It could have been rolled into their paychecks as higher salaries, performance bonuses or stock options. It could have been an e-mail, a card, a note or a pat on the back. It could have been handed out as gift certificates to any of a hundred restaurants or retailers. Heckman could have shown his thanksgiving in a thousand different ways and perhaps he will, but he did it this time by giving each employee a throne of sorts, a kingly chair to be sure. The basic attitude leaders should have toward their employees is one of thanksgiving.
Every employee is actually a volunteer.
Each one makes a decision every work day about whether or not to show up that day. Companies that work with union staffs know this to be especially true, since they could all walk out at the drop of a hat. Unfortunately, the approach that most leaders take with unions and unions with leaders is more adversarial than thankful. Even the two-week notice is a matter of etiquette and not of law. There is nothing ho-hum about any of the work that any employee does.