As a group of people so dedicated to helping others accomplish health and well-being, Y associates understand perhaps better than most that it all starts from the inside. That is a comment that begins with our personal well-being to the health of our daily interactions with our families, friends and community and extends into our daily work life. That’s why it’s so important that we as an organization redouble our efforts to support YOU, our Y associates from across the region who so ably carry out the Y’s noble mission on a daily basis.

YOU matter a lot. YOU are all doing critically important work and we want to make sure that YOU know that I, the Y’s board and senior leadership, those you serve and your colleagues value and appreciate YOU!

That is why I am so delighted to introduce SHOUT OUT, a special recognition program developed by and for Y associates, dedicated solely to celebrating the amazing work YOU do for the Y and for our community daily!

SHOUT OUT is the brainchild of our Associate Recognition Innovation Team, made up of people from across the region and across all program areas. They developed SHOUT OUT by reviewing best practices across many industries, by reading the current research on workplace happiness and by brainstorming their own brilliant and well-developed ideas! The result, SHOUT OUT, is a formalized way of tangibly demonstrating what has always been true: that we deeply appreciate each of YOU and all YOU do to carry out our critical mission.

SHOUT OUT includes:

• Peer to Peer shout outs in person and online
• “Rock Star” cards from Y members and participants to acknowledge exceptional service (which can be “cashed in” for Y swag!)
• Achievement pins
• Recognition board in Y centers and program sites
• Letters from yours truly to personally thank you for your efforts
• “Y Tank,” an official way for you to pitch new ideas that help advance our cause
• Tenure pins
• Continued special recognition in Monday Mission Updates

​​Shout Out Video

Many thanks to the Associate Recognition Innovation Team members for their hard work and the imaginative and exciting program they came up with!

While we can never say thank you enough, let me start by saying it here and now. I deeply appreciate each and every one of you. I know you could likely earn more money working somewhere else, but that you are drawn to work for the Y because you care about people. I want you to know, we care about you too and I am firmly committed to showing it in no uncertain terms with more force and regularity than ever before.

If you’re a Y volunteer, member or simply a supporter reading this email, please take the time to thank a Y associate sometime soon, and don’t be afraid to SHOUT OUT your praise!

Thank you.

All the best,

John

John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland