Many ways to say thank you!
Did you know it was Administrative Professional’s Week last week? How did you recognize them at your office?
I was talking to an admin who mentioned that her company did NOTHING to recognize their admins. No treat. No flowers. No thank you note. No verbal accolades. No high-five walking by her desk. No nothing. She works her tail off for the execs and that’s how they treat her? No wonder she’s losing steam and doesn’t want to stay.
I’m not sure that managers and executives realize how important their admin staff is to the success of the other team mates, which is why I’m writing this post.
Even if you missed Administrative Professional’s Week last week, you can do something TODAY – really ANY day – to thank the men and women in support roles. Really, they do so much for you and the office, right? Thank goodness for them all!
To make sure that you’re properly recognizing your administrative staff, plan to buy a gift that is appropriate to his or her interests. Here are some ideas to get your gift-giving juices flowing:
- What are his hobbies? If he enjoys BBQ-ing, get him a cook book and gourmet cooking utensils.
- What is she passionate about at work? If she loves organizing and keeping things in order, give her a gift card to FranklinCovey with a long lunch break to go on a shopping spree.
Furthermore, take the time to really recognize how he or she wants to be recognized:
- If he doesn’t like public announcements, then don’t send a company-wide email thanking him for his hard work. Instead, talk to him privately at his desk. Maybe take him out for lunch one-on-one. For people who are more private and shy, spending the one-on-one time with them will likely be much more appreciated.
- If she loves being the center of attention, gather everyone together and bring her flowers and balloons to her desk. Have each person take a moment to share something positive about her work and how she impacts the office. Do lots of clapping and cheering – she’ll eat it up!
If you don’t know their hobbies, interests, or how they like to be recognized, then find out first. I know you’re busy running the company. But, imagine how much busier you’ll be if your admin quit tomorrow. So, do some due-diligence… someone in the company is bound to know!
Then, take this information and go make his or her day! They’ll really appreciate the effort… and probably get that report done even faster.