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Sending and receiving Daymakers makes Rogers team members’ day

12/17/18 09:29:am

Sending a Daymaker can truly make someone’s day, and the top users of the program at Rogers hope that its popularity will continue to grow as a tool to show gratitude.

For months now, Brock Maxwell, executive director of operations for Rogers–Skokie and now Hinsdale, has held a monthly drawing for people who received a Daymaker recognition. The winner of the drawing—as well as the person who sent the recognition—are rewarded with a free lunch.

“People get really excited when they find out they won,” Brock says. “It has been fun to see the enjoyment people get out of giving and receiving encouragement through Daymaker, and the free lunch is just some icing on the cake.”

jennifer recognition text.PNGThe most recent pair of winners included Jennifer Kobleska, regional patient follow-up specialist, who sent the recognition but works in Oconomowoc. Brock says this was the first instance of this happening, but he’s glad as it forced them to think of a way to recognize someone who isn’t at the same site. To show his appreciation for Jennifer utilizing Daymaker to recognize a member of the Skokie team, Brock sent her an Above and Beyond Award for teamwork and 100 Daymaker points.

“When I received the recognition from Brock, I was very surprised. It really made my day,” Jennifer says. “I send Daymakers for motivation and to let my co-workers know they are appreciated. Sometimes it’s the little things that can affect you in a big way.”

Both Brock and Signa Meyers, director of operations for Rogers–Appleton, are among the top senders of Above and Beyond Daymaker recognitions over the past year and recommend leading by example to encourage its use.

“I see that as I use Daymaker more and more, my staff continue to use it increasingly with each other,” Signa says. “We’ve created a culture of gratitude and recognition toward each other that often motivates us to do more. We should all put time in our schedule regularly to thank co-workers for helping make Rogers successful. No one works in a bubble here, we rely on each other to continue to meet the needs of patients and that ought to be recognized.”

We polled several of Rogers team members who earned the most Daymaker recognitions over the past year to ask how it feels when someone uses Daymaker to say thanks. Here is what they had to say:

“It feels good to be recognized by Daymakers, it brightens your day.” ~ Katie Baldwin, RN, Rogers–Brown Deer.

“It feels very validating to receive Daymakers! Literally makes the tough days much better.” ~ Andrea Lewis, therapist at Rogers–Brown Deer

“I received a recognition from my coworker, Amberly, for helping with a family session. I was very touched that she took the time out of her particularly busy schedule that week to send me a thank you.” ~ Brittni Marshall, behavioral specialist in the adolescent eating disorder IOP in Silver Lake

“I always feel a sense of achievement and gratification whenever I receive a Daymaker. Everyone in my department is always so willing to help one another out and I think Daymaker is a useful tool in the ability to recognize when you appreciate someone who has gone the extra mile.” ~ Brent Beiderwieden, care advocate in utilization review 

daymaker teamwork.jpgMichele Schreck, LPC-IT, Rogers–Brown Deer, who appears on the list of both people who are receiving the most recognitions and sending them out, says she feels proud and like she’s contributing to the team when getting recognitions, and adds “I think it’s really important to recognize others, so they can feel like their hard work is acknowledged.”

Brock says that using Daymaker to show gratitude helps create a more collaborative work environment, strengthens teamwork, and improves morale, especially in situations where someone is sending a recognition from a different location or department.

“I think some of the most meaningful Daymakers I’ve seen or been a part of have been to or from those located elsewhere in our system who may not be on the ‘front lines’ of patient care and whose work often goes unnoticed in the busyness of daily clinical work,” he says. “Daymaker allows us a platform to recognize that all parts of our system—especially behind the scenes operations like CTS, Finance, HR, and Facilities—work together to create a patient-centered experience and maintain a high standard of care for those we serve.”

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