Morale boosting

First off - Congratulations Adonica for being name POCT Coordinator of the Year!! Well deserved!

I love this topic - we were just discussing this again this morning. We have been having a weekly drawing for $5 giftcards to Target or Dunkin, etc. 5 people each week win. 
We also have a weekly spotlight in our newsletter, "Get to know your co-workers". There's questions from work related to personal about kids and pets to silly things. 

Can't wait to hear other ideas!

We are definitely doing what we can. First off, we raised some of our wages, especially our front end, but also some of the techs. And will do some more raises Q1 2022. That does raise morale for sure! Also, each site is doing what they can in bringing in various foodstuffs to share. Since it needs to be pre-packaged, it makes it more difficult, but that is happening. I had a meeting with my POC team where all we did was eat and play games for 90 minutes. Yes, some folks had to answer calls, but it was such a refreshing break for the team. I wish the labs could do something similar, but they are so short-staffed it's getting critical. We are especially short with leadership in the labs, and one of the things we're trying to do is either get rid of or postpone some of the administrative things that take up so much time. I'm not sure how that will work, but it's a message to the leadership that the company is listening to them and trying to make their job easier. 

We hired a new lab manager last October. He holds weekly 'huddles' out in the lab, and gives recognition EVERY week to anyone who is referred for it, for being 'good citizens' in or out of the lab. We had a toned-down version of lab week this year, but it was still better than 2020. 
The hospital gave us raises earlier in the year. A local grocery store chain brought their ice cream truck here and gave everyone free ice cream. Another local business, a coffee truck, came here and gave everyone free coffee drinks- even fancy ones. We've also gotten some tokens of appreciation like free lunches and t-shirts..some of it also due to the re-branding of the facility. 

For years in clinics where I work “the desired reward” has been a jeans Friday. Beats out a pizza party every time!
We also love sports Tshirt fridays.