How UBC’s internal awards impact employee recognition and well-being

The internal awards program was launched in 1991 with the President’s Service Awards for Excellence, which recognizes up to five individuals across campuses for their body of work and accomplishments under a set criteria. In 2008, it was expanded to the university’s Okanagan campus to include the Principal’s Staff Awards across seven categories: advancing anti-racism and inclusive excellence, campus spirit, enhancing the UBC experience, global citizenship, leadership, sustainability and well-being.

Read: 47% of U.S. employees would like to receive more recognition for their work: survey

A year later, the President’s Staff Awards was introduced at the Vancouver campus with similar categories. The awards were added to help develop the university’s focus on its people and human resources strategy, notes Berner.

Award recipients are chosen by a diverse panel of faculty, staff and students from each campus. “Although it takes many hours of their time to read through the nominations, people are happy to do it because it’s a joy to read the accomplishments of their colleagues and mentors. It can be a positive, uplifting experience that offsets some of the challenges that might come with day-to-day work.”

Positive impacts

All of UBC’s internal awards provide a level of employee recognition that can have positive impacts for staff and the organization as a whole, says Berner.

“The recognition from these awards can help with employees’ mental well-being and productivity. We strongly value psychological health and safety in the workplace and employee wellbeing, so we try to embed mental health and wellness into all our programs and practices across the institution.”

Read: CGI Group promoting mental-health support through compassion tool, employee recognition

Indeed, as long as employee recognition is authentic and focused on respect, it can have a direct positive impact on employee health, says Arla Day, a professor in occupational health psychology at Saint Mary’s University. “When you have supportive and respectful [leadership], which hopefully reflects the entire workplace culture, it can help with mental health, psychological safety and reduced burnout.”

Highlighting employee accomplishments is also beneficial for recruitment, she adds, noting the way employers treat their employees can be an excellent marketing tool. When employees express how much they love their job and the recognition they receive, it can improve the reputation of the organization. The same goes for retention — employees who feel valued coming to work every day will stay with the company.

The UBC awards help to create a culture of appreciation and teamwork while staff celebrate one another, says Alex Bayne, managing director of human resources at the Okanagan campus. “To see faculty and staff nominating each other shows appreciation for their peers and the work they’re putting in. Primarily, our nominations come from faculty and staff, but sometimes students submit a nomination. It means a lot when staff are recognized by students for making an impact on their educational experience.”

Ensuring authenticity

Internal awards and any other type of employee recognition programs can be effective, as long as they’re authentic and the process is transparent, says Day.

“Employers have to think about whether what they’re offering is actually valuable and meaningful to employees. [It helps] if they feel like they’re part of the process, if they’ve helped design or contribute to the recognition. Employers have to talk with employees in order to understand how to recognize them appropriately . . . and they have to think about what works for their organization specifically.”

Read: Employee recognition leads to decreased absenteeism, increased productivity: report

However, it can’t just be about recognition programs, she adds, noting employers must also be paying adequate salaries, treating everyone fairly and creating a healthy working environment. “Recognition programs are going to fall flat if they’re only done once a year and then the next day employees get treated poorly. That’s why it has to be authentic and an ongoing effort. It doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t have to cost much. How much does it cost to . . . tell employees they’re doing a great job?”

During the UBC’s internal awards ceremony most recipients are very humbled as they recognize the authenticity and significance of the awards, notes Berner. “A lot of people who receive the awards are so humbled that they feel almost shy or embarrassed to accept them. It just goes to show that they’re not about their own glory and [it’s a community effort].”

Indeed, Bayne says employees at the Okanagan campus are thrilled and humbled to be recognized as well. “What we see most is the sense of gratitude for the people who took the time to acknowledge their hard work. When they all come together to be celebrated as a group by the leaders on campus, it speaks to their contribution, which is important for engagement. And I think what’s fascinating for a university of our size is the diversity of submissions and what people get awarded for.”

Read: Employee recognition has larger impact on engagement, productivity than salary: survey

A prime example was during the summer of 2023, when the Okanagan campus was evacuated due to wildfires. The campus security team was nominated for the campus spirit award, which resonated with everyone involved, says Bayne, noting these employees were doing their best to keep the entire campus safe so the recognition meant a lot.

Sadie Janes is an associate editor at Benefits Canada and the Canadian Investment Review. She’s currently on maternity leave.