“You don’t earn loyalty in a day. You earn loyalty day-by-day.”
– Jeffrey Gitomer, Author and Professional Speaker
Your employees are the backbone of your clinic and they work hard to ensure your clients have a positive experience. Now’s your chance to show them how much you appreciate them. We have a few ideas to show your team how much you value their hard work and loyalty.
1. Tell them
Although actions speak louder than words, it’s still nice to hear positive things about the work they do. Saying ‘Thank you’ is one of the simplest ways to show appreciation, but don’t discount the impact those words can have on your staff. After assisting with a tough patient or covering someone’s shift, it feels pretty darn good to hear your boss say, “You did a great job on [task]! I really appreciate your hard work, thank you for all that you do here.”
You can also use social media to let everyone know the appreciation you have for your CSRs. PetDesk has created some social graphics you can use during this celebratory week.
2. Say “Thanks” with gift cards
During the holidays, giving a loved one a gift card may seem like an impersonal gesture, but giving your staff a gift card to say “thanks”? It’s guaranteed to be an appreciated gesture. Instead of trying to find a personal gift for each staff member, they can buy whatever they want, which makes everyone happy!
3. Three-day weekend, anyone?
We could all use an extra day off from time to time, wouldn’t you agree? Giving your staff a three-day weekend, it shows them that you care about their health and well-being and you want them to enjoy an additional day to themselves. They’ll come back refreshed and more focused on the job, rather than their ever-growing list of errands!
4. Create a care package
A care package is a fun way to show your staff that you appreciate them, especially if you take the time to tailor each package to the recipient’s likes and hobbies (think spa package, coffee package, or a clinic swag pack with t-shirt, pens, mousepad, jacket, and other fun items). They’ll be touched that you’ve taken the time to think about them as a person rather than giving everyone a package with the same items in it. A personal care package will mean even more to those who have a young family or have food allergies.
5. Lunch is on me!
Hear us out on this one. Yes, people poke fun at employers who buy their staff pizza as a thank you, but it doesn’t have to be a hollow gesture. Instead of getting a few plain pizzas, deli subs, or whatever generic lunches you can think of, you can ask them what they’d like. You can either let them choose individual meals (if it’s a smaller office) or cater a full spread (if you have a larger team). If you’re feeling extra appreciative, you might even consider taking the team out for dinner once the clinic closes for the day, or hire a food truck to stop by for a few hours so that staff to order what they want. The choice is really up to you!
An appreciated staff is a loyal staff
We’ve all had jobs where we felt like we were just another cog in the machine. Had jobs where all the good work we’ve done was ignored, but the mistakes were pointed out immediately. Those types of work environments are toxic and do absolutely nothing to encourage staff loyalty, let alone make them feel appreciated and valued!
Although Veterinary Receptionist week is approaching, show your staff how much you appreciate them all year. Give them a positive work environment where they feel appreciated and valued, and you can rest assured that your staff will continue to do their best to give your clients the best experience possible.
