Employee Appreciation Day
With Employee Appreciation day approaching, a story that sticks out to me often is when I was working for an organization that, for the first time ever, went through the process of restructuring. It left me overseeing an area of the workplace, but I no longer had any team members of my own. I felt lost, like my north star was taken away, and didn’t realize until that moment that I was so used to having a collaborative environment of people around me. I loved having the opportunity to support people and uplift them, as they often did to me. Deep down, I knew that having a team is a huge part of who I am.
Fast forward five years, and now I have my own business, but I was by myself with only one virtual assistant. So when the pandemic happened, I decided to take a leap of faith and risk what I had been holding off on for so long: expanding my team. Finally, I was no longer a solopreneur and had my north star back in place.
I originally began as Customer Fanatix with the support of those in my network of people around me. I have since rebranded to Employee Fanatix because I knew that employees and leaders needed to be my main focus. Leaders have the biggest impact on their organization, and I felt like employees really didn’t have a voice at the table. I wanted to be their voice.
Something I grew to learn quickly after setting off on my own with my virtual assistant was that I really needed more people. Not just for the sake of growing my team, but because that collaborative environment filled me up the most. And I also love uplifting others!
Finding these individuals would put together those pieces that I was missing, and each of them brought their own things to the table. They could use their gifts and expand on them as a part of the bigger mission. So that together, we could build something new and exciting. And as an empathetic person, I deeply value the contributions of everyone, whether directly or indirectly, on my team.
We have all weathered the storm these last few years while the pressure and stress of keeping our organizations and communities performing well were at an all-time high. With longer hours, changes in work environments, and most of all, being separated from our teams, whether working remotely or just 6 ft apart. Just as I felt the loss of my team members around me, many may still have that feeling of disconnection. Building a strong company culture where employees can thrive and feel valued, whether they’re in the office or working from home, will not only increase engagement and boost morale, but the organization will become an even greater place to work.
Being appreciative of who you lead can fill you up just as much as the recognition you can provide for them. Employee Appreciation Day shouldn’t be the only day you appreciate your employees, just like Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be the only day you show affection for those you love. Caring leaders consistently show appreciation and gratitude toward those they lead. They do it because it’s the right thing to do!
Commit to showing your people more consistent appreciation. Start on Employee Appreciation Day, but make it last all year long! Your people will love you for it!
