Today is the Redgate annual award event, and I'm honored to be hosting again. I've been asked a few times, and I used to look forward to the gathering in Cambridge followed by our annual Christmas party. Last year this was virtual, as it is this year, so I'm hosting again from my home office. Not what I had hoped would happen, but I'll have some fun. Last year I had a number of shirt changes between my parts, and I may do that again.

I know there are often annual sales awards in many companies, usually with some vacation or prize being given out, but not a lot outside of the sales department. In most of my jobs, we've usually had some sort of holiday party, but nothing else for most employees.

As we approach the end of the year, I wonder if you find your organization doing any sort of recognition for your work this year? Or maybe highlighting those that have gone above and beyond what is expected? At Redgate, we have nominations in various categories. Some are sales-oriented, but we have an open award category as well as an ingeniously simple one. We've had people or groups from different parts of the company win that one.

I think that recognition of effort and work accomplished is important for the morale and motivation of employees. When management recognizes people for their hard work and lets other employees have input into the process, you build a better team of people working together. Even when we aren't the winners, we can appreciate the effort that others put into improving the organization.

My view is that few too few in the management of organizations appreciate the value of employees, especially the knowledge workers. Replacing people is hard, and it is expensive. Unmotivated people do less work and do it less well. I hope that more organizations learn this and start to put effort into valuing those that contribute to everyone's success.