"I've Never Heard of Anyone Doing This": The Real Distance Between Employers and Employees

Kellen didn’t expect me to show up.He’s a field tech for Mr. Handyman, working miles away from the company’s main office.

He’s used to being out on the road—doing the work, staying out of sight. Like a lot of essential workers, he doesn’t always feel essential.

But I made the drive anyway. Nearly an hour, just to reach him. Because when a company says it values its employees, every person should feel it—not just the ones sitting at desks.

And when I handed Kellen his Carrabba’s meal that day, he looked up and said:

“I’ve never heard of anyone doing something like this.”

That hit me. It was simple. Honest. And it reminded me why I started this Employee Appreciation campaign in the first place.

Going the Extra Mile...Literally

Most brokers drop off materials and move on. But I couldn’t stomach the idea of 16 field techs being left out of the gesture—especially when those techs are the backbone of the company.

So instead of asking the office manager to pass out meals later, I asked her to find a date when the crew would be nearby. I planned the route. I made the deliveries. And I had real conversations with people who rarely get that kind of recognition.

Carrabba’s covered the cost. I covered the distance. And the employees?

They got more than lunch. They got a message:

you’re not invisible.

The Real Cost of Feeling Unseen

There’s a hidden cost to employee underappreciation—and it’s enormous. The U.S. economy loses an estimated $300 billion annually due to turnover, disengagement, and stress tied to feeling undervalued at work.

It’s easy to overlook:

• The field tech.

• The warehouse worker.

• The overnight shift.

  
  

  But those are the people who notice when appreciation is absent—and light up when it finally shows up.

The benefits we introduced that day weren’t just about financial protection. They were a signal. A way of saying: “We see you. We’ve got you covered.”

Clients That Care

This wasn’t a cold outreach. Mr. Handyman has been a client of mine for a while now. I’ve watched them grow. I’ve seen how much they care.

That’s why I wanted to go above and beyond—not just because I could, but because they do. When you partner with companies that believe in people, it’s easy to believe in them right back.

What Will You Do?

You don’t have to drive an hour. You don’t have to deliver meals yourself. But you do have an opportunity—to make employee appreciation real.

What would it look like if you made sure every employee, no matter where they work, knew they mattered?