The Power of Meaningful Recognition

By Raissa Sagun, Herd Geek

Imagine walking into your office on a Monday morning to find a surprise waiting at your desk.

No, it’s not a big stack of papers that have to be filed or a report to be completed within the next two hours. Instead you find a small centerpiece of vibrant flowers in a hand decorated vase with no note of who it’s from.

What would you think and how would you feel?

When this happened to the ladies of the Herd, our day became super charged with buzz about secret admirers, claims to how special we were and general excitement over this small but significant gesture.

This internal ibexseed was planted by Susan, one of the Grumpy Goats a.k.a. our management team. A member of her crew who wasn’t feeling well had declined an offer to head home early which made Susan wonder what else she could do to cheer up the employee. Flowers were one idea, but a bouquet of tulips would eventually wilt and an empty vase would be left behind. Plastic ones would last longer and be inexpensive enough to make one for everybody. It would surely brighten the day, and the office surroundings overall.

Let’s be honest, from an employee’s point of view promotions, raises and title upgrades are quite nice and are always welcome. But sometimes the most noteworthy and meaningful recognition we get from our coaches are those with a personal touch. It’s not just recognizing your hard work, but also your value and who you are as an individual. A plate of baked goods because they know you love cookies, an out of the blue lunch at 529 because you’ve never been or a simple comment sharing your excitement for a new addition to the family.

These types of acknowledgements may be infrequent but they leave a lasting impression. It’s a reminder that you work for a company that cares with leaders who respect you. It’s motivation to keep up the good work and encouragement to take on the challenges. It’s an affirmation that you are indeed making a difference.