MATC Attendance Banquet

Workers
Serving
Milwaukee

MATC shows employees appreciation

In 1949, Personnel Magazine published a study conducted by Lawrence Lindahl that suggested that what American workers really wanted from their job was appreciation for their work. When asked to rank a list of motivators from 1 to 10 in order of their importance, workers rated “appreciation for a job well done” as their top motivator. That study was repeated again in 1980 and in 1991, and to the amazement of many, the results were identical.
The positive influence of an appreciated workforce is no secret at Milwaukee Area Technical College. March 4, 2003 marked the ninth year in a row MATC Administrators and members of Local 587 gathered together to honor employees with perfect or near perfect attendance for the year.

Barbara Roberson and Edna Booker enjoy a gourmet meal and good conversation during the MATC perfect attendance banquet.

    The gesture seems to be working. Perfect attendance has increased each year since employees started being recognized for their accomplishments. This year 31 workers with perfect attendance were presented with certificates, $100 savings bonds and a gourmet meal prepared by MATC Culinary Arts students. Last year only 23 workers qualified for the award.
    After dinner, those with perfect attendance and 68 additional workers who missed four or fewer days during the school year, gathered for a desert reception in the cafeteria. All MATC employees were invited to attend the reception where the honorees were presented with a certificate of appreciation. “Today we are recognizing a total of 99 employees,” Local 587 President JoAnne Haglund told the group. “This number is just short of one-third of the entire full-time local 587 membership”.
    Haglund introduced MATC President Darnell Cole to the group and thanked him by saying, “Without Dr. Cole’s support, we would not have this program.”
    Cole asked the administrators in attendance to stand and on their behalf said, “We want to thank all of you for your great attendance because you help make our job a lot easier. We should pull you off to a corner more often and say, "Thanks for a job well done.”

MATC President Darnell Cole thanks members of Local 587 for their commitment to the college and the work they do.

    "I do sincerely mean when I say you help make this a great place. We have great facilities because of you. We have great technology that would not work unless we have individuals like you to make that technology happen. This is a place that is becoming more and more student centered and it all begins with individuals like yourselves. And what makes it even more important is that you’re here all the time."
    Two individuals who have shown a special commitment to the college over the years were given special mention during awards ceremony even though this year they did not qualify for perfect attendance certificate.
    Al Rogers missed one day this year because of illness. What’s remarkable about that is, Al has worked for MATC for 26 years and until that day, he had never missed one day of work.

Edward Reed missed work for the first time in 13 years.

Ed Reed, a 13-year employee, missed work for the first time since he started working for the MATC when he took a few weeks off for surgery last year.
    “Because of Ed’s attendance, he suffered no financial loss due to his recovery,” Haglund said. “This only substantiates the purpose of maintaining a good attendance record.”
    Cole commented that many of the individuals in the perfect attendance group have received the award more than once. He called their attendance record “remarkable”. “That is really a commitment to this organization,” he said.

    “My commitment is to work extremely hard to try to resolve our differences with Local 587. I want to make sure that you know how important you are to us. I’m going to work with Malou (Local 587 District Council 48 Staff Representative, Malou Noth) every opportunity I get.” Cole said.

MATC President Cole shakes hands with Allen Rogers (right> as Board of Directors Chairman Lauren Baker and Local 587 President JoAnn Haglund look on.

    MATC Board of Directors Chairperson, Lauren Baker told the group, “When we talk about perfect attendance, we’re also talking about the service that goes with it. It’s not just that there’s somebody here, but it’s all of the valuable services you provide to the college that make this college run smoothly, that makes the services we provide for our students work for our students. We absolutely appreciate the work that you do.”
    The success of the joint effort and cooperation between MATC management and Local 587 proves that worker’s values have not changed much in the past 50 years.

    Lindahl’s 1949 study revealed that good wages, good working conditions and job security are important factors in developing a productive workforce, but it’s also extremely important to employees that they receive recognition for a job well done. A more recent study performed by Dr. Gerald Graham at Wichita State University found that over 58 percent of employees felt that they received no personal thanks for the job they do, 76 percent said they never received written thanks and 81 percent said they never received public praise.
    Study after study has shown that praise and recognition motivates employees to put forth their best efforts and to perform at higher levels. MATC should serve as an example to management everywhere that a simple “thank you” goes a long way towards building a happy, productive workforce.