Workplace
Success Stories - Best Practices 2002
Recognition
Strategies for a Diverse Workforce
|
Practice
Name: Employee Acknowledgement |
Workplace
Issues Addressed: |
Description
of the practice
In
the Employee Acknowledgement program funds are allocated to allow
supervisors to host celebrations to honor employees receiving
service awards, and expressions of sympathy are sent to employees
who have suffered a loss.
Benefits
of adopting the practice
This
practice helps improve communication and increase employee morale
in a supportive environment. Employees are acknowledged, celebrated,
and supported. This program meets the needs of a diverse workforce
in the following ways: There is employee input in the process.
Employees identified the need and developed the program. There
is a continuous feedback mechanism. This program acknowledges
those employees who will receive service awards or those who have
suffered a family death.
How
this practice works
Staff
identified a need to have an acknowledgement program and Facilities Services developed a formal bereavement policy by which expressions
in the form of flowers and sympathy cards are sent to any staff
member that suffers a family death. Family is defined in accordance
with campus Personnel Policies. The program is administered by
the Human Resources Managers in order to maintain the employee's
privacy.
Facilities Services also acknowledges employees that receive service awards. Supervisors host a celebration for their employees that is attended by the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Director, and Supervisor of Facilities Services. It is at the discretion of the supervisor and depending on the size of the unit to include all members of the unit. Additionally, employees who receive service awards are acknowledged at the quarterly training sessions by the Vice Chancellor and receive recognition in the Facilities Services monthly newsletter. Support from the top and funding is needed to host celebrations/send cards of sympathy or flowers, etc. If funds are not available, donations could be solicited.
What
you need in place to replicate this practice
Management
support and funds to host celebrations/send cards of sympathy
or flowers, etc. Evaluation/feedback mechanisms.
Tangible
improvements to the department as a result of adopting this practice
Employees
feel acknowledged and celebrated. The program increases morale,
improves communication, and provides a supportive environment.
There is employee satisfaction.
Why
this practice was so successful and is worth replicating
With
management support and staff inclusion in the decision-making
process they are able to have successful programs and feel that
this recipe would also work for other departments.
Related policies/guidelines:
(1)
Guide to
Managing Human Resources, Appendix G.
(2) Business
& Finance Bulletin G-41 - Employee Non-Cash Awards.