A new way to boost the work community

There is a huge amount of work being done in the workplace that falls outside the formal job descriptions. Much of this work is critical: without it, the organisation would not function. Although we have been aware of this for a long time, we have not had the tools to highlight and reward hidden work. Now we do. In this blog, we share how OAJ Gradia at Jyväskylä Education Association Gradia implemented Vibemetrics Boost and gave 1050 recognitions during Spring 2023 for valuable, previously hidden work.

Who do you get the best advice from when meeting clients? Who is your master at keeping even difficult conversations constructive? Who can make your coffee breaks warm and invigorating? Who reminds you to take a break and does a few minutes of jogging between meetings? Who do you look to for emotional support when things get tough?

All this work is immensely valuable for the functioning of organisations and work communities, but it is not included in any job description. The work is done by those who see the need and are willing to go the extra mile to meet it. Often the people who take up the task are those for whom the subject is intrinsically motivating and an intrinsic strength. They autonomously add these elements to their job description and do them autonomously without being asked - often without anyone even noticing. And often without much praise.

Of course, the fact that the work is done on your own initiative and in an intrinsically motivated way does not in any way diminish the value of the work. Nor does the fact that it is self-initiated mean that the people concerned would not be pleased or feel valued if their work were to be recognised and its importance publicly acknowledged. Being valued has a direct impact on the experience of justice, trust, a sense of community and the desire to work for the good of the community. In fact, if we want people to look at the big picture and take action where they feel it is needed, we should develop our ability to recognise, highlight and celebrate this hidden work.

"If we want people to take the initiative where they feel it is needed, we should develop our capacity to recognise, highlight and reward this hidden work."

Vibemetrics Boost has been created for this purpose. It was introduced at Gradia in February 2023 as a complement to the Vibemetrics Boost by the Towards a Degree of Wellbeing at Work project. The project was managed by OAJ Gradia and funded by the OAJ Well-being at Work Fund. The topics of the Boosts have been chosen to acknowledge the development of the working atmosphere and culture. Some of the boosts are created purely to please. One such example is the recognition of an "otherwise great guy".

There are always five boosts for each month and you can share as many as you like. Boosts are given anonymously, so they cannot be used to build a debt of gratitude or for politicking. Boosts pop up in your inbox once a day, and the Boost portal shows you all the boosts you've accumulated that month at a glance. This gives you insights into your role in the work community and perhaps even highlights strengths and qualities you hadn't thought of before.

Birgitta Mannila, the leader of the aforementioned well-being at work project, and health and safety representatives Markku Suominen and Ulla Koukkari-Anttonen have been satisfied with the Boost service. Almost all boosters are pleased with the praise they have received. "It was great to try out a new incentive tool in our own work community during the spring. You can never have too much encouragement in work communities," says Mannila.

Suominen and Koukkari-Anttonen praise the anonymity of the Boost service and the fact that it works smoothly in a large work community. "We hope that we have been able to use this service to give our colleagues a sense of wellbeing and thus a sense of well-being in the midst of everyday life," says Koukkari-Anttonen. "In addition to the ready-made boosts, it would be nice to have an open boost that everyone could create and address directly to the person of their choice," suggests Suominen.

Open Boost is now in development. Thanks to Gradia for the good tip 🙂

Read more about Boost on our website or book an appointment directly, and let's set up a Boost for your organisation too.