A good friend of mine works in retail. She has a high ranking position at a regional mall.
I know that I will lose touch with my friend the deeper we go into the holiday season.
How do I know this?
It happens every year. Cutting herself off from friends and social events is her way of preserving her energy so she can get through “the most wonderful time of the year”.
I bet there are people on your staff who do the same thing, all in the name of self-preservation. Maybe you do it too. This time of year can be brutal on those who are manning the front lines in our stores and offices.
When the dust settles in the New Year, let me suggest that you take the time to thank your employees – those who worked so hard to deliver the kind of service your organization is noted for.
Have a survivor party, design fun tee shirts to commemorate having made it through the storm, or just gather everyone together to say thank you for a job well done and share “war stories” of the season over coffee and bagels one morning.
You’ll be surprised how far a simple “thank you” will go to win the respect and admiration of your team.
We all want to know that the effort we made…mattered.