Now that National Technician Appreciation Week has passed, it’s time for techs to put down the pizza and get their butts back in the bay, pick up a wrench, and start turning until management says to stop, right?
That is certainly one way to run a shop…in 1975. But it’s 2023, and we know that routine appreciation and recognition can lead to higher productivity and lower turnover. If you need statistics and surveys to reveal the inalienable truth that happy workers produce better work, we may question how long you’ve been on the planet. It’s human nature to want positive reinforcement for doing a good job. Come to think of it, it's not just human nature. Dogs always appreciate a steady stream of compliments and treats. And artificial intelligence optimizes its performance based on feedback.
The point is that a good leader should not only notice good work but let the employee know, too. And when someone truly goes above and beyond, you owe them a commensurate level of recognition. In that spirit, we’re proud to announce our Fleet Maintenance Overachievers of the Year program.
It’s a way for you to shine a spotlight on your star performers, and for us to put some positive energy out into the world by sharing your people’s accomplishments. You just need to send us an email detailing how someone you work with in the commercial vehicle maintenance sector overachieved, and our judging panel will consider them for the end-of-the-year awards. This includes technicians, supervisors, parts department, custodial, etc. It does not include upper management, sales, human resources, and others focused on “soft skills.”
Maybe someone volunteered to stay late and help a rookie get a new certification, or a parts person drove across town, found that elusive part, and helped get your truck back on the road. Or it could be a long stretch of working overtime or an impressive streak of repairs with no comebacks. Whatever the accomplishment is, make sure their colleagues would also consider it “above and beyond” and not “business as usual.”
We will need to verify authenticity of the overachievement and interview the nominee to be considered for the awards. We’ll announce them in our December print issue and put other notable submissions online. Recognition is its own reward of course, but we might have something else special for them as well, but the selectees will also receive a physical award to display on their toolbox or desk, and some other good stuff, too.
Here’s how to nominate your co-worker, colleague, boss, or service partner:
Email us at [email protected] and list the nominees:
- Name
- Title
- Company
- How they overachieved (Be specific)
- Overachiever’s best qualities
And for bosses worried that calling attention to your best employees will entice poachers, please note it’s more dangerous to not acknowledge top performers. So please send us your nominees (limit 1 per location, 3 per company) by Nov. 1, 2023 and we’ll do the rest.
