we do an annual associate survey you,” asks about the family, and understands to gauge how people feel about the company and about their jobs. Three things always head what drives people. It is so easy to just say, “thank you.” the priority list for our people. First, communication -- the need to know what is going on. Appropriate recognition is also very I would love to hear what you think. Email your thoughts to me at larry.morse@quill.com. And, if important. And last, the opportunity for growth and development ranks right up there. you have not yet received a copy of our special We work very hard to address these issues and edition book, The Really Useful Guide to Working try to ensure that our culture supports all three Smarter, Not Harder, email me and I’ll be happy of these things. I have told our people on many to send you a complimentary copy. occasions that, more and more, I am seeing (This article was reprinted from the March that the two most important parts of our business are our customers and our associates. 2005 edition.)
Holiday Party on the Cheap!
Holiday parties are a great way to say “thanks” to employees for their hard work throughout the year. Some organizations choose to throw lavish parties...but it doesn’t always have to take a lot of money to keep employees’ spirits bright. If your party budget is tight, here are just some of the thrifty and fun ways you can “celebrate the season” with your coworkers: • Organize a “potluck” in the conference room. Make it a cultural event by encouraging workers to bring in the dishes they traditionally love to celebrate their holidays with. • Host a cookie exchange. Present the cookies in an easily accessible, festive way on a large table. Each employee can then circle the table with a holiday box or tin, taking a certain amount of each type of cookie. • Consider a shorter, in-office event such as an afternoon tea or morning pastry party. • Host a children’s party, instead of an employee event. Invite workers to bring in their children or grandchildren for cocoa, cookies and caroling. • Celebrate the season of giving by donating to a local charity. For a more personal touch, sponsor a needy family in your own community. • Arrange for a high school band or madrigal choir to play/sing during the party. Or, have employees display their own musical talents! • Play games! Sports, music and movie trivia games are always popular...or create your own game where every employee writes down something unique about themselves that others don’t know, and employees try to guess who said what. The same can be done with baby pictures. Whatever idea you choose, get help with organizing and planning. By making other employees part of the process, you’ll have the chance to gain valuable input and assistance...and also guarantee there will be less “grumbling” about the plans made!
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SEPTEMBER 2005
The Quill® PEN PAL c/o Londa Della, Editor Quill Corporation 100 Schelter Rd. Lincolnshire, IL 60069 fax: 847-876-3742 e-mail: londa.della@quill.com