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u s O Kd Ideas and Information for the Recognition Experience
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First Strategy at Every Last Resort – When was the last time you changed 280 bed sheets in a week? Ever baked 3,000 chicken breasts in a day? The last time someone asked you to find tickets to a sold-out concert, what did you tell them? And when you did any of those things, who said thanks ... congratulations ... excellent work? Does it matter if anyone did? If you worked at any Fairmont hotel or resort, you can bet “thanks” would be said. Recognition is among the factors that have placed Fairmont among the 35 best companies to work for in Canada. For the worldwide hospitality company’s thousands of employees, praise and recognition do matter. “[Recognition] brings a sense of belonging ... especially when you dedicate so much of your time to a place,” says Rick Mitchell, who works in the catering department of Fairmont’s Royal York Hotel. For Fairmont employees, that sense of belonging is what it’s all about. When people feel like they belong, they take ownership and pride in their work. They work better as individuals and as teams. They do everything possible to please the guest – and in the hospitality industry, almost every employee can come face Fairmont Royal York Concierge Manager Mandi Assi says it’s crucial to know your to face with the guest. people. For Fairmont’s corporate management, growing the already successful company reaches far beyond romantic marketing and luxurious properties. One of the biggest keys to success, they say, is utilizing the right HR strategy – to instill that sense of belonging – with recognition as a crucial element. STRATEGY, STRATEGY, STRATEGY . . . Fairmont’s Corporate Learning Coach, Peter Watson, oversees much of Fairmont’s recognition effort. Watson explains that the HR strategy, called Service Plus, starts with hiring people who are inherently right for Fairmont. But the strategy goes much further. TORONTO, ONT
(continued on page 3)
SNAPSHOT
RECOGNITION
Bellman Issayas Kidale, a Vancouver, 2000 Star of the Year, chose binoculars for his 5-year service award ... looking to the future!
Would you stay if ... ? Nobody wants to lose their best people. A recent survey of 900 professionals in the U.S. shows what would keep people with their current employer. 24% Advancement opportunity 22% Increased salary/benefits
20% Better recognition for contributions 17% More exciting job 17% Change in management Source: The Nierenberg Group (888) 605-5911, HR Fact Finder, June 2001
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P R O G R A M
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ays to Greater Employee Retention
The book, Now Hiring! Finding & Keeping Good Help for Your Entry-Wage Jobs, offers twenty suggestions to improve employee retention – which form the basics for job satisfaction. Of those twenty, six are direct or indirect forms of recognition, and are excerpted below. 1. Hire the right person for the job. 2. Communicate openly with your employees. 3. Give recognition for a job well done. The
people who work for you want to be “caught” doing something right! And they want to be recognized when they’ve put in a long week or month. They want to be recognized for doing so much work without recognition. If we don’t recognize the value of our employees, someone else soon will! 4. Stand behind the company. 5. Develop your own happy management style. 6. Treat everybody equally and consistently.
When it comes to showing your happiness, don’t show favoritism. The dishwasher and the man who owns sixteen shopping malls both deserve your full honesty, your full respect, your full attention. 7. Listen and then implement your changes.
Nobody likes to work for a place where his input is not sought, or is ignored, or simply makes no difference. ...Listen, and be willing to take suggestions and (continued on page 2)
P O I N T E R S
Program Management for the Future Exciting developments for users of our expanded administrative services Ever get tired of reams of paper reports? Wish your award tracking screens were easier to read? Well, the paperless, easier future of program management is here today. O.C. Tanner’s revolutionary e-ClientLink technology makes it easier than ever to track and monitor every aspect of your award program. If you’ve been using TRACS Online, e-ClientLink will make life much smoother! (continued on page 2) www.octanner.com
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recognition power!
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (continued from page 1)
Just like the state-of-the are service O.C. Tanner offered when TRACS Online was new, e-ClientLink will open a whole new world. Access to e-ClientLink is easy for you – you can look from any computer with web access. That means you could telecommute and still be up-to-date on your program. Through e-ClientLink , multiple users at multiple terminals gain the following information in real time: 1. View and sort data. 2. Track shipments. 3. Verify when solicitae-ClientLink features web browser-based tions and reminders are scheduled to mail. 4. Check on the number screens that are easy to use and accessible of respondents and the number of non-respondents. 5. Direct from anywhere. e-mail contact to Client Relations representative. 6. Able to access information on their own without having to call O.C. Tanner. For a demonstration and to learn more about the easy, time-saving benefits of e-ClientLink , contact your O.C. Tanner representative or email info@octanner.com.
.com
Don’t forget to use www.octanner.com for useful tools to create the recognition experience! Up-to-date convention calendar (recognition zone) Award of the week (O.C. Tanner solutions) e-Contact us (about us) Instant recognition ideas (recognition zone) Olympic-themed executive and personal gifts
The GROWING World of Recognition
ALL THE BUZZ
EMPLOYEE RETENTION (continued from page 1)
Scottsdale, AZ – The desert heat held off just long enough for the recognition gurus to impart their
wisdom. And while little may grow in the hot Arizona desert, ideas, theories, and hard data were sprouting all over the place at the 5th Annual Recognition Sharing Conference, presented by the National Association for Employee Recognition. 200 recognition program administrators, practitioners, consultants, experts, and vendors gathered for three days of teaching and learning. The organization is now approaching five years in existence, and has a membership of almost 600 from companies throughout the United States and Canada – representing 700% growth in 2.5 years. “This ought to be the biggest time for the Some thoughts from growth of [recognition], because we’re trying to the gurus at the recent get less people to do more work. In order for conference: recognition to work, we have to create an environment where reinforcement is a constant thing. We have outlived the time when we can afford negative managers.” Dr. Aubrey Daniels , Aubrey Daniels Int’l
“The best thing you can do to impact an organization is when somebody does something right, let everybody know! You’re trying to touch the heart and soul of people. You have the opportunity to make the difference – it’s your award program, your ability to convince senior management – that makes people want to work for you.”
Anne C. Ruddy, CPCU, WorldatWork The Professional Association for Compensation, Benefits and Total Rewards Learn more @ www.recognition.org or link through the “Recognition Zone” @ www.octanner.com
Summer
Ah ... the dog days of summer. You might want to forget all about
TIME
keeping track of time while you sip lemonade on a blanket at the park ... and just let your watch lie in the grass. But if it’s one of these stylin’ new watches (now available for your award program), don’t forget to take it home!
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stainless steel quartz watch with matching braclet, 14K gold bezel. 2. Coach quartz watch with logo frame, black leather band. 3. Citizen quartz watch with blue face, diamond studded frame, and matching braclet. 4. Kenneth Cole “Tank” style quartz watch with matching bracelet. 5. ESQ chronograph style quartz watch with blue face. 6. Roots quartz watch with leather band, available in Canada only. The “e” symbol indicates how your company’s logo might be included. ON THE COVER: Sterling silver
necklace with amethyst pendant, Orrefors crystal clock, Remington western sculpture.
9. Educate and challenge your employees. 10. Focus on retaining managers and assistant managers. 11. Provide fair, competitive compensation. 12. Provide strong, positive leadership and direction. 13. Provide strong and ongoing training. 14. Let employees feel they are an important part of the company. In previous decades, an
employee was often “kept in line” by the manager’s suggesting, openly or subtly, that the employee was expendable. Sure, it works, for a bit. But it’s a shallow, short-term, unhappy management strategy. Today’s employees are not easily bullied. 15. Expect only the best from your employees – and let them know your expectations. 16. Don’t overpromise and underdeliver. 17. Promote from within and make that fact known. 18. Provide immediate feedback and positive reinforcement. Genuine feedback is a neces-
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then implement those suggestions if they are good ones. 8. Reward longevity. The longer an employee stays with the company the more profitable she becomes, it only makes sense to reward longevity ... How valuable are your long-term employees? Have you been showing it?
sary support for every employee. Graceful (happy) giving of feedback is an art, worthy of a lifelong study! At its best, it comes out, “Here’s how you can enjoy this job more ...”
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19. Fire employees when necessary. 20. Keep a green and clean environment.
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Excerpts and list reprinted in edited form from Now Hiring! Finding and Keeping Good Help for Your Entry-Wage Jobs. Copyright 1997 Steve Lauer and B. Jack Gebhart. Used with permission of the publisher, AMACOM, a division of American Management Assoc. Int’l., New York, NY. All rights reserved. www.amanet.org.
three FIRST STRATEGY (continued from page 1)
“You can’t hire the best people and not provide support and training and leadership and recognition,” Watson notes. The nuts and bolts of the Service Plus HR Strategy are: 1. Hire the right people. 2. Train the leaders. 3. Train the employees. 4. Recognize and reward exemplary behavior. The company’s recognition includes two formal programs: a popular service award program, and a strategic performance award system closely tied to Fairmont’s mission and ultimately run by employee committees in each property. Fairmont’s people and management feel that both types of recognition are crucial, as both tie into loyalty and performance. LOYALTY REQUIRES PERFORMANCE While some people may wonder how service awards tie to individual performance, Peter Watson explains, “Are we rewarding people for just ‘being here’...what if they have performance issues? Performance issues have nothing to do with recognition. If you effectively manage performance from day one, then recognizing employees on anniversaries for their loyalty to the company is incredible.” Alena Budzinski has been servAlena Budzinski, sole manager-server-bartender ing Royal York guests for 26 of the hotel’s York Station bar for 12 years. years, including 12 years as the sole manager-server-bartender of the hotel’s intimate York Station bar. Budzinski says her long service there is noticed through her 25-year pin. “People will look,” she says, “not just colleagues, but guests ... my, they do notice it!” And she says the ultimate recognition is that customers return again and again. RECOGNIZING THE PERFORMANCE An essential part of effective management is Fairmont’s performance recognition program, which is based on behaviors that support the organization’s mission statement. The program functions through a peer-topeer and guest response nomination system. Watson says that in a performance program, recognition from one’s peers and customers is much more powerful than recognition from management. Peer recognition takes away the element of the “popularity contest,” and puts the recognition squarely on people who go beyond the call of duty. Any employee can recognize a coworker on the spot with a BravoGram, part of which is submitted as a nomination for Star of the Month. Since the Fairmont has distinct front-office and back-office people, many hotels have two Stars each month. Each property has a Service Plus Committee, made up of 30% managers and 70% colleagues who review the nominations to select the monthly Service Stars, who receive a plaque and select an award. From the monthly Stars, the Committee selects one Star of the Year. Each receives an all-expense paid vacation for two to any Fairmont property. Every property also selects quarterly and annual management Stars through the same process. Mandy Assi has the task of managing the Royal York’s 16 concierge employees – helping guests from any of the hotel’s 1,365 rooms and working very closely with guests on the Entreé Gold floor. The ebullient Assi was also the hotel’s Leader of the Year for 2000, nominated by her boss and her entire
team. She says the recognition perfectly reinforced the company mission. “I have a lot of passion for my job, and to be recognized for something I love was amazing. I got a copy of all my team’s [nominations], and knowing how much thought each person put into it means so much to me.” WALKING THE TALK But Assi is more than an award recipient. She is a passionate practitioner of recognition. “Managers realize how hard it is to find good people, and that it’s even more challenging to retain them – especially in this industry where shift work can be difficult,” she says. “One thing I’ve The Royal York’s Rick found is it’s important to value each employee. I treat Mitchell says “recognition them very individually. For instance, I have a brings a sense of belonging.” Japanese employee who, because of culture, doesn’t like to publicly recognized. So I acknowledge her privately.” It’s obvious from a stay at the company’s Toronto property that the entire hotel team is engaged and motivated. A stay there is a top-notch experience. But the hotel sits in the shadow of headquarters. Across the country at Fairmont’s Vancouver Airport Hotel, will the company’s HR strategy and recognition programs create an equal experience? Sampling the service there confirms it: Fairmont’s strategy works. The employees run a tight ship, and the guest is made to feel exceptionally welcome and important. Recognition plays a crucial role here. In Vancouver, long-service employee and 2000 Star of the Year Issayas Kidale, a bellman, says that every aspect of Fairmont’s recognition effort helps remind him of the pride he takes in his work. He’s not sure if he was nominated by a guest or his peers, but says it doesn’t matter. “When you are recognized, you realize there is value in what you do. I stay with this company because of the way they reward you and respect you.” The feeling of pride ownership is apparent in every employee a guest
“If you are effectively managing performance from day one, then recognizing employees on anniversaries for their loyalty to the company is incredible.”Peter Watson, Corporate Learning Coach encounters at both the Toronto and Vancouver properties – and those who have visited some of the company’s other hotels around the world confirm it’s a widespread culture of excellence. Fairmont Hotels and Resorts is growing fast, and Peter Watson sums up the reason people – be they room attendants, chefs, or concierges – are so successful at each property. “If you know at the outset what your values are and what your purpose is as an organization, you can build this successful HR model, including the recognition, in any location or organization.”
Carrot Farmer’s Almanac While every company has its unique motives for affecting employee behavior, carrots are typically dangled to: ❦ Reach company or department goals or objectives ❦ Recognize outstanding achievements ❦ Boost morale ❦ Increase productivity and profit margins ❦ Increase profits and drive more business ❦ Keep good employees
You’ll notice that we’ve put “reaching company goals” first on the list. If you have recognition programs that do not lead to fulfillment of your company’s goals, they should be reevaluated – and fast. This carrot farmer’s recognition tip brought to you by the new, cuttingedge recognition guide “Managing With Carrots,” published by Gibbs Smith, and available at bookstores everywhere or on www.octanner.com.
Olympic Excitement ... The Perfect Gift View the entire O.C. Tanner Olympic Games exclusive gift and jewelry collection – perfect for executive gifts – at
w w w. o c t a n n e r. c o m www.octanner.com
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LIGHTS
ku-dos - It may sound a bit exotic to your ear, but it’s a great word. It’s of Greek origin, and means to acclaim or praise someone for their achievements. Kudos to Alice on her 15 years of service.
CAMERA
O.C. Tanner may not be hosting a sports competition...but we’re already the venue for major activity preparing for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. While the first medals won’t be awarded until February, the medals are already being produced in secure areas of the O.C. Tanner factory. “Due to the secrecy of the design and our contract with the Olympic Committee, only a few employees are allowed to actually work on the medals,” explains Kent Murdock, O.C. Tanner CEO. “The workmanship is amazing, and has really expanded our manufacturing capabilities-it’s forced us to develop new techniques that will ultimately allow us to create more exciting and unusual awards for An NBC cameraman films O.C. Tanner’s Ron Smith during medal creation.CEO Kent our corporate clients.” Quiet on the set ... Media excitement surrounding creation Murdock is interviewed for possible future NBC broadcast. of the medals is intense. During July, film crews and correspondents from NBC and The Today Show visited O.C. Tanner to document the medal processeseverything from metal pressing to the gold, silver, and bronze finishing. Keep your eyes on NBC and The Today Show throughout the Games for special coverage of your recognition experts!* Meanwhile, on the basketball court ... The hoopla over athletes from the 2000 Games in Sydney continues. During the Spring, O.C. Tanner representatives were in center court at several NBA games to present U.S. Team commemorative rings to Olympic athletes. Diver Laura Wilkinson received her ring from Houston Regional Manager Tom Mayer at a school presentation in. “I will always cherish it, and its symbolic meaning,” she said.
Kudos Volume 5. Number 3 Publisher O. C. Tanner Recognition Co. Editor Randall Shirley Contributing Editors Adrian Gostick Mindi Cox Copy Editor Marylu Dadakis Design/Layout Janice Takagi
Phone: 1-800-828-8902 Fax: 1-801-483-8296 E-mail: kudos@octanner.com KUDOS is published by O.C. Tanner Recognition Company, 1930 S. State St., Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Copyright 2001 by O.C. Tanner. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole without written permission is prohibited. Not responsible for unsolicted materials. Second-class US postage paid at Salt Lake City, UT 84101 and additional offices. Postmaster send address changes to above address.
OLYMPICS
*Check www.octanner.com for updates on O.C. Tanner media coverage.
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IN OTHERS’ WORDS 20 Ways to keep your people
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There’s cutting-edge recognition strategy going on in this stately hotel!
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ALL THE BUZZ Why weren’t you at N.A.E.R.?
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COVER STORY Create an HR strategy with recognition
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ESSENTIAL AWARD COLLECTION Who’s watching the time this summer?