By Jim Hunt for the News & Journal
I was recently at the doctor’s office for a follow-up visit after my eye surgery. Like most people, I signed in, took a seat, and waited for my name to be called. A few minutes later, a young lady stepped into the waiting room, called my name, and led me back to her office to verify my insurance, update medications, and handle all the routine but necessary details that happen before you ever see the doctor.
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As we sat there going through the checklist, my attention was drawn to a simple paper certificate taped neatly to the wall. It read that she had earned the I Care Award for that month.
I smiled and made a lighthearted comment, telling her how happy I was to be checked in by the winner of such an award. We both laughed, and I mentioned that in my work with cities, one of the things I consistently recommend is the creation of an employee recognition or awards program.
I explained that many city employees—especially those who deal directly with the public—work incredibly hard under difficult circumstances. They are often the face of government, the first person a resident sees when they walk through the door or pick up the phone. Yet many of these employees go their entire careers without ever being formally thanked or recognized by their employer.
Unfortunately, I told her, a lot of cities don’t take the idea seriously. The response I often hear is, “It’s just a piece of paper,” or “It doesn’t really mean anything.” Recognition programs are seen as fluff, not worth the time or effort.
That’s when something changed.
Her eyes brightened, and her expression softened as she leaned forward slightly. She told me that the same week she received that I Care Award, her daughter received Student of the Month at school. They celebrated together.
As she spoke, you could see the pride in her eyes—not just for herself, but for her daughter. Two moments of recognition, shared between a mother and a child, woven together into a memory neither of them would forget. A piece of paper on an office wall had become something much bigger. It had become validation. It had become encouragement. It had become a shared family moment.
In that instant, the argument that “it’s just a piece of paper” completely fell apart.
Recognition matters because people matter. A simple certificate says, “I see you.” It says, “What you do counts.” For someone who spends their days helping others, solving problems, and often absorbing frustration that has nothing to do with them personally, that acknowledgment can be powerful.
Awards don’t have to be expensive. They don’t have to be elaborate. What they have to be is sincere.
When leaders take the time to recognize effort, compassion, and professionalism, they create a culture where people feel valued. And when people feel valued, they show up differently. They care more. They engage more. They take pride in their work.
That young lady will probably never forget the week she and her daughter were both recognized.
And her daughter learned an important lesson too—that hard work and caring about what you do are noticed, whether at school or at work.
So no, it’s not “just a piece of paper.”
It’s a reminder that someone noticed.
It’s a spark of pride.
It’s a moment that carries far beyond the wall it’s taped to.
And most of all, it’s proof that when we take the time to say I care, it actually works.