Every year on 16 October, many business owners and leaders find themselves awkwardly accepting cards or gifts from their teams in celebrating Boss’s Day, which is a tradition that started in the United States in 1958 and has since quickly spread to many countries, including South Africa.
While the gesture is often rooted in goodwill and an effort to build and foster a positive workplace culture, the concept is in need of a serious revamp, says Jeremy Lang, managing director of Business Partners Limited.
Boss’s Day reflects an era when organisations were far more hierarchical and regimented, says Jeremy. In today’s world of work, organisations are more collaborative and less defined by rigid power structures. Employees are much more autonomous, empowered with decision-making responsibility and encouraged to contribute meaningfully to team outcomes.
The emphasis in modern work environments has shifted from command-and-control leadership to mutual respect, teamwork and shared responsibility. Celebrating leadership should reflect these values, the role of leaders in enabling and supporting their teams rather than on following of orders.
In today’s workplace culture, the notion of Boss’s Day seems outdated. Much more appropriate would be to foster appreciation throughout all levels of the organisation – from managers recognising their teams, employees acknowledging their leaders and colleagues celebrating each other. The focus should shift from hierarchical authority to honouring collaboration, mutual respect and shared leadership.
“Today’s workplaces thrive in organisations with an ethos of inclusion and equity, where recognition is shared fairly and generously. Singling out the boss for special recognition once a year feels antiquated and doesn’t necessarily promote a healthy work environment,” says Jeremy.
But rather than ignoring the idea behind Boss’s Day altogether, Jeremy encourages business owners and leaders to embrace its core values – recognition, appreciation and gratitude, and to embed them into the fabric of their company culture. With so much attention placed on performance, operational efficiency or sales, it’s easy to overlook the importance of cultivating a workplace where appreciation is consistent, authentic and inclusive.
The benefits are numerous and will reflect in the bottom line. “It’s not just a bunch of feel-good gestures. A culture of recognition is a motivating, performance-enhancing tool, especially if it spotlights teams and individuals who have outperformed, problem-solved and thought boldly,” says Jeremy.
In order to build such a culture, intentionality is key, says Jeremy. A culture of mutual support and shared recognition is not something that will spontaneously develop, especially in a small business where the owner’s presence and position can be dominant and all-encompassing.
Jeremy advises that business owners have a formal plan for regular recognition, whether though events, announcements, or integrated into performance reviews. Crucially recognition should flow in all directions, from management to employees and vice versa. If the attempt to create a culture of appreciation and gratitude in a business is limited to a set of formal events, it risks feeling forced or insincere. Informal gestures carry just as much weight, a heartfelt and sincere “thank you” or genuine “great job” at the end of a task can go a long way in building a positive and supportive environment.
These gestures must be timely, equitable and sincere, says Jeremy. Overdoing praise or showing favouritism can erode trust and morale. Recognition should be inclusive and balanced.
Pioneering a small business is a very difficult process whereas founders rely heavily on personal drive and control. The risk is that the business owner can become stuck in a command-and-control mindset that may be excusable in the early days but will severely limit the growth of the business over the long term, says Jeremy. To truly thrive, business owners and leaders must evolve and switch out of “boss mode” and into the role of team builder and nurture teams of happy, motivated employees.
About the Author: Jeremy Lang
