Shared appreciations boost morale, success
Summary
Much has changed in the daily life of administrative professionals and support staff over the past 58 years since the International Association of Administrative Professionals began sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. From mailings and phones, checkouts to banking, information distribution, analysis, customer development, and many areas in between, modern technology has taken over many of the traditional tasks that are vital to successful businesses and organizations, large and small. High levels of employee involvement in decision making, adequate training, an environment where it is safe for employees to speak up, or speak their mind freely have been shown to increase levels of employee satisfaction.
By Rachel Schindler and Veronica Nijamkin
April 18-24 is Administrative Professionals Week.
Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring an annual week to celebrate the backbone of business and organizations, large and small. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays, honoring more than 4.1 million administrative assistants and 8.9 million people in administrative support roles in offices across the United States.
Much has changed in the daily life of administrative professionals and support staff over the past 58 years. From mailings and phones, checkouts to banking, information distribution, analysis, customer development, and many areas in between, modern technology has taken over many of the traditional tasks that are vital to successful companies.
At the same time, fewer Americans are satisfied with their jobs. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, 67% of American workers are unhappy with their current employment. Workers typically believe their careers are an extension of who they are and that jobs should be an enjoyable outlet that utilizes individual skills and talents in a productive way.
High levels of employee involvement in decision making, adequate training, an environment where it is safe for employees to speak up, or speak their mind freely have been shown to increase levels of employee satisfaction. Similarly, appreciation in the work place has been shown to increase team morale. A word of praise or gesture of appreciation can make all the difference to how people feel about their jobs. People desire recognition and acknowledgement for what they do. Studies have shown that employees are motivated by praise and appreciation before promotion or a bonus.
Since 1984, PAIRS Foundation has delivered training to empower tens of thousands with skills and strategies for successful interpersonal relationships. While PAIRS traditionally focuses on marriage and family relationships, many graduates have brought PAIRS skills into the workplace to improve communication, avoid costly misunderstandings, expand emotional intelligence, empower employees to find practical solutions to workplace challenges, and create environments that inspire success.
PAIRS Foundation’s National Faculty also deliver training to businesses and organizations that place the greatest value on human resources; from finance and retail, nonprofit, military and government … skills that enable team members to actively collaborate on behalf of their company’s mission are the foundation for the most successful visionary enterprises.
Exercises such as the Daily Temperature Reading provide an environment for team members to regularly share appreciations, stay informed, check out assumptions, proactively identify challenges and implement timely, practical solutions, while staying focused on achieving exceptional individual and collaborative results.
The Solution Talk Guide provides a safe structure for difficult conversations, helping avoid misunderstandings, while promoting accurate communication, and empathic, active listening.
More than a dozen other practical skills help assure the workplace doesn’t become an emotional battleground that leads to the loss of productivity, creativity and an environment in which the same problems persist, depriving employees of job satisfaction and businesses of the results needed to achieve success.
In a recent six-month follow-up study of nearly 1,000 participants in PAIRS relationship skills training classes, 98.6% said they’d recommend PAIRS. Such remarkable levels of customer satisfaction would be impossible to achieve without the highest level of employee satisfaction.
To learn more about PAIRS training for visionary teams and organizations, e-mail info@pairs.com or call (877) PAIRS 4U (724 7748).
Rachel Schindler and Veronica Nijamkin are two of PAIRS Foundation’s superstar team members who regularly contribute to an extraordinary workplace committed to 100% customer satisfaction.