Fancy new things and are great and all, but don’t forget the BAU.
Are you the one who gets to do all the cool innovative projecty-type things? Like a new web design or a fancy brochure or a you-beaut brand-new logo?
Or are you, like me, the one that sits quietly behind the scenes toiling away at the BAU (business as usual) stuff that keeps the money coming in so that the cool kids can afford to play?
If you identify with the person in the first paragraph: When was the last time you thought about the poor waifs who have to play in the rundown, overgrown playground while you run around in the shiny pleasure garden, with its impressive rubber underlay and bright colours? You may not realise that some of your colleagues are not late to the party; they haven’t been invited and they don’t have time.
If you identify, as I do, with the person in the second paragraph, you’ll know what I’m talking about. You’ll understand the grief felt by the urchins trudging past that mystical place where the cool kids are playing with their shinies, tossing them up in the air and to each other, laughing and having a great time.
And who doesn’t want that good time? Unfortunately, the emphasis these days is on speed and innovation, and rapidly changing technology (surely it has to slow down sometime?). Which means the real heroes of the hour are often forgotten.
No one forgets the new and the novel. That new website looks fantastic! Your CEO extends their thanks and the project team receives accolades and streamers and, possibly, cake. Your corporate newsletter gushes with praise for the creative team. Aren’t they great?
But, hang on a minute. What about the people who worked 12-hour days for weeks or months doing all the other work, publishing millions of things on the old website, while the new one was still in wireframes? No one notices those people. They don’t even qualify for a balloon. They’re just doing their job — a job that only gets noticed when it’s not done.
And they do do their job. And they do it well. So well, that’s why everyone forgets they’re there. Once the cool kids finish, they hand the reins to the BAU people, who accept them quietly, put the horse away with a minimum of fuss, and then look after that horse as it ages. Meanwhile, the cool kids go looking for the next foal.
I’m trying to work out what the point of this article is. I think it’s to get people to acknowledge the quiet people who keep things moving.
What I’m trying to say is this.
1. Just say thank you once in a while
You don’t need to implement a formal employee recognition program. In fact, most of the BAU people that I’ve worked with hate those programs with a passion. Formal programs do not always come across as genuine recognition, more a case of ‘we totally remember everyone, here’s a piece of paper’.
A simple thank you from a supervisor or colleague to a BAU person means more than being called out in front of the whole organisation and receiving a templated certificate of recognition.
A 2017 case study even concluded that saying ‘well done’ and ‘thank you’ is one of the best ways of making employees feel motivated and valued.
2. Ask if everything is ok — and listen to the unsaid as well as the said
If you are a leader, you are there to lead everyone, not just the ones in the spotlight. Don’t forget the quiet ones. Put a note somewhere to remind you to ask your BAU staff how they are doing. Ask at least once a week. If they are in the office, walk to them and talk to them. Don’t send an email or instant message. Show them that you have time for them.
Ask: Is your workload manageable? Are you working extra hours to cover for people who are off doing fun work? Do you need help? What can I do?
Understand that BAU people always say ‘everything’s fine’, ‘we’re fine’. Don’t just accept that at face value. Push a bit more. Get them to explain what they’re doing, what they’ve achieved for the past week. Sound like you genuinely care. And, if there are problems with the workload, do something about it.
3. Publicly acknowledge the BAU as well as the fancy eye-catching thingamajig
I know I said above that BAU people don’t like to be called out in front of the organisation. But, public acknowledgement does not have to make someone feel uncomfortable if you do it right.
Something like a note in the corporate newsletter at the end of the article about the transformed website or wonderful new logo is enough. Just enough so the BAU people feel like they’re as valued as the project people. It can be as simple as writing ‘Thank you to XX and YY for keeping the fires stoked while everyone else was staring at the sky’.
Also, give them cake occasionally.
***
If you’re a leader, remember that it’s not just about the shiny. All staff need to feel valued and important.
Don’t forget the quiet ones in the back room who don’t often have time for the revelry and celebrations. They won’t say anything out loud, but understand that they need to feel as valued as everyone else. Let them know they’re seen and appreciated.
Note: Today’s three words were: grief, late, and qualify.
