Every employee at PROVAIL is valuable and plays an important role in helping our campus fulfill its mission. Our goal is to retain the employees we have and encourage them to develop at PROVAIL, both personally and professionally, while providing them with the tools to do so. Since each employee is different, we have a number of methods available to accomplish this.

Perhaps the best place to start is by asking your employees directly how they would like to be recognized and rewarded. The insights they provide may open your eyes to the variety of opportunities available and enable you to more effectively demonstrate that you appreciate their contributions to the workplace. 

Managers can survey their own teams to learn the preferred methods of recognition. More introverted individuals, for instance, may want to remain low-key, while others appreciate being publicly praised. Research shows that employees like:

• Time off, overtime, discretionary time (rules vary depending on job classification)
• Food (pizza, coffee and baked goods, monthly fruit box delivery)
• Peer recognition
• Gift cards, prizes, sports tickets
• Personal thank you note or award certificate printed on quality card stock
• After-work activities, team bonding time
• “Rock star” status, gold stars, traveling trophy
• Office parties or field trips to parts of campus
• Public recognition (employee of the month, newsletter spotlight, shout-outs)
• Professional growth opportunities; take a professional class or attend a conference
• Opportunities to participate on a committee or a high visibility project
• Cross-training
• Take to lunch or to coffee
• Remote work opportunities, flexible schedule
• Off-site retreat for project team
• Promotional opportunities
• Recognition in their professional field
• Networking opportunities; lunch or coffee with a senior leader
• Leading expert training

PROVAIL Superstars

A peer recognition program that celebrates hard work and outstanding customer service. Fill out this form for a colleague or team who goes above and beyond to demonstrate PROVAIL’s values:

• Honor self-directed life choices
• Value growth, discovery, and new experiences
• Encourage independence, integration, and inclusion in and by the community
• Uphold the value of health and safety throughout the agency
• Support respect and dignity of the individual
• Celebrate creativity, innovation, and forward thinking
• Recognize that our sustainability is essential to our future

Nominees will receive a certificate of recognition, be honored at our next All Hands meeting (only if they feel comfortable with it), and entered into a raffle for a prize.