Workplace Success Stories
- Best Practices 2003
Maximizing Employee Input in Managerial Decision-Making
| Practice Name:
Recognition Selection Survey |
Workplace
Issues Addressed: |
Description of the practice
The Office of Laboratory Animal Care (OLAC) Recognition Committee,
Values Committee, and Management Team developed a recognition survey.
The survey is completed anonymously by all members of the staff and
is used to score the performance of their co-workers against a set
of predetermined criteria. Before this practice, recognition awards
were contentious. The same people seemed to always win. Certain staff
felt that they were being overlooked. There was dissatisfaction, lack
of respect and people did not trust each other. There was a sense
of favoritism.
Benefits of adopting the practice
This practice has improved morale. The department tends to
recognize a greater variety and number of employees than it did prior
to the use of this system. The survey includes the use of the department's
Values Statement and so it keeps the OLAC Values alive and on the
minds of the employees. There is no mystery to what is expected of
employee performance and behavior. The survey criteria have only been
modified slightly since it was created in January 2000.
How this practice works
The survey is offered twice a year in December and June.
The awards are considered "semester awards."
What you need in place to replicate this practice
Recognition is critical to any successful program but is
very difficult to do correctly. We all like to be recognized for good
work but we may like to be recognized in different ways. OLAC's recognition
survey was created through employee input. That is essential. Successful
recognition programs must begin with a survey of the staff: How do
you like to be recognized? What does recognition mean to you? etc.
The OLAC survey system is just one of several types of employee recognition
used by the department. This system works for OLAC because it grew
from staff input, trust in the program and in each other, and involvement
in the development process.
Tangible improvements to the department as a result of adopting
this practice
This type of survey allows input from peer/co-workers as
well as managers/supervisors. This provides a more complete (360 degree)
performance assessment, rather than just the more typical “top-down”
assessment most of us are use to getting. In 1995, there were 12 grievances
in the department. Since 1999, there have been no justified grievances,
and only one that was denied at level 2. There have also been no Workers’
Compensation claims, which is a big cost savings.
Why this practice was so successful and is worth replicating
This recognition survey was created through employee input.
The department feels that this is essential. The system works because
it grew from staff input, trust in the program and in each other and
involvement in the development process. Everyone has a voice in this
process.
Related policies/guidelines:
1) Guide to Managing Human Resources,
Appendix G: Recognition and Reward Programs
2) Business
and Finance Bulletin G41 - Employee Non-Cash Awards