The gift that keeps on giving

By Harvey Mackay

The best bosses find ways to reward their employees to express their appreciation of their abilities, loyalty and contributions to company success. Now for the rest of the bosses out there …

The holiday season and the end of the year are traditional times to send a little thank you out to the workers who trudge through the doors every day to keep the company going. A cash bonus, a turkey or a company party are all nice touches. But is that what will keep your faithful workers coming back for more?

Craig Hickman, author of “Management Malpractice,” has some better ideas. These cost a company next to nothing, yet the return on the investment of time could turn any organization’s morale around overnight. Hickman’s points are noted in bold print, and I have added my own thoughts to each. Here’s a sampling of what employees really want:

I wish my boss would quit berating and belittling me. I wonder why that employee would stick around and take it, but I realize that sometimes in exchange for a paycheck, some folks would put up with just about anything. It’s hard to love the work and hate the boss.
I wish senior management would listen to us. A variation on the old suggestion box, perhaps, but when the people talk who deal directly with customers, make the products, and fix the mistakes; smart managers perk up their ears.
I wish my company’s values were given more than lip service. Does your company have a fancy plaque in the lobby talking about values, mission, vision or some similar concept? Have you read it lately? Is it what you see in practice every day? If not, either replace the plaque or fix the values.
I wish my talents and contributions were recognized and valued. If the boss is intent on taking credit for the brainstorms of everyone else, that boss will eventually be exposed when those people are working for the competition and the ideas are suddenly flowing across town. It is always a good idea to make your staff look good when they make you look good.
I wish management wasn’t so afraid to take risks. Sure, the employees understand that there is a board of directors who expect results, and layers of managers who have to sign off on new initiatives. Are the workers really asking the boss to mortgage the farm for a new idea? A boss who tells employees to think outside the box and be creative, but then balks at trying a well-considered idea, is sending the message that the real thinking is reserved for the elite and the drones should do just as they’re told.
I wish I could trust my boss. T-R-U-S-T are the five most important letters in the alphabet. Bosses should do what they say they will do. They should stick up for employees when they are right. They shouldn’t make promises they can’t keep and even deliver more than they promise. They shouldn’t play favorites or look for reasons to pick on people just because they are in a position of power. Bosses should earn their salaries by being fair and reasonable and giving their employees every opportunity to shine. Is that asking so much?

Here are some more quick ideas I’ve heard over the years:

I wish my boss understood that I have a life away from the office. I wish my boss understood that having a little fun at the office does not equate to not taking the job seriously. I wish my boss knew that the pat on the back is back and is more effective than a kick in the rear. I wish my boss looked for opportunities to acknowledge great performance rather than looking for the tiniest fault. I wish my boss didn’t think that he or she needed to be the bad guy to be a good boss. I wish my boss knew that I like a good challenge, but that I need the resources to handle it if I am to be successful.

And finally, I wish my boss were my employee for a week, and then we would really have something to talk about! If none of the rest of this has sunk in, consider that possibility. Would you want to work for yourself?

Mackay’s Moral: Give your employees a real gift this year: a great boss.

Reprinted with permission from nationally syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller "Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive."

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