With bigger budgets and higher profits, corporate America sometimes outshines higher education in areas such as compensation. But here's one area where they're on even turf: creatively rewarding and recognizing employees.
Companies typically recognize productive workers with all sorts of material rewards that would leave some professors drooling. However, universities and colleges have achieved similar results by changing focus. Oftentimes, it's the small things that people do or say that creates the biggest impact.
"Universities face the same thing as corporate America," explains Bob Nelson, an HR consultant and a professor at the University of California, San Diego. "We think the things that are really important are the things we spend money on, but all evidence points to the fact that it's the way you treat people, the way you show they're important and value what they did."
Employees share the basic need to feel important, involved, included, and acknowledged.
So it's the intangible things that count. Nelson says the No. 1 predictor of tenure of employees in any industry is the relationship that they have with their immediate supervisors. Likewise, his research has shown that employee praise is among the top 10 staff motivators.
It doesn't take much to praise an employee. Saying a few words in the hallway. Maybe circulating a thank-you letter from a student or at staff meetings, or inviting people to praise any co-worker for a job well done.
Nelson, also author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees (Workman Publishing, 1994), says employees are all human and share the basic need to feel important, involved, included, and acknowledged when they've done a good job.
"The need for pats on the back is real, especially in an educational environment where there's a higher calling," says Nelson, adding that employees take pride in their contributions and want to be recognized for them.
M&Ms to Trading Cards
Some reward programs reflect the organization's culture. Take the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation in Phoenix, which values community involvement. Each year, it presents five high achievers-who can be faculty, staff, or administrators-with a $1,000 scholarship that is awarded to a student. The employee names the scholarship, sets the criteria, and can sit on the scholarship-selection committee, if desired. The foundation then announces the employee's name in an e-mail that's distributed to all 5,000 employees throughout the foundation and college district.
"You have to thank people, thank them often, and find creative ways to thank them," says Alma Padilla, director of operations at the foundation. She believes this program not only recognizes employees for their accomplishments, but also sends a message about the importance of helping people in the community.
Other programs honor a school's entire workforce. For five days in June, the 5,000 employees at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque participate in a series of events during staff appreciation week, says Karin Retskin, administrative coordinator for the school's staff council.
Although the activities vary from year to year, all events are held during lunchtime. For example, employees who moonlight as artists can display and sell their creations-anything from paintings to pottery to quilts-in a makeshift gallery on campus. Besides an opening reception, there's also a people's choice award, which is covered by the local newspaper. Retskin reminds staff about the show via e-mail, mentions the names of the school's retirees who will be gallery sitting, and encourages everyone to stop by.
On another day, a book exchange is held. Staff who bring used books from home enter the event one hour before doors open for remaining staff. Employees can take as many books as they want, she says, explaining that some books are donated by the local Friends of the Library and are sold for $1 each with the proceeds benefiting a library in Ghana.
Staff and faculty at Johnson & Wales send "campus that cares"
cards to each other.
The week's activities also include a free outdoor concert and a health focus day with free yoga demonstrations, back massages, and a group hike around campus.
"We do all of this to celebrate staff," says Retskin, adding that most universities could mirror these same events. "We get wonderful feedback from staff who absolutely love it and want to know what the next day's event is. We encourage managers to work with their staff to come to some of these events without [sacrificing] lunch hours or annual leave."
