Hey Burt, guess what!

What’s going on Ernie, why are you so excited?

My manager Annette gave me a GOLD Rewards Sheet, just like you got last week!

That’s awesome, congratulations! See, I told you, all our managers are part of the Employee Rewards Program, the whole company is part of this.

Yeah, you were right. Actually, Annette is recognizing someone every week. Tommy got that Nike Hat last week. He had a vacation day scheduled, but he offered to move it back a week because we were so busy. Annette said Tommy was really showing good team spirit, so she gave him a SILVER Reward.

That’s cool. I agree, that was nice of Tommy. But what did you do to get that GOLD Reward?

Well, I went to that accounting education class last month, where the Account Department does training to make sure the other departments know how to use the new software.

Yeah, I’ll have to go to that next month I think.

Right, they’re sending 1 or 2 people from every department, over the next couple months. But when I went, I took really good notes. It helps me remember things when I write them down, so it’s just something I do all the time.

OK, that sounds like you. But why did Annette think that was special and give you a GOLD Reward?

Because when I got back, I wrote up my notes and sent them to Annette and asked her if she thought I should share that with our group. She said my notes were really helpful for understanding the new software, and she definitely wanted me to send them out.

That’s awesome, you should send me a copy too. That way I’ll know what to expect when I go to the class.

OK, I will, I’ll send them to you this afternoon.

Good deal, thank you!

So after I sent out my notes, Annette came to my desk and said that was really a smart idea. She said I didn’t have to do that, but she thought it was so helpful that I thought of it. And she gave me a GOLD Rewards Sheet.

Sweet! So, what are you going to pick out? I really like those stereo headphones.

Me too, but I think I like this Igloo Cooler better, or this Backpack, it looks like something Indiana Jones would carry.

I like them both, you can’t go wrong. Whichever one you pick, let me see it when it comes in.

OK, I will. Hey, how do I actually get it? Annette said it ships to me, I give here the Rewards Sheet back, and she turns it in, and the company that manages this program for us ships it to me.

Yeah, that’s right. The program is managed by www.EmployeeRewardsPrograms.com, they’ll ship it right to your desk. It only takes a couple days, they ship it out right away.

So I’ll have it before my fishing trip?

Oh for sure. They keep all our Rewards in stock, so they ship out right away.

This is great. I would have taken notes at class anyway, and shared them like I did. But it’s really nice that Annette recognized I was doing something good for our team.

Me too, when I got my GOLD Reward, I volunteered to stay and work extra time. But I would have done that anyway. So it was cool when I got recognized for doing the stuff that I normally do anyway.

I think they’re trying to get everyone paying attention to all the little things some of us do. The extra effort that really helps the company.

Right! Some of us are always willing to help and do extra. But a lot of people don’t. So I think they’re trying to show everyone that being nice pays off.

Well, it’s working. Everyone in my department is starting to be nicer to each other. Even Bob. He said he appreciated my notes from class. He never says anything nice.

Bob’s a handful, that’s for sure. But if he ever wants to be part of the Rewards Program, he’s going to have to start being nice. He’s not going to get recognized for just being the way he’s always been.

I know. And I think he knows it too. If they can get Bob to be nice, that’s huge!

That’s the idea, get people to start to realize. It’s so much nicer to work with other nice people. And all you have to do is be nice, and do your job, and you’ll get rewarded for it eventually.

I’m sure glad they did this, it’s cool to see the good people get recognized. Maybe even Bob will chill out now.

Yep, I bet he does. Well, breaks over, I got to get back to work. See you Ernie. Congratulations on the GOLD Reward.

Thanks Burt! See you later.