Staff Recognition Opportunities

This program is designed to appreciate, recognize, and motivate employees through the use of non-monetary or low-cost rewards such as being thanked publicly at a departmental function or having lunch with the head of the department.

What variety of strategies will you include in your program? Consider supervisory, peer-to-peer recognition, and department celebrations:

  • Supervisors are uniquely aware of employee’s performance and contributions.
  • Supervisors can pulse other key stakeholders to gain insight into an employee’s contributions, and may receive direct feedback regarding an employee.
  • Peers are often aware of fellow worker's "behind the scenes" work that supervisors/managers do not have the opportunity to witness.
  • Peer-to-peer recognition can be lighthearted and in good humor, and so is often easier to implement than formal recognition.
  • Recognition promotes achievement of mutual goals by groups of employees.
  • Employees will have a common feeling of accomplishment that will strengthen communication ties in the workplace.

What Supervisors Can Do

  • Reinforce peer-to-peer recognition by acknowledging the efforts of employees who are taking time to appreciate their co-workers.
  • Make recognition tools easily available to all.
  • Provide frequent, specific feedback to employees about their performance. Use the STAR Method by pointing out the Situation/Task, the positive Actions they took, and the great Results of their actions.
  • Identify the means by which employees prefer to be recognized. Ask your employees if they prefer public or private recognition.
  • Challenge your employees with meaningful assignments that will develop new skills.
  • Share with your employees the positive impacts they have on broad organizational goals.

 

What Peers Can Do

  • Writing a note to their peer, recognizing their accomplishment.
  • Nominating their peer for an established employee recognition award.
  • Emailing their peer’s supervisor acknowledging the employees accomplishment.

    See “Create Your Program” for additional examples.

 

How to Recognize Teams

  • Invite the team to present their results at a staff meeting and publicly thank the team for their great work.
  • Send an email to a department head recognizing the team members and their efforts to complete an important department initiative or goal.
  • Decorate the team members’ offices.
  • Provide team member pins, plaques, or other mementos to acknowledge their contributions.
  • Invite the team to meet with a department head for a face-to-face thank you.