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Please, No Syrupy Holidays

You can make employment in your practice a year-round gift

FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Jim Thomas

As we near the holidays, remember that you will create a memorable season for your staff regardless of what you do, even if it’s nothing at all. So here is my wish to you: May your practices’ holidays be remembered for your joyous, caring spirit — and not any Dickinsonian-type spirits of Christmases past.

One of my most vivid memories of holidays past came when I worked for a large publishing house. Every holiday season, the president of the company gave each employee a small jug of maple syrup. And every holiday season, some employees scoffed, others shrugged their shoulders and, still, others enjoyed the authentic taste of maple syrup with their waffles, pancakes and sour grapes. The syrup made no one happy, but no one dared bring it to the president’s attention.

That is, until one day the company held a “town hall” meeting at which we were free to ask the president any question. A fellow employee took the opportunity to ask, why maple syrup? Didn’t the president know it was insulting to receive something so small as a jug of maple syrup as a holiday bonus?

The president replied, “The syrup is not a bonus. You don’t get bonuses. You get maple syrup because my daughter owns a maple tree farm. And as long as she owns the farm, you’re getting the maple syrup.”

It takes more than a gift

To be fair, I’ve worked at companies that gave away big-ticket items, such as TVs, and some employees still felt slighted. And I’ve worked in organizations where I didn’t receive much more than maple syrup, yet the employees were happy. It’s not much of a stretch to conclude then, that like any other management task, making your team happy and motivated requires constant attention. Gifts represent only one portion of this year-round effort.

Running hot and cold

Looking back, what made me most satisfied at past jobs was the feeling that the company was doing well and that my efforts contributed to that success. It didn’t matter whether I was scraping paint in 30° weather or starting out as a reporter covering a local dog show in the 90° heat (yes, the dog days).

This issue of OM provides a number of suggestions for how you can improve your staff’s performance while helping them feel more engaged in your practice. As Cousin Eddie from the movie “Christmas Vacation” might conclude, “It’s the gift that keeps on giving.” OM