Eastern employees shared their experiences on working on campus, explained what they liked about their jobs and their relationships with their bosses and talked about how they have felt appreciated for National Employee Appreciation Day.

The holiday, celebrated on March 5, is a day when employers show gratitude and appreciation for their employees’ time served at work.

Javari McClendon, a sophomore sport management major and a night assistant in Thomas Hall, said he enjoys his job’s hours and the friendliness of his bosses.

“I enjoy being able to finish homework or talk to people throughout the night,” McClendon said. “The feeling of being able to help keep residence halls safe throughout the night is appreciated. Being waved and spoken to throughout the night is also appreciated.”

McClendon said he also likes how approachable his coworkers are.

“My coworkers and bosses are always friendly and open to talk about anything,” McClendon said.

Grace Horton, a junior sociology major and desk assistant in Thomas Hall, said her work schedule is flexible enough to not collide with her classes or extracurricular activities, and she said she appreciates her coworkers being reliable if she is not available for shifts.

She said she also she likes when her boss acknowledges her for being a good employee.

“I like how well my job works with my class schedule and extracurricular activities. I get to pick my hours, and my coworkers are really great and are always willing to cover shifts if something comes up and I can’t work a shift,” Horton said. “I feel appreciated at my job whenever either one of my bosses points out what I’m doing right and thanks me for it.”

Tykyla Crockett, junior human services major and student manager in Stevenson Hall, said she likes to make sure every customer is happy. She likes to be acknowledged by the customers and her boss, too, and she said she feels it is important to celebrate employees and make them feel valued in their work.

“One thing I enjoy about my job is being around people and making sure the customers are satisfied,” Crockett said. “Something that makes me feel appreciated about my job is when the customers thank me or when my student workers or cooks let me know that I’m doing a great job.”

Crockett said employers showing their gratitude for their employees is necessary because it builds morale.

“I feel like it’s important because it shows that one cares about their employees and they appreciate them, because of all their hard work and time that they have committed to the job,” Crockett said.

Courtney Crowder, a graduate student majoring in biological sciences and a librarian in Booth Library, said she likes the independence of her job.

She said one of her favorite parts of her job is how kind and laid back the people are. Additionally, having a motivated, cohesive team is a must.

“I enjoy the independence. I like how nice everyone is and easygoing. It is extremely low stress with decent benefits,” Crowder said.

Bryce Smith can be reached at 581-2812 or at bmsmith@eiu.edu.