Employee Recognition
Employee recognition acknowledges employees for exemplary performance or service. Recognizing your colleagues goes a long way in creating a positive working environment. At Smith, we have a few formal ways of recognizing and appreciating our employees.
Some benefits of practicing employee recognition include:
- Increased productivity
- Job satisfaction
- Better employee retention
- Better networking opportunities
- Positive employee-employer relationship
- A healthy, positive environment
Staff Spotlight Award
What is a Staff Spotlight Award?
The Staff Spotlight Award recognizes staff for going above and beyond the everyday scope of their responsibilities.
Why is it important to have a Staff Spotlight Award?
Employees feel more connected to the workplace culture when they receive recognition for service excellence. Through a nomination system, the Staff Spotlight Award celebrates achievements and reinforces values and behaviors. Recipients receive a monetary gift shortly after their nominations and are invited to a special Staff Spotlight Award celebration in the spring.
How will nominees be categorized?
Nominees will be categorized by the following:
- Service excellence
- Process improvement/development
- Problem solving
- Fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment
- Other (to be described by the nominator)
Years of Service
Smith College recognizes and honors employees who have reached certain service milestones. Awards are presented to employees in recognition of years of service beginning at 10 years and every five-year milestone through 35 years and beyond. Each Spring, a special event is held in their honor.
After addressing the honorees, the president presents a special gift to staff reaching their 25th year of service with the college, thereby inducting them into the Twenty-Five Year Club.
All honorees are presented with a certificate signed by the president of Smith College.
25-Year Club
The 25-Year Club was established in 1958 by Grace Asserson, the college’s employment manager, as a means of recognizing and expressing the college's appreciation to those staff members—retired and still employed—who had completed 25 or more years of service. Grace retired in 1971 after 30 years of service; she passed away in 1983.
Although we now formally recognize employees with fewer than 25 years of service, this club has a special significance for employees simply by its uniqueness and by the number of years required for membership.
The symbol of club membership is a gold pin that is a replica of the Grécourt Gates (in front of College Hall), with a diamond in the center of the pin. Formal recognition and club membership is accomplished at the Years of Service Awards, held each year.
Informal Recognition
Besides these formal ways of recognizing people, here are some examples of Informal recognition that you can use to share your appreciation for a colleague’s contributions to your team:
- Email on a job well done
- Treat the department to lunch
- Bring in a special treat (fruit dish, cake, donuts) “just because”
- Coordinate a team event (bowling, etc.)
- Gift card for lunch at the campus center
Take the time to acknowledge your colleagues today and tomorrow for a stronger future!