How Do You Show Employees You Care?

If you left your organization today, would you leave all the managers and team members with a care package? 

I recently led a Kids’ Clubhouse Team Lead meeting. Toward the end of the meeting, Kevin Koehler, one of the managers, announced he was going to be moving to Texas in a few weeks. 

He then turned around and grabbed seven manila envelopes. They were care packages, one for each manager in the room. Inside each care package were all the different systems and processes Kevin had put together over the years, including:

• Laminated sheets on how to trace patterns and shapes.
• Different music CDs to calm the kids down and have fun with them.
• A flash drive that had thousands of different coloring sheets that he’s downloaded over the years.
• And my favorite: an emoji ice pack for when the kids get hurt.

Here’s the deal. Kevin truly cares. Every fitness organization would love to have a Kevin. Our mission at the Wisconsin Athletic Club is to make a difference in people’s lives, and Kevin did just that for many years. 

It’s also important to show employees that we as leaders care — and you don’t have to wait until a teammate leaves an organization to do so. 

Go above and beyond to help personally by giving them a ride to the airport — whether it’s for a work trip or personal engagement. Show interest in their commitments outside of work by asking about their hobbies. Make time for staff at work by taking a break from your day-to-day responsibilities to ask them how you can help.

My challenge to you: How can you put together a care package, right now, to show all of your people and organization you genuinely care?

View employees as humans, not workers. In other words, care about them first. 

Team members who feel valued by their managers are more likely to go above and beyond for the manager and the club.

Derek Deprey is the director of people and service at Wisconsin Athletic Club.