Gratitude, the gift that comes with happy returns

FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR’S DESK

Thank you for your hard work. Here’s $20,000 (around Dh75,000) in bonus.’ That’s the average amount that each of the 200 employees of the Michigan-based family-owned company FloraCraft will receive this year in holiday bonus. The generosity of the bonus will be based on the employees’ length of service, with some long-time staffers getting north of $60,000 (Dh220,000) in gifts. FloraCraft isn’t alone in loosening its purse-strings during this festive season. Philadelphia-based Bayada Home Health Care is splitting its $20 million in profits among its 32,000 staffers. And while the average may not look that appealing ($625, or Dh2,300), the bonus is based on the employees’ tenure and longtimers will walk away with tens of thousands while new hires will get $50.

There are many such examples — including local ones — where corporates are keeping profits secondary to employee happiness and recognition. But is it really keeping profits secondary? It is not just magnanimous, it is also an investment in happy employees, and happy employees go a long, long way in making a company profitable. There is no dearth of research that proves that happy employees make for a productive and creative workplace, which in turn is the key to profits. And while the amount of cash a company can dole out to its employees depends on the profit it makes, gratitude is not — and has never been — at the mercy of profits. A simple ‘thank you’, a courtesy note complimenting an achievement, a smile, a query about your employee’s family well-being… there are many effective (and cost-effective) ways in which employers can show they care. In a world where talent is becoming scarce and pivotal to corporate success, gratitude is no longer a nice-to-have optional value. It’s business imperative.