Celebrating Significant Anniversaries

M Warner

How do you celebrate significant milestones? I have a number of employees who have worked for the company for 5+, 10+, 15+ years and am looking for low-cost ways to acknowledge our loyal, hardworking staff members. Can any of you share ideas for acknowledgement? If I send them a letter (from the President) of congratulations, can it be interpreted as a guarantee of employment? Thanks for sharing.

Don D

No, a letter of appreciation cannot be construed as anything but what it is, a letter of appreciation and thanks for good work (if that's true). I would not send it to one who had a file full of problematic writeups and discipline though or face the prospect of having them produce it at a termination hearing or appeal. Unless the document simply says "Presented for 5 years employement to ________". Something benign such as "________ would like to recognize and acknowledge your service to the organization for _____ years, etc., I think would be appropriate. We give framed certificates and give plaques and have the President/CEO present them on occasions and also on 30 yrs we give them a watch in a cake ceremony. Nothing super fancy or expensive and their picture winds up in our monthly in-house rag. I think they appreciate the recognition of their peers primarily. We all are doomed if the lawyers tell us we need a disclaimer at the bottom of the certificate like, "This certificate of appreciation is not intended as a promise or contract of continued employment and should not be construed as giving up our right to invoke the state's at-will employment relationship law". Your intentions and implementation of a program will bring you great rewards.

System

A day off would be nice.

James Sokolowski
Senior Editor
M. Lee Smith Publishers

Margaret Morford

How about once a quarter, getting everyone that's had a significant aniversary together to have lunch with the President. Order pizza and call it "Pizza with the Prez." You can have it in a conference room. It's cheap and fun. Ask the group questions like, "What's the funniest thing that's ever happen to you since you started here?" They'll laugh and have a good time, as well as brag that they got to eat with the President.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Paul in Cannon Beach

One tip: get a sense of your organization's personality. For example, I thought it would be fun to have little cake/ice cream parties for staff who reached significant milestones here.

So, at three pm, I tried to get everyone to gather in the lounge. What ended up happening is that people would come but were very quiet and the poor soul whose anniversary it was ended up sitting alone in the middle of the room as if they had leprosy.

What I learned from that was our organization had mostly introverts who were not comfortable in group situations. My well-meaning efforts had the reverse effect I was seeking.

So, now, I make out a nice card and find a public time to note the person's anniversary. Its easier and no one gets hurt.

[email]paulknoch@hotmail.com[/email]