
It's easy and meaningful to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of employees for their work every day, as well as after the completion of projects both large and small.
Taxable Income: Rewards such as cash, gift cards, debit cards or gift certificates are considered taxable income. Any decision to use these types of rewards should be discussed with your supervisor and/or your Financial Transaction Center or Business Service Center.
Bargaining Units: If your employee is represented by one of Cornell’s bargaining units, please consult with Workplace Policy and Labor Relations (lmj6; 607-255-6866) before you implement recognition ideas marked by an * as there may be restrictions on these types of rewards.
Related: Employee recognition programs and awards
Contact the Cornell Rewards and Recognition Committee: recognition@cornell.edu
- Say “thank you” on a regular basis
- Smile. It's contagious.
- Notice and praise progress towards a goal
- Check in on a project to give encouragement
- Check in on employees performing daily work to recognize those efforts
- Acknowledge each team member’s contribution
- Provide immediate positive reinforcement
- Commend employees for small successes
- Praise employees publicly
- Email a note of appreciation and copy the employee’s supervisor
- Handwrite a note of thanks for a job well done
- Encourage, enable and empower employees to provide feedback, input and observations
- Encourage employees to take advantage of development opportunities
- Encourage a team mentality; emphasize the importance of working together
- Recognize the different roles and strengths each employee contributes
- *Casual dress on Fridays
- *Support “flex-friendly” schedules
- Present “State of Department” reports to your employees acknowledging the work and contributions of individuals and teams
- Encourage and implement ideas from employees shared at staff or other group meetings
- *Car wash and/or wax
- *Round of golf
- *Occasional lunch or dinner
- “Kudos” candy bars
- Pack(s) of “Extra” gum
- *Magazine subscriptions
- *Theatre or Movie tickets
- *Tickets to sporting event
- *One day parking pass
- Nominations for quarterly employee recognition
- Nominations for special acknowledgments
- *New/varied work or special assignment
- *Attendance at work-related seminar
- Personalized coffee mug
- *Afternoon or day off for project completion
- *Institutional Logo Items
- Create a trophy to be passed around to a different employee each month
- *Day off for a job well done
- Intermittent gatherings with refreshments or departmental luncheons
- *Occasionally hold a offsite meetings and provide a meal
- *Outing to sporting or other event
- Years of service celebrations
- Occasional free refreshments
- *Off-campus retreats
- *Team Morale Building Events
- Arrange for a team to present the results of its efforts to leadership
- Celebrate with employees at the end of a project
- *Schedule an afternoon or extended lunch hour for activities such as playing board games, softball, soccer, volleyball, and/or miniature-golf
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