CANTON -- Employees at Canton-Potsdam Hospital recently developed an interdepartmental initiative called “Pay it Forward” designed to show appreciation, encourage camaraderie between work groups and foster team relationships.

The program is a product of the Employee Satisfaction Team and began earlier this year.

One department takes a collection among its members and fills a gift basket with various treats and prizes.

Each month, the previous month’s recipient department “pays forward” the basket to another department of its choosing.

Most recently, the Physician Practice Management department presented its basket to the staff of the Maintenance department.

“We are all here to make sure that CPH is the ‘Employer of Choice’ and showing appreciation for each other’s work is essential to building a successful work environment,” said Kristen Jaskowski, Inventory Control Coordinator and member of the Employee Satisfaction Team.

Departments that have received baskets so far this year include Environmental Services, Chemical Dependency and Rehabilitation, Pharmacy, Materials Management, Information Systems, Finance, Human Resources, Physician Practice Management and Maintenance.