Celebrating the American Worker
First off, Happy Labor Day!
Today is the day we pay honor to American workers, so whether you have the day off or you are one who is called in to work, we salute you. Know that your efforts and service are valued and appreciated, even if it does not feel that way.
Leaders – today is a great time for you to show recognition and appreciation for your employees, which is especially important in these challenging times that they have had to deal with. The quick upheaval and shift to working from home and all that it has brought has left many workers feeling uncertain and exhausted. Having to create new routines and trying to balance work and life is difficult at best.
So, how do you show that you do appreciate the efforts and dedication your employees have shown? Here are a few suggestions (that don’t involve money):
- Send out a personal email or note which would go a long way to show your employees that they are a necessary part of your organization
- Plan a virtual pot luck luncheon; if your group is small, you could plan to meet in a restaurant to give that in-person touch.
- Ask how they are doing and what they need; I find many are not opening up about their frustrations which is leading to stress and feelings of detachment; being asked gives encouragement to open-up and builds trust.
- Tell them something that you admire or an instance for when they stood out in their work – this would go a long way to engagement and retention.
There are many other ways but the gist is to let your workers know they are important and cared about. I give recognition to leaders who have championed through these recent months. While it may have been challenging, you made it through despite the hard decisions, late nights, and putting yourself on the back burner.
Today is a day for you to focus on your self-care. Take time to relax and enjoy yourself in whatever way that works for you. We aren’t through this yet but know that you will make it – you have so far.
Keep up the great work you are doing and celebrate your accomplishments – acknowledge the work you do and how you show up daily to make contribute to your organization and the people you serve.
Your Weekly Action Plan
Today, appreciate yourself and your work contributions as they are valuable and making a difference. Relax but use the time to think of what all you want to get done through the rest of the year. Take out paper or your calendar and be in a curious state, allowing your mind to explore what’s in there. Write out those ideas, mindmap, draw pictures, etc. of what you want. By being curious, it will then provide answers as to a direction to follow: do some research, plan, map out, schedule. The only thing left is to act.
Be sure to read our other blogs for more tips to enhance your leadership role.