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Report and Recommendations of the Employee Recognition Task Force

March 8, 2004

Task Force Members: Evelyn Barker, Sarah Jones, Catherine Pica, Carol Randell, Krystal Schenk

Summary

The Employee Recognition Task Force (the "Task Force") studied the current recognition program and surveyed library staff to gather comments and suggestions for the program. The Task Force recommends changes in

• the makeup of the committee: eliminating the ex officio
• the awards program: eliminating the TEAMS Award, adding new categories of awards, and clarifying criteria for continuing awards
• some Employee Recognition Committee processes: making the nominating process easier, improving recognition program advertising
  

Charge to the Task Force:

"As a part of our planning efforts this year, we agreed to form a task force to review our staff recognition program and to make recommendations if appropriate for its improvement. During the survey of organizational excellence that the staff took part in last spring, the recognition program was identified as problematic. There had earlier been some concern that people weren't consistently recognized and that some staff groups, notably the LA I and IIs, were under-represented in the recognition program.

The Library Management Team last week appointed you this task force, and I hope you will accept that appointment. I will ask Carol to take the responsibility for pulling the group together for a first meeting, at which time you can select a chair and plan your work. LMT would like to have your recommendations by about the beginning of February, but if that date doesn't seem workable, please let me know."

--Tom Wilding, Oct 15, 2003

Task Force mission statement:

The Employee Recognition Task Force will study ways to more appropriately and effectively recognize library staff for their accomplishments. The Task Force will make their recommendations to the Library Management Team (LMT).

Methodology

In gathering facts for this review, the Task Force engaged in the following activities:

• Studied the current policies of the Employee Recognition Committee, found at Q:\MIS\EXECOMM\Employee Recognition and the presentation of the program on the web
• Surveyed recognition programs at other libraries and at non-library organizations
• Examined the nomination form
• Solicited comments from library staff on the awards program in general
• Solicited comments from the library student supervisors with regard to the Outstanding Student Assistant Award
• Conducted an open forum for library staff to discuss the current awards program, the history of the current program, and what they would like to see in a future program
• Solicited the perspective of the Library Director on staff recognition in general and on the awards program
• Solicited comments from library staff on proposals for change that the Task Force was considering
• Reviewed the UTA Libraries' position on staff development and recognition as expressed in the Statement of Values and Beliefs, the Mission and Vision Statement, and the Strategic Directions from 2003

Findings

As a result of this review, the Task Force found a strong tradition of publicly recognizing and rewarding excellence and strong support for the principles of staff recognition. However, we also found weaknesses:

• A "fuzzy" understanding of the Employee Recognition Program, as evidenced by the development of an oral tradition and set of beliefs about the program not necessarily supported by facts of the policies, criteria for awards, and other details of the process
• An awards program that hadn't seen review or change for several years, and then only with the addition of the TEAMS Award, and without a general review of the older awards
• A nomination process that did not facilitate the submission of nominations or guide nominators in the process of writing their nomination
• A variable amount of publicity regarding nominations and the awards program
• Uncertainty regarding the purpose and role of the ex officio member of the committee

Recommendations

1. To clarify for the Libraries' staff its mission, goals, and role, the Employee Recognition Committee should develop a statement of purpose.

   This statement will establish the role it is to have with regard to the recognition of staff achievements, for example, answering the question: Should the Employee Recognition Committee be an active participant in the cultivation of a culture of recognition in the UTA Libraries? The Task Force recommends that this activity take into consideration the positions toward staff and staff development expressed in the UTA Libraries "Statement of Values and Beliefs", "Mission and Vision Statements", and 2000-2005 strategic planning documents. As these documents change, the Task Force recommends that the Employee Recognition Committee review and revise as necessary its statement of purpose to keep it in alignment with the Libraries' position.

2. Eliminate the position of ex officio on the Employee Recognition Committee

   This position has no discernable role in the functioning of the committee

3. Establish and document an on-going program of advertising for the Awards Program to encourage library staff to remain on the lookout for opportunities to recognize achievements in their co-workers and in themselves. Methods of advertising might include:
   • Continuing use of the Employee Recognition Committee web site
   • Frequent reminders to the library staff of the Awards Program and the nomination process by e-mail and through signage in staff areas of the various campus libraries
   • Training in (or clarification of) the nomination process, awards criteria, and purpose of the Awards Program
   • Making the Q:\ drive documents easier to find by creating a folder at Q:\MIS\Employee Recognition\
     
     
4. Consider interaction between the Employee Recognition Committee and the Entertainment Committee and the Career Status Committee to broaden the opportunities for staff recognition and celebration
   
   
5. Revise the nomination forms to provide more guidance to nominators (see a sample nomination form in Appendix II of this report)
   
   
6. Revise award eligibility so that members of the Employee Recognition Committee are eligible for all awards except the STAR Award. Ensure that confidentiality of nominations and fairness in deliberations are maintained by:
   • Routing nominations through the Library Executive Team (LET) (the specific member of LET to be determined by LET)
   • LET distributing all nominations to the Employee Recognition Committee members
   • In the event that a member of the Employee Recognition Committee is a nominee:
     • LET distributes the nominations to the Committee members EXCLUDING the member who was nominated
     • The rest of the committee meets, deliberates, and makes a decision without informing or including the Committee member who was nominated
     • In their deliberations, the Committee members treat the nominee as a member of the Libraries' staff, and not as a Committee member
   
   
   
7. Add a clarification of the process and timetable for Employee Recognition Committee elections to the Committee's policy document, while maintaining the Committee's make-up of 2 members from the classified staff, 2 members from the administrative-professional staff, and 1 member at-large; maintaining the rotating, 2-year term of membership; and maintaining the September-August Employee Recognition Committee year. The Task Force recommends that LET advertise, manage, and administer the elections.
   
   
8. Add an informal person-to-person activity to the Libraries' recognition program (see awards and criteria in Appendix I of this report)

   This is a retooling of the "index card" method of acknowledging and thanking co-workers, which was tried in the Libraries a few years ago

   • A "coupon" would be available as an MS Word document at Q:\MIS\Employee Recognition\. When library staff would like to thank and recognize a co-worker's good job or helping hand, the following occurs:
     • The staff member prints off the coupon and fills it out. Information included will be the name of the person filling it out (the "thanker"), the person who is to be recognized/thanked (the "thankee"), and a short statement of what the "thankee" did
     • The staff member sends it to LET (the specific member of LET to be determined by LET) no later than one week before the regular bi-monthly library staff meeting
     • LET (or (a) person(s) LET designates) fills out a "Celebrating You!" certificate for each "thankee"
     • At the staff meeting, during the "door prize" segment of the meeting, "Celebrating You!" certificates are handed out to the "thankees", and the coupons with the "thankees'" names will be in a fish bowl for one of the door prize drawings. (The Task Force noted a certificate that might be appropriate in the Baudville catalog (2004 - v. 118), p. 22, item #25192)
       
       
9. Change the existing Awards Program, including eliminating the TEAMS Award (see awards and criteria in Appendix I of this report)

   The TEAMS Awards was created to support and encourage teams and team-building efforts in the Libraries. While the spirit of this award remains valid, the Task Force and others have observed that working in groups and across Program Areas has become an established part of the Libraries staff work life. The Task Force proposes that this award be eliminated, and instead, groups be eligible for all other awards except for the STAR Award.

10. New and Continuing Awards:
    • Celebrating You! – thanks and recognition to co-workers for acts of kindness and helping on the job
    • Hidden Heroes Award – recognizing the value of behind-the-scenes support
    • Customer Commitment Award – recognizing exemplary customer service
    • Bright Idea Award – recognizing efficiency and innovation
    • Applause Award – recognizing exemplary performance
    • STAR Award – recognizing on-going excellence throughout the year
    • Outstanding Student Assistant Award – recognizing that student workers are valued along with non-student workers

Appendix I: Awards and their Criteria

Celebrating You!

Purpose:
Not an award in the usual sense, this is a way for individual staff members to recognize and thank their co-workers for acts or activities on the job, however small, that were helpful, kind, or noteworthy.

Eligibility:

• All library staff except the Dean/Director, Associate Directors, and library student assistant
• Recipients must be employed when the award is given

Criteria:

Any act of helping or kindness on the job, or work for a job well done, no matter how small, can be the basis for this award. In particular, this award can be a way to recognize an act or activity that might not fully qualify for one of the other awards in the Awards Program, but which still deserves thanks or recognition

Process:

• Any library staff member can give this award to another library staff member
• Staff members cannot give this award to themselves
• A Celebrating You! form is at Q:\MIS\Employee Recognition\CelebratingYou.doc
• Staff download the form, fill it out, print it, and send it to LET no later than 1 week before the bi-monthly library staff meeting
• All awards will be given, although LET reserves the right to ask the giver for more information if the reason for the award seems to be contrary to the spirit of thanking individuals for kind or helpful acts on the job

Award:

• A Celebrating You! certificate given at the library staff meeting
• Name put in a separate drawing for a door prize at the bi-monthly library staff meeting

The Hidden Heroes Award

Purpose:

Given throughout the year, the Hidden Heroes Award recognizes a library staff member for exemplary work behind the scenes to support her or his colleagues.

Eligibility:

• All library staff except the Dean/Director, Associate Directors, and library student assistants
• Recipients must be employed when the award is given

Criteria:

• The activity being recognized must have been performed in a non-public service and/or a support role
• The outcome of the activity must have provided a demonstrable and noteworthy benefit for a UTA Libraries program, process, or service

Nominations:

• Any library staff member can nominate another library staff member
• A library staff member can nominate him/herself

Award:

• Public announcement of the award at a library staff meeting
• A letter of commendation signed by the Dean/Director of Libraries, a copy of which is added to the winner's library personnel file
• A Hidden Heroes Award pin
• A listing of the award on the Employee Recognition Committee web site
• A photographic portrait taken by a UTA Publications Department photographer, a copy of which will be displayed on the first floor with a description of the activity for with the award was given

The Customer Commitment Award

Purpose:

Given throughout the year, the Customer Commitment Award recognizes a library staff member for great customer service, and who in doing so, becomes an ambassador for UTA.

Eligibility:

• All library staff except the Dean/Director, Associate Directors, and library student assistants
• Recipients must be employed when the award is given

Criteria:

• The activity being recognized must have been performed in a direct customer service role
• For this award, a "customer" is a member of the greater UTA Community (UTA students, faculty, and staff; community members not affiliated with UTA)
• For this award, a fellow UTA Libraries staff member is NOT considered a "customer" A UTA Libraries student assistant is considered a "customer" only of they were in a non-worker role when they benefited from the activity nominated for award (that is, this award recognizes customer service for external customers)
• The outcome of the activity must have been demonstrable excellent customer service, resulting in a notably happy and/or satisfied and/or benefited external customer

Nominations:

• Any library staff member can nominate another library staff member
• A library staff member can nominate him/herself

Award:

• Public announcement of the award at a library staff meeting
• A letter of commendation signed by the Dean/Director of Libraries, a copy of which is added to the winner's library personnel file
• A Customer Commitment Award pin
• A listing of the award on the Employee Recognition Committee web site
• A photographic portrait taken by a UTA Publications Department photographer, a copy of which will be displayed on the first floor with a description of the activity for with the award was given

The Bright Idea Award

Purpose:

The Bright Idea Award recognizes a UTA Libraries staff member whose "Bright Idea" represents innovation and has resulted in enhanced service, enhanced efficiency of operations, or cost savings for the library. This award is given throughout the year at library staff meetings.

Eligibility:

• All library staff except the Dean/Director, Associate Directors, and library student assistants
• Recipients must be employed at the UTA Libraries at the time the award is given

Criteria:

• The "Bright Idea" must have resulted in enhanced service, enhanced efficiency of operations, or cost savings for the library
  • Enhanced service can include:
    • A public service activity or function that has become more effective, faster, or easier to use for library users
    • An internal library activity or function that has become more effective, faster, or easier to use for other library staff
  • Enhanced efficiency of operations can include:
    • An internal library staff process that has become faster to accomplish, easier to accomplish, more effective in the outcome of the process, less disruptive of associated processes, and which generally makes it easier/faster/more efficient for staff to do their jobs
  • Cost savings for the library includes a change in process or function that requires that the library spend less money to accomplish the same or a better result
• The "Bright Idea" must have been successfully implemented

Nominations:

• Any library staff member can nominate another library staff member
• A library staff member can nominate him/herself

Award:

• Public announcement of the award, including the "Bright Idea" for which the award was given, at a library staff meeting
• A letter of commendation signed by the Dean/Director of Libraries, a copy of which is added to the winner's library personnel file
• A Bright Idea Award pin
• A listing of the award, including the "Bright Idea" for which the award was given, on the Employee Recognition Committee web site
• A photographic portrait taken by a UTA Publications Department photographer, a copy of which will be displayed on the first floor of Central Library along with a description of the "Bright Idea" for which the award was given

The Applause Award

Purpose:

The Applause Award recognizes a UTA Libraries staff member or group of UTA Libraries staff members for especially effective or noteworthy performance of an activity, special project, outreach pursuit, or short-term group endeavor. This award is given throughout the year at library staff meetings.

Eligibility:

• All library staff except the Dean/Director, Associate Directors, and library student assistants
• Recipients must be employed at the UTA Libraries at the time the award is given

Criteria:

• Evidence of effective or noteworthy performance of an activity, project, outreach pursuit, or short-term group endeavor includes:
  • A markedly positive effect on library users or UTA Libraries staff and/or a markedly improved opinion of the UTA Libraries by the campus or community
  • Willingness of the staff member to see a need, make decisions, take action, and follow through to a successful conclusion
  • A "short-term group endeavor" is an activity in which more than one person participates but for which a full "team" might not have developed, for example, due to the short duration of the project or the lack of a need for the development of team roles and team-building processes

Nominations:

• Any library staff member can nominate another library staff member
• A library staff member can nominate him/herself

Award:

• Public announcement of the award, including the activity for which the award was given, at a library staff meeting
• A letter of commendation signed by the Dean/Director of Libraries, a copy of which is added to the winner's library personnel file
• An Applause Award pin
• A listing of the award, including the activity for which the award was given, on the Employee Recognition Committee web site
• A photographic portrait taken by a UTA Publications Department photographer, a copy of which will be displayed on the first floor of Central Library along with a description of the activity for which the award was given

The STAR Award

Purpose:

Presented annually at the Spring Reception, The STAR (Super Talent Appreciated and Recognized) Award recognizes outstanding achievement, performance, or service to the Libraries.

Eligibility:

All library staff, except the Dean/Director, Associate and Assistant Directors, and members of the Employee Recognition Committee

The recipient must:

• have completed one year of employment in the UTA Libraries
• be employed in the Libraries when the award is given
• have not received the award the previous year

Criteria:

Nominees will be evaluated on one or more of the following criteria:

• Achievement on the job
• Excellence in job performance
• Service to the Libraries
• Bright ideas resulting in efficiency in operations or appreciable cost savings
• An activity, special project, or outreach pursuit which has been especially effective and/or noteworthy

Nominations:

Any employee of the Libraries, including an employee who may wish to nominate himself or herself, may make nominations.

Support:

The committee will seek supporting documentation based on the award criteria. This documentation shall include up to three letters from the nominee's supervisor, program coordinator, or other library employee who is knowledgeable of the nominee's contributions related to the criteria.

Award:

• a letter of commendation signed by the Dean/Director of Libraries
• a copy of the recommendation to the Dean/Director (which shall also be placed in the recipient's personnel file)
• a write-up in the Libraries' Newsletter
• a monetary award of $350.00 funded and presented by the Friends of the Libraries

The Outstanding Student Assistant Award

Purpose:

The Outstanding Student Assistant Award recognizes the outstanding performance of a UTA Libraries student assistant. This award is given twice a year, at the December and April staff meetings.

Eligibility:

• All student assistants who have been employed continuously by the UTA Libraries for two long semesters or for the combination of one long semester and one summer session.
• For the December award, the following combinations constitute minimum requirements for length of employment at the UTA Libraries:
  • Hired within the first two weeks of the previous Spring Semester and rejoining the same Program Area within the first two weeks of the current Fall Semester, regardless of summer employment
  • Hired within the first week of the previous First Summer Session, remaining employed with the same Program Area through the Second Summer Session, and rejoining the same Program Area within the first two weeks of the current Fall Semester
• For the April award, the following constitutes minimum requirements for length of employment at the UTA Libraries:
• Hired within the first two weeks of the previous Fall Semester and rejoining the same Program Area within the first two weeks of the current Spring Semester
• Recipients must be employed at the UTA Libraries at the time the award is given

Criteria:

• Demonstrated excellence in dependability, accurate and timely performance of tasks
• Interest and dedication to their work and to the UTA Libraries
• Willingness to develop and use skills and creativity and to appropriately expand the limits of their tasks in order to enhance the effectiveness of their work

Nominations:

• Any UTA Libraries student supervisor can nominate student assistants who they personally supervise. The student supervisor's Program Coordinator will be asked by the Employee Recognition Committee to provide written supportive statements to the nomination.
• The deadline for making nominations will be December 1 for the December award and April 1 for the April award.

Award:

• Public announcement of the award, including the activity for which the award was given, at the December or April library staff meeting
• Public announcement of the award, including the activity for which the award was given, at the Spring Reception (for both December and April award recipients)
• A letter of commendation signed by the Dean/Director of Libraries, [is there any place on campus that keeps student "dossiers" where a copy of this letter can be placed?]
• An Outstanding Student Assistant Award pin
• A listing of the award, including the activity for which the award was given, on the Employee Recognition Committee web site
• A gift certificate valued at an amount determined in consultation with the Dean/Director of Libraries during the semester that the award is given
• A press release with photograph for The Shorthorn
• Inclusion of his/her name on the plaque of Outstanding Student Assistant Award winners that hangs on the first floor of Central Library

Appendix II: Sample nomination form

Nomination for the Applause Award

The Applause Award recognizes a UTA Libraries staff member or group of UTA Libraries staff members for especially effective or noteworthy performance of an activity, special project, outreach pursuit, or short-term group endeavor. This award is given throughout the year at library staff meetings.

Evidence of effective or noteworthy performance of an activity, project, outreach pursuit, or short-term group endeavor includes:

• A markedly positive effect on library users or UTA Libraries staff and/or a markedly improved opinion of the UTA Libraries by the campus or community
• Willingness of the staff member(s) to see a need, make decisions, take action, and follow through to a successful conclusion.

All UTA Libraries staff members are eligible for the Applause Award EXCEPT the Dean/Director, Associate Directors, Graduate Research Assistants, and library student assistants. Recipients of the Applause Award must be employed at the UTA Libraries at the time the award is given. Any UTA Libraries staff member can submit a nomination. UTA Libraries staff members can also nominate themselves.