Make this Holiday Season stress free!

Holiday gift giving is now a question. The older simpler days of giving a scarf or mittens or a sled are over. Everyone wishes technology gadgets. You can't give household products because people by now have them or they are more finicky about kitchen, household, and personal items that they want specifically. The dilemma is that now with internet and huge stores and even greater selections of products, we each can choose from a multitude and range of possibilities for each item. Plus most people go out and buy those items themselves. I am in a real problem of what to get people this year. Let me give you some good examples. My mom wants a particular set of serving dishes and she already obtained it yesterday in an early Black Friday special. My nephews presently have more electronic games than they can even play and my brother acquires them the newest one immediately when it comes out. My sister wanted first-class luggage and told me yesterday at Thanksgiving dinner that she found one online and has already bought it for herself. My dad was up early this morn to buy new power tools for us for Christmas and I just know that he got himself one of each too. The last few years I requested my family at Thanksgiving for lists and that definitely helped me. Yesterday at Thanksgiving meal no one was able to come up with a checklist of things. This has been a increasing situation over the years. I don't have as enough time to shop and I detest to fight the crowds. My wife and I decided to go to a scheme holidays and buy everybody something by the topic of the year. One year while at a neighborhood book shop we started buying books and then went to a big box book store to pick up not only books but calendars and games and they even wrapped a lot of them for us. It turned out to be quite expensive but it did work. The next year we had been so busy that we just went to the food market and bought gift cards for everyone. That was totally easy but it was pretty detached and we didn't have time or want to take the effort to wrap them, so we ended up feeling cheap when we handed people just an envelope. Plus it wasn't cheap in the long term and the thank you letters confirmed that people got our gift cards and amounts mixed up with other people's gifts. They appreciated them and could use them but we noticed that we forgot to use our gift cards or lost them which was a absolute waste of money. In fact it was documented that stores like gift cards because so many people never use them or find them beyond the expiration date or misplace them. The next year we individualized it a bit more and purchased food and restaurant coupons we thought each person would appreciate. It was fine. Yesterday my wife and I were bemoaning the fact that gift giving has plainly become a gift card exchange and lost its whole appeal and intent. We lost for the older days of taking time to shake and open packages or people excited about something they have been wanting realized in a gift. Those days have simply vanished. People go online and just buy what they really want. A lot of her family members are downsizing and do not need more junk. When they need or want something they go buy precisely what they want and our gifts are either regifted or go to Salvation Army. This year we want to make an impact. Quite honestly we are usually doing our shopping at the last minute. We went online last night and decided we are going to either order or go out and battle the crowds today and do our shopping. This year we want our gift to be the first one people get. So for the friends and colleagues and extended family we won't see, we found a website and nearby company right here in Denver called Baskets by Rita. There are all kinds of holiday baskets to send. We ordered online those baskets to be delivered as soon as they can. Will they ever be shocked. Not only will ours be the first one there, but the packaged baskets are wrapped so nicely with holiday ribbons that will probably be put on exhibit in their house as a decor. It was so easy. We are done and don't have to panic about those gifts. Then we discussed about going to our relatives houses for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and we want to take the gifts ourselves so we didn't order baskets to be sent to their houses. Then we had a good idea. Why not order those gift baskets and have them shipped to our house and then we will have them to take. We are excited because we can walk in with a gift that is WOW and that is not the common mail order basket from the big companies. The baskets we are ordering today for family members are bundled with gourmet food items and that is just fine. Plus we decided that is one of the only things people don't buy for themselves. My mom just goes out and buys fresh flowers when she wants them. But none of us order a gift basket for ourselves. Perfect. We are placing the order today and guess what? We can now relax. We will have sent and gotten the gift baskets even before December l. That buys us not only gifts but the total freedom of not scrambling. The gift baskets to take Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 will be on display on the shelves in my home office ready to go. This year we will go to holiday parties and watch other people worry while we are eating out, going to movies, holiday parties and relaxing. Not only is Baskets by Rita doing all the work of buying, wrapping, and sending the gifts, but it turned out to be more affordable than what we usually spend because we already paid for shipping, wrapping and bows and all the extra costs that go up each year. Perfect. We are placing the order today and guess what? We can now rest. We will have sent and gotten the gift baskets even before December l. That buys us not only gifts but the whole freedom of not scrambling. The gift baskets to take Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 will be on display on the shelves in my home office ready to go. This year we will go to holiday parties and watch other people stress out while we are eating out, going to movies, holiday parties and relaxing. Not only is Baskets by Rita doing all the work of buying, wrapping, and sending the gifts, but it turned out to be cheaper than what we usually spend because we already paid for shipping, wrapping and bows and all the extra costs that go up each year.

Make this Holiday Season stress free!

Holiday gift giving is now a question. The older simpler days of giving a scarf or mittens or a sled are over. Everyone wishes technology gadgets. You can't give household products because people by now have them or they are more finicky about kitchen, household, and personal items that they want specifically. The dilemma is that now with internet and huge stores and even greater selections of products, we each can choose from a multitude and range of possibilities for each item. Plus most people go out and buy those items themselves. I am in a real problem of what to get people this year. Let me give you some good examples. My mom wants a particular set of serving dishes and she already obtained it yesterday in an early Black Friday special. My nephews presently have more electronic games than they can even play and my brother acquires them the newest one immediately when it comes out. My sister wanted first-class luggage and told me yesterday at Thanksgiving dinner that she found one online and has already bought it for herself. My dad was up early this morn to buy new power tools for us for Christmas and I just know that he got himself one of each too. The last few years I requested my family at Thanksgiving for lists and that definitely helped me. Yesterday at Thanksgiving meal no one was able to come up with a checklist of things. This has been a increasing situation over the years. I don't have as enough time to shop and I detest to fight the crowds. My wife and I decided to go to a scheme holidays and buy everybody something by the topic of the year. One year while at a neighborhood book shop we started buying books and then went to a big box book store to pick up not only books but calendars and games and they even wrapped a lot of them for us. It turned out to be quite expensive but it did work. The next year we had been so busy that we just went to the food market and bought gift cards for everyone. That was totally easy but it was pretty detached and we didn't have time or want to take the effort to wrap them, so we ended up feeling cheap when we handed people just an envelope. Plus it wasn't cheap in the long term and the thank you letters confirmed that people got our gift cards and amounts mixed up with other people's gifts. They appreciated them and could use them but we noticed that we forgot to use our gift cards or lost them which was a absolute waste of money. In fact it was documented that stores like gift cards because so many people never use them or find them beyond the expiration date or misplace them. The next year we individualized it a bit more and purchased food and restaurant coupons we thought each person would appreciate. It was fine. Yesterday my wife and I were bemoaning the fact that gift giving has plainly become a gift card exchange and lost its whole appeal and intent. We lost for the older days of taking time to shake and open packages or people excited about something they have been wanting realized in a gift. Those days have simply vanished. People go online and just buy what they really want. A lot of her family members are downsizing and do not need more junk. When they need or want something they go buy precisely what they want and our gifts are either regifted or go to Salvation Army. This year we want to make an impact. Quite honestly we are usually doing our shopping at the last minute. We went online last night and decided we are going to either order or go out and battle the crowds today and do our shopping. This year we want our gift to be the first one people get. So for the friends and colleagues and extended family we won't see, we found a website and nearby company right here in Denver called Baskets by Rita. There are all kinds of holiday baskets to send. We ordered online those baskets to be delivered as soon as they can. Will they ever be shocked. Not only will ours be the first one there, but the packaged baskets are wrapped so nicely with holiday ribbons that will probably be put on exhibit in their house as a decor. It was so easy. We are done and don't have to panic about those gifts. Then we discussed about going to our relatives houses for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and we want to take the gifts ourselves so we didn't order baskets to be sent to their houses. Then we had a good idea. Why not order those gift baskets and have them shipped to our house and then we will have them to take. We are excited because we can walk in with a gift that is WOW and that is not the common mail order basket from the big companies. The baskets we are ordering today for family members are bundled with gourmet food items and that is just fine. Plus we decided that is one of the only things people don't buy for themselves. My mom just goes out and buys fresh flowers when she wants them. But none of us order a gift basket for ourselves. Perfect. We are placing the order today and guess what? We can now relax. We will have sent and gotten the gift baskets even before December l. That buys us not only gifts but the total freedom of not scrambling. The gift baskets to take Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 will be on display on the shelves in my home office ready to go. This year we will go to holiday parties and watch other people worry while we are eating out, going to movies, holiday parties and relaxing. Not only is Baskets by Rita doing all the work of buying, wrapping, and sending the gifts, but it turned out to be more affordable than what we usually spend because we already paid for shipping, wrapping and bows and all the extra costs that go up each year. Perfect. We are placing the order today and guess what? We can now rest. We will have sent and gotten the gift baskets even before December l. That buys us not only gifts but the whole freedom of not scrambling. The gift baskets to take Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 will be on display on the shelves in my home office ready to go. This year we will go to holiday parties and watch other people stress out while we are eating out, going to movies, holiday parties and relaxing. Not only is Baskets by Rita doing all the work of buying, wrapping, and sending the gifts, but it turned out to be cheaper than what we usually spend because we already paid for shipping, wrapping and bows and all the extra costs that go up each year.

Don't put off tomorrow, what you can do today!

The best 2 strategies for corporate smart gift giving at holiday time: give a gift with that is impressive and not gift cards and make yours the first gift your clients or perspective clients or clientele will get. Best two mistakes for firm gift giving at holiday time are: Not getting the gift promptly enough and giving gift cards or gift certificates. Let's begin with screw ups.... Not preparing/tardiness. By sending it late your gift gets mixed up with all the others in a mound or in the break room and persons are likely to forget about what they got from who. The cards get shuffled and in the flurry and hustle and bustle in the days before Dec. 25 your gift is misplaced and you have lost money by now. Administrative assistants are normally in the position of giving the holiday corporate gifts and bosses, you need to pay attention.  Don't come to your administrative assistant at the last second and expect her or him to work wonders...lateness on your part should not be an emergency on their part. You are putting them in a really tough place to scavenge and acquire last minute products or gifts and to get them mailed. Many times gift companies, especially holiday basket companies like Baskets by Rita in Aurora are flooded with last minute frantic requests. This year seems like a great one so don't be shocked if local and national basket and food companies run out of stock. Your secretary will be squandering time and spending way too much time on your tardy gift giving task and it not only will stress them out but take away from their typical duties. The solution to last minute gift giving difficulties is to plan early. Give them a chance to make an order and get the gift at the price point you want to spend. Did you know that most people and companies who put it off end up spending a lot more than they had attended? The items they wanted are sold out and they have to take what is remaining even if it costs more. So the two downfalls or problems with sending it late or the hassle itself and the cost of over spending and more importantly the less optimistic impact for your money. So what do you do? First of all in timeliness, give your administrative assistant a budget and time to make the order. Be sure it arrives as soon after Thanksgiving as possible to have that extremely positive effect at your clients and customers businesses. Secondly, fore go the gift card and gift certificate plan. Those have been preferred in the past but in past years everyone gets and gives gift cards and they have lost their luster and impact. It also is the most effortless way to go..it shows they weren't really worth the time or effort or they were a last minute gift thought. Gift certificates to restaurants have worked in the past too except someone is now in charge to order the food and go get it. Choose a gift that comes with a cheerful wow isn't that great or how nice or isn't that pretty. These days individuals buy practically what they want, so send a gift that comes with bling and a bow and the gift basket is probably your best. Check out local places where you can probably just go and pick them up to save shipping costs. In Denver or Colorado Baskets by Rita in Aurora is a good start.

Don't put off tomorrow, what you can do today!

The best 2 strategies for corporate smart gift giving at holiday time: give a gift with that is impressive and not gift cards and make yours the first gift your clients or perspective clients or clientele will get. Best two mistakes for firm gift giving at holiday time are: Not getting the gift promptly enough and giving gift cards or gift certificates. Let's begin with screw ups.... Not preparing/tardiness. By sending it late your gift gets mixed up with all the others in a mound or in the break room and persons are likely to forget about what they got from who. The cards get shuffled and in the flurry and hustle and bustle in the days before Dec. 25 your gift is misplaced and you have lost money by now. Administrative assistants are normally in the position of giving the holiday corporate gifts and bosses, you need to pay attention.  Don't come to your administrative assistant at the last second and expect her or him to work wonders...lateness on your part should not be an emergency on their part. You are putting them in a really tough place to scavenge and acquire last minute products or gifts and to get them mailed. Many times gift companies, especially holiday basket companies like Baskets by Rita in Aurora are flooded with last minute frantic requests. This year seems like a great one so don't be shocked if local and national basket and food companies run out of stock. Your secretary will be squandering time and spending way too much time on your tardy gift giving task and it not only will stress them out but take away from their typical duties. The solution to last minute gift giving difficulties is to plan early. Give them a chance to make an order and get the gift at the price point you want to spend. Did you know that most people and companies who put it off end up spending a lot more than they had attended? The items they wanted are sold out and they have to take what is remaining even if it costs more. So the two downfalls or problems with sending it late or the hassle itself and the cost of over spending and more importantly the less optimistic impact for your money. So what do you do? First of all in timeliness, give your administrative assistant a budget and time to make the order. Be sure it arrives as soon after Thanksgiving as possible to have that extremely positive effect at your clients and customers businesses. Secondly, fore go the gift card and gift certificate plan. Those have been preferred in the past but in past years everyone gets and gives gift cards and they have lost their luster and impact. It also is the most effortless way to go..it shows they weren't really worth the time or effort or they were a last minute gift thought. Gift certificates to restaurants have worked in the past too except someone is now in charge to order the food and go get it. Choose a gift that comes with a cheerful wow isn't that great or how nice or isn't that pretty. These days individuals buy practically what they want, so send a gift that comes with bling and a bow and the gift basket is probably your best. Check out local places where you can probably just go and pick them up to save shipping costs. In Denver or Colorado Baskets by Rita in Aurora is a good start.

This the season not to delay!

This year I will plan to ship corporate holiday gifts ahead of time. Horror story. Last year I thought there was no hurry and that I would get true deals by waiting until mid December to buy gifts for my clients. Client gifts of appreciation for their business is very important and if you falter to send a holiday gift you have botched the regular gift that has come to be expected yearly. Don't forget how important and necessary these thankfulness tokens are. Three years ago I decided to forego the gifts because of a budget crunch. Thinking it made little or no difference I felt quite glib about the amount of money and time and headache I would save for this extra frivolous expenditure. Was I ever completely wrong. In fact many of us were wrong. The other firm people I meet with weekly all talked it over and were in agreement that one year couldn't make that much difference and we were quite smug about our money saving tactics. In my business my major competitor is someone who has tried to get my clients but I've always won their allegiance. Unfortunately for me he chose to take the risk and send out gifts early. The next year I found I was losing some of my clients because they had decided to take a look at other organizations that could deliver the same or equal service. As we asked new clientele many of them had already signed up with the major competitor and my laid back and risk-free style that I would easily keep clients was slipping away. I had to work really hard to keep the clients I had and put in a lot of time and effort for the next few years to get some of my primary companies loyalties back. Maybe it wasn't just the holiday present, but the next year I took note. Listening and asking questions of buddies and relatives about what made them devoted and things that made a difference I noted that follow up letters of thanks,telephone calls, and gifts aren't just tokens they are are reminders and stamps of assurance for the clients. So two years ago I made sure I had money for gifts at holiday time calculated. I started looking for gift ideas and sent them out the first of December. What I observed was that I immediately got cards and calls from clients. They loved them plus mine were the first gifts to arrive at their workplace. My secretary and I were talking and she pointed out the gift we got at Thanksgiving one year with the note that here's your first holiday gift to enjoy. Since it was the first and only gift at that time it did make a difference. Most gifts of food, gifts baskets, and cards come that last week before December 25 and although we appreciate them they sometimes get tossed in and mixed up and we can't remember exactly who gave what. Besides workers are bringing in treats and food for each other all week. So my secretary and I started talking and analyzing that the first gifts that come in are the most observed and appreciated and you normally remember them. That brings me to our plan for this year. We have already contacted a basket business to send out holiday gift baskets to be delivered no later than December l. Why? Because last year we thought we'd order them later and they were sold out of the one we really wanted. Since we have clients in 10 states we had failed to note that many would not arrive on time because of shipping days needed. We gave up after checking about sending flower arrangements or poinsettias which seemed useless for a few days in the office. As a last resort we scrambled to get gift cards for nearby restaurants or bakeries near each client. It took way too much time. We were able to find some gift cards in grocery store, but they were not the right denomination. We also felt uneasy that the exact amount we were spending was obvious, putting a dollar value on the client. But we got the cards sent out. It was fine and at least we sent a gift. However one of the more vocal and brazenly honest secretaries called to thank us and did say she preferred the gift baskets because she was the one who had to order and go to the eatery to bring back what was ordered with the gift card. She also made it clear that to feed everyone they had to add more money. Yikes, not a good strategy. This year I called Baskets by Rita the first of October and placed my order for gourmet gift baskets and Rocky Mountain Gift Baskets to be sent out just before Thanksgiving so they will arrive that first week of December. They explained to me that they have to order all holiday products in August and September to have enough stock to not run out in addition suppliers run out early. We're feeling really smug. Our clients will know these are gifts of appreciation, there are food items to be shared by all, they come packaged amazingly giving that WOW factor and our card and gift will be the first one they get and will be hanging around the break room all holiday season. It won't get lost with all the other gifts. Since there is not a dollar amount attached you are not blatantly telling them what money amount they are worth. Plus my secretary is so happy because this is a slower time for us and she was able to make all preparations in a more relaxed way. We discovered another money-saving hint for giving holiday gifts. We will have baskets shipped to 9 other states, but the majority are in the Denver area. My secretary has arranged to save some of the shipping and delivery costs by going to pick up most of the baskets and deliver many herself. We've added a wine and cheese FAC the first Saturday in December in our office for clients and we'll give most of them out then. If not, it would be good for me to take them and give them myself and make the personal call. The lesson of the story is do not underestimate the power of the holiday thankfulness gift and order early.

Do you need an idea what to give your clients this year?

With competition for your business, it has become absolutely necessary to give a thank you and appreciation gift at holiday season time. Like it or not the approach of saving money worked for only a couple of those hard economic years. The accepted craze was temperateness and we all assumed and privately hoped it might become tendency and a way of life. Most of us cut down on everything. We cut down the additional items like travel and vacations, Starbucks, newest fashion pieces, new cars, and entertainment. We also monitored our pennies as we were cognizant of multi-tasking errands to cut gas costs, attentive to food price tags and shopping the special offers, turning off lights and turning down heat, making gifts or regifting. It was interesting and some parts of it made us discover we do spend. However, we also understand how much we love spending our time and money on things we love. Take Jason from Denver, as an example. He missed not skiing, not going to Avalanche or Nuggets or Broncos games, not eating out and indulging in a movie. He dived into the economic recession with vigor and mentally told himself he could cut personal and business expenses and that would be the best way for him to manage both operations. He didn't like it but he was shocked at how much money he could save. He watched games on television. He shopped at the food market instead of take-out food. He give up his gym membership and used the exercise equipment in his place. At first it was a unique experience and definitely eye-opening. In business he trimmed out one of his workers and spent more time doing the work himself. He cut the usual treat Friday by not bringing in breakfast and his employees understood when he told them times were tough and to keep jobs it was regrettable but there would be no Christmas party or holiday gifts or the traditional birthday gift. It absolutely saved money. There were three major complications. One was that cutting the extras in his personal life touched Jason's mental and emotional health. He found himself missing something and becoming more irritable. Second was that cutting business extra perks greatly impacted the morale and spirit in his business for the employees and for Jason himself. Before long productiveness went down and the setting of a positive place to work took a turn for the horrible. The accommodating teamwork turned to competitive existence as employees thought who would be cut next and missed those small birthday and holiday perks. Jason himself found that he missed the optimistic vibes he got at work which were now replaced with uncomfortable silences. The third major problem was that his main competitor had taken the total opposite strategy and as he and others cut costs and services the competitor decided to keep and even raise the bar. That Denver based company hired a few additional workers and took a vigorous approach to steal customers away from the competitors who were cutting everything. It even hired away one of Jason's most effective employees. It chose to take a risk and go into debt to keep workers and keep giving gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Take the holiday gifts for example. The Denver company ordered their regular thank you and appreciation holiday baskets from Baskets By Rita and maintained their regular customers. Why? Because the customers had few other gifts, so when the holiday gift basket arrived it endured alone. The customers reacted with calls of gratitude and acceptance of using that company for the next year, since they seemed to be the strong one that would be there for them. The Denver company even put out more by ordering the Grand Gourmet basket to send to their competitors' best clients. For Jason it was a disaster because he lost two of his strongest. When he contacted them they said they were wondering if he still was in business and they knew the competitor seemed to be doing well. Jason decided it would be economical to make phone calls to his clients to keep contact. That worked for some, but he had lost some clients who would didn't come back. The next year he called Baskets by Rita in November to set up an order for baskets. He ordered a less expensive basket but had them sent in mid-December. It did serve. He also ordered a huge basket filled with candy bars and individual treats for the staff workroom. It arrived with a big bow and he was amazed at the results of his $200 investment on morale. The next year he did the same thing but also called Baskets by Rita and ordered small baskets to give his employees at their annual pot-luck lunch before the holidays. They were pleased and he felt he got so much more appreciation than just giving them cash or a gift card. It was a noticable Wow and a festive gift instead of a card. Also they didn't know how much he had spent where they used to know their value by the value of the gift card. This year Jason called Baskets by Rita the first of November and mentioned he needed a few grand baskets and gourmet baskets sent to competitors' clients. Jason jumped at the next option they gave. They suggested he send them out to be delivered right after Thanksgiving. Their motto is to be the first holiday gift received. The first gift creates more bang for the buck because they take time to read the card and it's around for a while. Some even hang the cards and the top one is yours for folks to read over and over again. Jason did remember there were clients before who had seemed to forget which company sent which gift because they all arrived at once. Baskets by Rita said to let yours be the first and rock star gift for a lasting impression. Jason is thrilled because his Good Earth Gift Baskets will arrive early not a few days before December 25.

Getting the Most from your Employees

A head of a company in the Colorado area granted an interview to a friend's son, a graduate business student, getting ready and  preparing his thesis statement. The young man asked questions about marketing, budgeting, and the most beneficial market procedures. The discussion and questions also including corporate and business hurdles and challenges, protecting assets and the problems and practices in increasing sales. The CEO admitted that managing a firm's long-term reserves had always been at the heart of his energy and determining stakeholders was important. Weighing choices in every aspect was his solution to the question about best decision-making practice. The 60 minute interview was almost over when the graduate asked his last question about what was the biggest liability and what was the greatest asset in the company. After bumbling through a list of financial jargon, the CEO stopped unexpectedly and thought carefully before saying that all of that was secondary because the employees could be the greatest asset or they could be the greatest liability. The men and women working for you can make or break the company. Simple as that. The CEO then took our friend's son out to lunch and they continued to dialogue. The conversation included examples from the CEO's experience when he worked at a restaurant through college and when he managed various establishments. He had many examples of how good workers actually made the company money and the managers and owners did not always know it or recognize it. At the same moment, a rude or incompetent or an employee with a bad attitude could ruin not only the sale at the time, but later. They talked about the television show Undercover Bosses where CEOs pretend to be new employees on the ground level for a week to actually get some in field experience and insight. The CEO admitted that he had thought of doing that. The two of them throughout lunch talked about different episodes and came to the summation that employees do make or break a company. And usually what they want most even more than money or raises is to be treated respectfully and to have their efforts acknowledged. They want a thank you of some kind whether it be just a sincere thanks, a gift card, money, a promotion of a gift. The graduate revealed that his mom who had been an administrative assistant had just quit her job the week before saying she had just had enough. Her boss not only did not see what she had done but did not seem to care about rewarding anyone. When she suggested he give gift cards he said that was fine but she would have to give them and write the note and he put her on a small budget. After a year she suggested they give time off to employees but he refused saying. She noticed morale was extremely low and he did agree and she was to come up with something. She told him to come into the next morning meeting, which employees hated, with food. He told her to get some cheap donuts from the grocery store. She started just standing up to him and said no, he needed to spend some bucks and get quality pastries or food and quality coffee boxes from the Panera Bread down the street. He delegated her to do it and to be sure it was there on time. It did the trick and employees liked it. She needed a different idea for the mid afternoon meetings. So when she saw the huge basket delivered next door with all kinds of treats for employees she was impressed and contacted the basket company, Baskets by Rita. For the same money they put together a huge basket with goodies to put in the break room for everyone to enjoy. It was large and they delivered it to her that day. The boss walked in with the Stress Relief Gift Basket and there were cheers from the once tired employees. The student made an appointment the next day with his adviser to change his thesis topic to center on the importance of gratitude and acknowledgment for employees contending that they are the most valuable long term investment.