Recognition and Awards

Weinberg 5C's Kudos Board

Submitted by Maura Kadan, RN, Weinberg 5C

After an employee survey, the 5C leadership team realized that staff felt they were not receiving adequate recognition and feedback. Because of this and other needed improvements, a committee of 5C Nurses was formed to work with a representative of Human Resource's Organization Development and Training. This committee compiled a list of changes we could make in order to improve staff morale. One of the ideas was to develop an employee recognition project.

Colleen Apostol, one of our NC III's at the time, and I looked at other units to see what they were doing with regards to staff recognition . On the 4th floor of Weinberg, one unit had envelops where staff could write nice notes to other staff members and leave them in that person's envelope. We felt this was a good place to start.

Our Kudos board is posted in our break room where most staff members eat lunch. Each member of the staff has an envelope with his/her name on it, posted on the bulletin board. We have a box and slips of paper below the board. Staff writes "thank you" notes or "caught you doing good" notes to other staff members. Once these are placed in the box, a member of the 5C Nurse committee reads and photo copies them, and places the note in the appropriate recipient's envelope. The number of notes for each person is tallied every 2-3 weeks and we determine a winner. The winner gets a small prize from the nurse manager's office (which could be candy, a mug, a pen, candle, whatever). We make sure the same people do not win every time. A member of the 5C Nurse committee composes a poem reflecting on the specific instances where staff members have helped each other. The poem is sent out to the staff via e-mail and posted on the bulletin board.

The results have been positive. People enjoy getting notes from their co-workers. We like to recap and laugh about the "train-wreck" days and it helps us realize that no matter how bas a shift can be, we get through it with the help of our co-workers. People enjoy reading the poems for the most part. Who doesn't like to see their name in print? With regards to feedback, our most recent survey showed a small improvement with staff's feelings about recognition and feedback.

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MICU's Kudos Program

Submitted by Tracie Nolan, RN, BSN, MICU

In an effort to improve communication among MICU staff, our Recruitment and Retention committee developed a paper feedback tool to help bridge communication. Our goal was to increase meaningful feedback.

It did not start out so well. We first had a "Communication Tool" which included on a slip of paper a place to compliment the good we saw, and a place to "constructively criticize" what we felt could be improved. It was an anonymous process, which out unit based Administrative Assistant collating the slips of paper and returning the information to the staff privately. It was hoped to use the tool to provide staff with constructive feedback, and over time, to track progress of each employee. But at times, the feedback was not written in a positive manner, and the process was not taken seriously by the staff.

So, about 8 months ago we declared that program over and switched straight to Kudos. Here's how it works:

You "catch a coworker doing something right" or outstanding or very helpful to you. You fill out a Kudos form explaining what you observed and place it in the collection boxes. Every 2 weeks or so an R&R committee member goes thru all the Kudos and keeps a tally. The Kudos are then posted for all to see. The people that get the most Kudos in a 3 month period are rewarded with a KUDOS CHAMPION CERTIFICATE and a $25 gift card to Giant, Toys R Us, Cheesecake Factory and several other choices. This way the winners can pick a prize that suits them. Our first winners - a three way tie- were announced at our last staff meeting, their pictures are up on our R&R board.

Our process is still developing. For instance, we are going to make the slips of paper smaller so we can fit them all on the board. And, we could use a bigger board! I would like it not to be anonymous because the people that are taking the time to recognize their co-workers should also be praised.

We realize the importance of continued work in the area of constructive feedback for all our staff. We are planning to utilize Human Resources for some formal education early in 2008.

As Chair of MICU's R&R Committee going thru the Kudos is a very uplifting experience! Imagine a pile of papers with all good stuff. I love it! You can see our board in the back entrance hall of the MICU. I am very proud of my committee and staff. Thanks to our new manager Pam Bollinger, and our new Assistant Manager Trish Ryan, and R&R Committee members, Lauren Waleryszak, Marivelle Gosiaco, Latoya Frazier, and Deborah Bridgeforth.

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Recognition Ideas

Here are some ideas you can use to offer variety:

Give the Employee Praise

• Provide a box of donuts (or a pizza), courtesy of the person who successfully handled the most customer complaints that week.
• Create a "Wall of Fame" with employee photos and accomplishments.
• Offer titles, fun or serious, that highlight individual responsibilities.
• Have a traveling trophy for cooperation and team spirit.  Employees pass it from recipient to recipient, each person keeping it until they spot another deserving employee.
• Give "caught in the act" cards with a brief note about what you caught them doing. You can make the cards redeemable for gifts.

Give the Employee Opportunities

• Offer new challenges that represent the individual's personal development goals.
• Assign mentors to new hires.
• Introduce someone doing outstanding work to upper management or a key customer.
• Send someone to a class or workshop that interests him or her, even it if doesn't directly benefit your group.

Give the Employee Thanks

• Frame and hang thank you letters from customers, suppliers, etc.
• Send a thank you card when someone has helped you reach a goal.
• Give a pack of Lifesavers candies to someone who helps you out.
• Use a puzzle to say thank you. Customize jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, and other word games to present your message.
• Provide "thank you" sticky notes for employees to use to thank each other.

Recognition Ideas: Candy Bar Wrappers

Giving out candy to recognize employees is a great idea. However, an even better idea is to personalize those candy bars with exactly what the employee did to deserve the delicious candy. . You can also visit, www.wrappedhershey's.com, if you want to get more extravagent with the candy bar wrappers.

Please click here for an example. Instructions: Have fun and be creative!

Story-telling

Many terrific leaders use stories to import values. They choose employee-centered stories that personify the organization's values. They rely on managers and employees alike to supply these stories, searching them out from all parts of the organization. They do the research necessary to provide the kind of detail that will bring each story alive. When they tell the story, you learn what the employee did, how it is an example of an organizational value, and why the value is so important.

Each story is fresh, new, and real. Employees hear and reflect on the value. They have a tangible example of what it means to live that value. While the story provides recognition for one employee, one team, or one division, it provides reinforcement for all.

Remember "leader" does not necessarily mean the CEO.  Everyone should take the lead in spreading the word about employees who live your values.

Ten Tips for Recognition That Works

Tip #1     Begin offering recognition the moment a new hire walks in the door and continue offering recognition by re-recruiting every day.

Tip #2     Recognition programs are only effective if management works to create mutual trust, respect, and appreciation.

Tip #3     Focus on building strong working relationships.

Tip #4     Recognition is an effective way to reinforce values and produce results.

Tip #5     Show you are committed to employee well-being.

Tip #6     Managers do not need structured recognition systems in order to be effective.

Tip #7     Human Resources can have a vital role in the recognition process-if that role is to support managers in their recognition efforts.

Tip #8     Create an organization focused on mutual respect, opportunity, and pride, and you will create an organization where employees feel recognized.

Tip #9     Employees often view personal attention from the executive team as meaningful recognition.

Tip #10     A well-designed peer recognition program promotes organizational values.

Think Awards

Award Ideas

• Certificate for a dinner outing for the recipient's entire family.
• Lunch out for your team.
• Cooking lessons for the budding gourmet (any hobby related lessons related to the individuals interests will generally do).
• Cash award
• A thank you card to the spouse or partner with a gift basket or certificate.
• Paid time off.
• Gift cards
• Movie passes
• Tokens that employees can collect for bigger awards
• Give a VIP Pass good for the best parking or best anything
• Fun gadgets or electronic devices can be fun, particularly with technically oriented employees.
• Give "Star" bucks, then hold an auction once a quarter, allowing people to bid on merchandise.
• Give a "we're lucky to have you" lottery-scratcher

Wall of Fame

One client, a small retail establishment, wanted to emphasize the importance of impressing the customer. They instituted an Employee Wall of Fame. Every employee's photo appeared on the wall. Around each photo there were positive comments received from customers: emails, thank you letters, transcribed phones calls all appeared on the Wall of Fame. New additions to the wall are celebrated. Employees in this company constantly "bump into" the reality that their employer appreciates the work they do to impress their customers. You could use the Wall of Fame concept to reinforce just about any value.