January 7th was my one year anniversary with Baudville, and, as is the tradition, I got to go to lunch with my boss to celebrate. She asked me about some of my former jobs, and I had the embarrassing task of detailing my checkered past of repeated job hopping. I’m not sure, but I swear I heard concern in her voice when she asked once again, “…and how long were you at that job?”

Truth is, she has *nothing* to worry about, but with US job satisfaction at a 22-year low, many managers do have a reason to be concerned. And while it may not be as easy now as it was 5-10 years ago to switch jobs on a whim, it is easy for employees to just mentally check out of their jobs. And that’s what a lot of people do, causing both employee productivity and workplace morale to take a huge hit. In fact, according to a Gallup Organization survey, in the United States, disengaged employees cost the economy $300 billion a year.

Faced with this statistic, you might ask yourself: what can I do to? I don’t have the budget to give anyone a raise, reduce healthcare costs, or create new opportunities within my department.

Well, for the third consecutive year, Baudville has been declared one of the “101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" in West Michigan; yet our company faces many of the same economic challenges as others.

So how do we do it?

We know that if we can’t spend more money, then our only choice is to make things more interesting and engaging. And if you’ve ever seen photos of some of our events, then you might think that interesting is just one word for it.

Considering that one of the satisfaction stats is that “fewer workers consider their jobs to be interesting” this seems like a fairly good avenue to pursue.

So, a lot of what we do around here, when not diligently working, involves getting people together or involved in an activity. This regular interaction with each other helps break up our workdays and gets us talking, connecting, and relating. And because many of these activities are either low cost or no cost, a lack of budget is not a factor. For example:

Peer Recognition: Our internal “Shout Out” program allows employees to write a note of praise for a coworker and post it in a designated location for everyone to see. It is very low cost, and it inspires all staff to get involved in appreciating and recognizing one another. And it contributes to our job satisfaction because we know that our coworkers value the work that we do. In fact, it works so well for us, we decided to develop a few variations for our customers. You can read more here.
 
Impromptu Activities: From “just because” casual days (free!) to recruiting a group of staff to decorate the parking lot with sidewalk chalk (cheap!) to the occasional pizza lunch (moderate; but the camaraderie it instills is priceless!), these events do a great job of breaking up the monotony. And, they often make us look forward to coming to work, so we are definitely tuned in and not checked out.

Communication: I still remember my first day when someone passed me in the hallway and said, “Welcome to Meetingville!” Sure, there is such a thing as death by meeting, but I think we do a pretty good job of balancing that (despite that comment!). Meetings mean people are involved, from the top down. These are opportunities to share feedback, express ideas and opinions, brainstorm, commiserate, and stay informed. And, they only cost a little bit of well spent time.  

During tough times, when resources and opportunities are hard to come by, it’s easy for staff to become bored, disenchanted, and detached. But, with a little bit of Baudville-prescribed creativity it’s easy to shake things up and get people re-engaged.

So, take a minute to look around your workplace. Do people seem satisfied? If not, what will you do reverse the statistic?

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Allison is Baudville’s one (and only) Copywriter. She’s been writing for a variety of media for more than eight years, so if she tells you she has been there and done that, she probably has. Before embarking on a career in writing, Allison worked as a department manager where she used Baudville products to motivate her team. She’s what we call a true believer!

Most teams are made up of a diversity of individuals, each with unique talents and perspectives. Though having this variety is usually a good thing, it can also create tension when those individuals don’t see eye to eye.

But in the past few months I’ve had two experiences that have reinforced my belief in the unifying power of forced collaboration. Yep, I said forced!

The first was a brainstorming session involving several highly opinionated members of our team. Put us in a room and we will disagree on everything from the weather report to the right way to wear navy blue. But here we were, gathered around a small table, facing a blank white board, obliged to emerge with nothing short of a genius solution. We really had no choice but to play nice.  
 
The second occurred outside of work, when I had the opportunity to serve on a jury. This time I was staring at 11 others, every one somehow more different from me than the next. Here we not only had to come to complete agreement, we also had to decide another person’s fate.

Challenging to say the least, right?

Well, maybe not. In the case of the trial, our jury was handed explicit instructions by the judge, which were essentially:

• Respect other people’s viewpoints and opinions. They are valuable and they may present perspectives you don’t see yourself.
• Listen to one another and do not have independent conversations. Discuss every element as a group. 
• Don’t bully anyone or allow yourself to be bullied.
• Keep an open mind, and remember you have the right to change it.
• Give every detail thoughtful and careful consideration. Don’t rush to conclusions.

When we finally did deliberate, it was just a few hours later that the 12 of us emerged confident and content with our verdict. How about that?

And that’s when I realized the obvious correlation between this experience and the way that a common goal at work can also bring a team together, foster mutual respect, and bring about results.

As with the trial judge, when our managers hold us responsible for working together as a team, amazing, sometimes hard to believe, results happen. And the way they happen is by requiring the same respect, resilience, cooperation, confidence, and determination that are expected of a jury. It is these experiences, even if they are forced, that strengthen us individually and as a team, which means it is vital to our growth that we be required to participate in exercises that challenge us in these ways.  

I highly recommend it!

(Don’t forget to reward your team’s successful collaboration. These Pocket Praise^® are right on the mark!) 

My co-worker, @kimhorn_ville , just told me about the Pink Glove Dance video today after she saw a report on ABC Worldnews. The video features staff from the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, dancing around the hospital wearing new pink hospital gloves.

They put the video together to encourage people to talk about breast cancer. They succeeded. The video has been viewed over 2 million times on YouTube and has received nearly 4,000 comments. 

What inspires me about the video is the collaboration and camaraderie that is apparent throughout the hospital. As you watch the video, you see nurses, doctors, lab technicians, janitors, cafeteria workers and administrative staff all boogeying down together. Even though many staff members experienced some stage fright, 200 employees cut a rug in the video.

Were the employees engaged in the making of the video? You betcha. They united together for a common mission and goal, and, if I do say so myself, they totally hit it out of the park.

The Pink Glove Dance is a sensation for two reasons. The first reason is the video’s central focus on breast cancer awareness, an important and emotional topic that has affected so many. Second, it shows a group of people working together for a greater purpose and enjoying themselves while they’re at it.

Your employees are no different. Employees desire meaning in their work, especially the up-and-coming Gen Y. They want to be a part of something larger than themselves which is why linking individual goals and projects to the company’s mission and values is critical.

When employees complete a project or make an important sale, managers should recognize the accomplishment and specifically state how it contributes to the organization’s mission and goals. Letting the employee know how their contribution matters can help employee engagement, motivation and retention – and you won’t even need a cameraman.

The other day, I met with a couple gentlemen from the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, one of Baudville’s long time charitable partners. As we were talking, our conversation strayed from sponsorship opportunities to the recognition and appreciation solutions Baudville offers. The guys were in awe of the fun new products we had on display in our Board Room. They especially loved the Exclamations recognition theme and the funny lines on our Pocket Praise cards and gifts.

As we were talking about recognition, one of them shared a story about a friend’s current work situation; one that I fear is all too common in today’s workplaces. The friend’s organization is trying to do more with less (a common theme in business today), and he was finding more and more work piled on his desk. At the same time, the only communication he was receiving from management was “be glad you have a job right now.”

Can you imagine having that sentiment pounded into your head day in and day out, all the while struggling to keep up with your ever-increasing work load? Sounds motivating, right?

This young man has become so frustrated with the work environment that he’s been considering quitting – in this job market! This isn’t as uncommon as you may think. The Department of Labor has found that 64% of working Americans have left a job for lack of appreciation. That statistic has decreased during the recession, but many in the talent industry are predicting lots of turnover once the economy recovers. Employees are looking to make a change in part due to the way they were treated during the recession by their current employers.

Employers who act now can prevent their talent from walking away. Because cash is tight, employers are using non-financial strategies to improve employee morale, employee engagement and loyalty. Flexible schedules and telecommuting are popular, but employers should not lose sight of the value of appreciation. Thanking employees for their extra efforts and hard work this year will go a long ways.

During the remaining weeks of 2009, make it a priority to take time to thank employees. Don’t worry, you can never give too much praise and appreciation! Your sincere, specific recognition of their efforts will let employees know that you value their contributions both now and in the future.

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her daily recognition tips by following Baudville on Twitter at Twitter.com/Baudville.

You’d expect that Baudville, being a recognition company, would have some pretty solid recognition practices in place—and you’d be right! In addition to regular award ceremonies, we also have a lot of day-to-day recognition activities going on, as well as special events and individual department initiatives (for instance, our customer service department uses Spot On. You can read about it here). Over the summer, we also introduced a company-wide peer recognition program that has been a huge hit.

When we first introduced it, it was overwhelmingly popular. We could chalk that up to simply having excellent employees, which we do; but, I think another reason for the enthusiasm was the absence of any structured program for us to use before that. Sure, we have all kinds of recognition products at our disposal, but here the tools were put directly in our hands—and with the institution of a specific program, we simply had more motivation.

And people did go crazy with it. Obviously, there were a lot of pent up feelings of appreciation that were just dying to get out.

But just like any new relationship, the test is if it can evolve from the infatuation stage to deep commitment and not, instead, into complacency. To keep the passion for our program alive, our recognition leaders knew from the get-go that they needed several processes in place to make sure we could keep up the momentum.

Most importantly, the program incorporates our core values. When we recognize someone, we need to make sure the act or behavior fits into a category that merits recognition (performance, innovation, integrity, etc.). So, as much as they might want to, my peers cannot congratulate me on the awesome outfit I’m wearing today. Our objectives are clear, so it’s easy for us to know what to look for.

We also get regular reminders. We all get busy, or get focused on our daily tasks, so we may not stop to think about what others are doing around us. In addition to being encouraged to write at least one recognition note to a peer each week, we get email reminders to “put on our recognition goggles.”

Then there are the incentives! For one, we earn company-wide prizes for 100% participation (remember those extra casual days?). The other incentive comes from actually being recognized. It fosters a feel-good, pay-it-forward mentality that on its own keeps the recognition flowing.

If you’re thinking about starting a peer recognition program, or have one in place already, you can incorporate these simple practices that Baudville uses to help maintain the enthusiasm and longevity it needs to be truly effective.

Fuel the fire with clear objectives, friendly reminders, and fun incentives. 

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Employee engagement has been a hot topic lately as companies look to fire up the troops and generate a positive attitude and positive results. With so many blog entries, tweets and articles popping up about employee engagement, one can’t help but ask, is this simply the latest fad? And how do I get some employee engagement in my organization?

There’s no question about it, employee engagement is no here today, gone tomorrow fad. The Gallup Organization has shown employee engagement to be a key to success. Engaged workforces make more money, save more money, are more innovative and more productive than lesser engaged workforces. Need an example?

• Best Buy claims than a 2% increase in employee engagement corresponds to, on average, $100,000 annual rise in store sales.
• Campbell Soup Inc, after a devastating Gallup review, raised employee engagement scores from 62% of managers not actively engaged in their jobs to 68% actively engaged. In turn, investors enjoyed a 30% increase on their Campbell’s stock.

So how does one tap this magical resource of employee engagement? Unfortunately, there are no short cuts to improving employee engagement. It takes a lot of hard work by both the employer and the employee. That’s right, employee engagement is a two way street.

To start down the path to engaged employees, management and staff must engage in active communication. Managers should let employees know what’s working and what needs work and vice versa.

At Baudville, we feel strongly that day-to-day recognition is a powerful way to provide regular positive feedback. Even Businessweek finds it’s smart to be positive and optimistic in the workplace. So get some note cards, send a few ePraise cards, and start recognizing the behaviors that contribute to your organization’s success. The more you recognize specific behaviors and attitudes, the more they’ll pop up in the day-to-day routine.

We have a white paper on day-to-day recognition that focuses on employee engagement. Download it for free from our Recognition Resource Center.

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. In addition to writing for the Baudville blog, she’s taking on the task of flooding the Twitterverse with positive mojo. Find out more - and join her cause! - at www.Twitter.com/Baudville using the hash tag #positivemojo.

The economic recession has challenged workplace cultures and practices. Organizations once accustomed to cushy bonuses, deluxe benefits, and luxurious trips and conferences had to cut back – not only on such coveted add-ons – but also on their staff. If you’ve been one of the lucky ones to keep a job during the recession, you know that the workplace challenges begun by the recession won’t be easily resolved.

As layoffs took place, the employees who survived were left full of anxiety and discord. Going forward, it will be management’s response that will make organizations successful on the other side of this economic chasm.
 
Recent survey results released by Careerbuilder.com reveal some interesting insights into how the workforce is going to change once the recession “comes to an end.” CareerBuilder in conjunction with Robert Half International conducted a post-recession job market survey. One of their findings pointed to the intentions of workers. According to the survey, 55% of survey participants plan to make a career change or go back to school when the economy recovers.

55%. More than half of the workforce will be making a change. Whoa.

The recession has been tough not only on bottom lines but also on employee loyalty, trust and job satisfaction.  Management that decided they couldn’t afford to communicate about layoffs or tough decisions, and that employee recognition is frivolous will be reaping the fruits of that labor (or non-labor, in this case) when their turnover rate skyrockets.

Thankfully, the impending workforce shift is not all doom and gloom. It’s not too late for management to openly communicate with employees about changes or decisions. It’s a GREAT time to implement new rewards and benefits to build back that loyalty and trust. Starting a tuition reimbursement plan would also be a wise move to keep top, rising talent. And engaging employees through daily recognition can build up job satisfaction and pride throughout the organization.

The times, they will be a changin’, and they’ll be here before you know it. The nature of those times, however, is up to you.

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Cori is a Certified Recognition Professional at Baudville and a member of the Millennial generation. In addition to writing for the Baudville blog, she’s taking on the task of flooding the Twitter world with positive mojo. Find out more - and join her cause! - at www.Twitter.com/Baudville and by using the hash tag #positivemojo.

If you’ve known Baudville for a while – ok, maybe a LONG while – then you remember a program we used to offer customers called ePraise. ePraise was a pioneer ecard program of interoffice ecards designed to recognize, thank and congratulate co-workers.

Baudville is pleased to announce the return of ePraise FREE on Baudville.com!!!!!!! We hope the service will encourage more companies, managers and employees to do recognition daily.  For the official announcement, you can read the press release in our News Room.

We hope you’ll enjoy using our exclusive ecards in addition to your in-house recognition program. While we like the convenience of sending an ecard to a co-worker, we know that you get more miles out of you’re your recognition if you deliver a tangible handwritten note that the recipient can display.

If you were to visit Baudville (and we hope you do!), you’d see employee desks plastered with certificates, thank you cards standing in a row, and appreciation awards in proudly posted displays. We see the value of daily recognition every day in the office of positive mojo. Interested in bringing some to work with you? No problem.

Start with ePraise and let others catch the recognition bug, then slowly expand your program to a Kit and Caboodle, or some note cards in your favorite theme. Watch the culture and attitudes around you grow a little more positive with each kudos you deliver.  Before you know it, your office will be known for its positive mojo, too!!

Enjoy ePraise and keep doing it daily! Here's a couple examples of the new ecards and fresh designs available on ePraise.

The other night I was getting a pedicure at the local cosmetology institute and having a conversation with my assigned student about “pursuing your dream.” She told me that her husband is currently living his dream as a guitarist in a rock band, and that she is working full time during the day and taking cosmetology classes at night to follow her own aspirations. I told her that I, too, had finally landed my dream job—as a copywriter for Baudville.

I love explaining to people what Baudville does. If they haven’t experienced recognition in their jobs, they are often somewhat mystified. It’s true, that while we do have a huge customer base, there are still many companies that do not practice any form of employee recognition. In fact, the past two companies I worked for did not (note: I’m not working there anymore!).

Our conversation led to her day job, which she explained once had a very extravagant year-end celebration, but followed the next year with a much more modest version. The year after that, they eliminated the party altogether and made a small donation to a charity instead. We both agreed that the charitable donation was a nice gesture, but because of past events, it was a bit de-motivating to the employees.

At this point, I couldn’t stop myself from making my Baudville pitch. It went something like this:

You know, if your company practiced employee recognition, especially day-to-day recognition, then big year-end celebrations—or lack thereof during tight economic times—wouldn’t be the centerpiece of employee motivation. Giving genuine expressions of appreciation at regular intervals is a proven way to encourage and, more importantly, retain key staff (remember those other companies I worked for?). Big celebrations become less important, and less likely to be missed if budget constraints put the kibosh on them.

I love it when a conversation plays right into my hands.

I think we both learned something really important that night; plus my toes look fabulous!

Very. All it takes is one look at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey to see that work and work related activities dominate our time. If we spend so much time at work, shouldn’t it be enjoyable?

In his recent Examiner.com article, Robert Morris expressed his opinion that work is often too tedious and co-workers so insufferable that work cannot always be pleasant.

We would suggest otherwise. Bring some positive mojo into the office to spice up the culture and add a little fun to your day. Even the most boring tasks can be fun when your teammates are cheering you on and express their appreciation for a job well done.

We always strive for fun at Baudville. This past Monday, our new catalog with over 250 new products began arriving in customer inboxes. To pump up the company about this exciting milestone, a team of dedicated employees arrived super early at work – on a MONDAY, no less – and transformed the parking lot with colorful and festive chalk art.

If that’s not fun at work, then we don’t know what is.

The Baudville Chalk Artists pose in front of some of their work.