A strong gesture

Everyone loves getting gifts. But getting gifts, or even small perks, from an employer can mean much more than they cost. During my many years as a journalist, I was rarely treated to the Christmas bonus, free meal, free drinks or other such thing at work. If something was given, it was usually during a holiday. To get a birthday gift was unheard of.



Well, something unusual happened last week. United Reporting, a Sacramento company I started working for part-time in July, sent me an American Express gift card for my birthday. They've also sent me a few Starbucks and Shell gas cards as thanks for the work I do, and I really have appreciated them. But this gesture went above and beyond and it's something I won't soon forget.

Maybe it's because I worked at newspapers for so long, and expected to be treated poorly. Many people have told me that when I do find a full-time job outside of newspapers, I'll be very thankful because at least I'll be treated better. Other companies remember the small things, such as perks like free water, soda, birthday gifts, Christmas gifts beyond a frozen turkey, and treat their employees with respect. Maybe those things won't come in my next job, and that's fine, but the respect it shows by offering even small tokens of appreciation is huge and helps show how a company values its employees.