Employee Appreciation Gone Wrong - A Speak-Out

One guy's thanks is sometimes another guy's pain in the cranium...

Last week we asked people to tell us one thing an employer had done for them that made them feel truly appreciated.  This week we decided to flip the coin and ask the reverse:  What is the worst attempt an employer has ever made to try and make you feel appreciated?  As one can imagine, the answers are anything but dull!  Instead they give us a good look at what to do – and what not to do – to show our employees they’re valued.  So read on.  And if you have a story of your own to share, be sure and leave us a comment.  

Beverly:  The worst attempt I remember was getting to select a service award for 20 years of service from a flyer sheet and when the award arrived my boss said, “Hey, that watch you ordered has been sitting on my desk for a couple days.  Why don’t you go grab it?”  Tear jerking, huh?

Jillian:  My boss approached my desk, and in a whisper asked if I would like to be second in command.  When she wasn’t there I would manage the employees and handle emergency situations. I knew this “promotion” wasn’t a paid position, but I felt honored to be chosen.  The first time I tried to politely exercise my power, I was rudely shut down by the employee and when I consulted with my boss about it, she said she would handle it.  She never did.  I realized later that no one was told of my new place in line; I guess she hadn’t wanted to insult the others by picking me to run things when she was gone. It still hurts to this day.

Bill:  I worked for the same company for just shy of 10 years when I quit on good terms.  In fact, I quit one week shy of my 10-year anniversary.  I’d already chosen my anniversary gift and it had been ordered.  It was a very nice watch and I was really looking forward to receiving it.  About a month after I left the company I called the HR department to see what had happened to my watch because it hadn’t arrived yet.  I was told that since I didn’t work the full 10 years, (7 days short of it, mind you!) the watch had been sent back.

Patty: What is the worst attempt? Wow, how do I choose?  I was “awarded” my pin after my first five years of service. Every five years employees get a gold colored plastic  pin. The center circle is a different color for each five years. This $2.50 pin is usually given to you late, up to a year for one employee, or when the supervisor is reminded it was your anniversary. At the staff meeting it’s just handed to you and they announce how long you have been working there. Some people clap. Then it’s your “duty” to wear the pin all day. As all staff do not attend the same meetings, it lets the rest of the office know you made it another five years. But the pin is so small most don’t notice it. Some employees collect them. Mine collects dust bunnies in the back of my bathroom drawer somewhere. And honestly, when my husband’s work found out that’s all I got, they felt horrible and gave me a watch as that’s what they do for their awesome employees. That’s sad!

Chuck:  I used to proofread telephone books, believe it or not.  Records were kept on each of us as to whether or not we missed any typos, etc.  When an error was found against us, it was marked down in red ink on our sheet.  If we made it a week with less than a certain amount of errors, we were allowed to choose a “prize” from a cardboard box of castaway items.  Included (I remember it well) were things like packs of sticky notes, pens with the company’s former name and logo on them, even half a pack of stationery one boss found in her desk.  It was almost embarrassing to whoever was “rewarded” with the chance to pick through the box.  We always felt like we should refuse, but we were all young and didn’t know how to handle it, I guess.

Perhaps after reading through these stories you’re feeling a big “Oops” thinking of something your company has done for its employees that perhaps wasn’t such a hot idea.  If that’s the case, don’t fret.  This is the golden opportunity to turn things around and show your employees appreciation a little differently.  When the opportunity arises to thank someone for a job well done, taking a moment to put yourself in the recipient’s shoes can help you see that things need changing; or perhaps the role reversal will verify that you’ve indeed found a great way to say thanks.