Imagine two shimmering state-of-the-art spacecraft soaring through time and space. Each spacecraft contains the best of everything and each crew is very proud of their vessel. Both vessels venture forth seeking the stars and all that is good.
This is an analogy of what the individual recognition programs were like within Purchasing and Financial Management. Each program sought to honor all good workers within their respective organizations. Each program provided a variety of ways to recognize staff members for contributing to their workplace in a positive way both formally and informally.
So, what do you do when both of these outstanding programs meet up? You combine the best of each one to construct a super starship, the Pride of the Fleet! Both crews jumped into their space boots and worked towards one purpose: to create something that combined the best from each program and provided additional ways for staff to recognize one another. The way these two crews worked together would make even Star Fleet Command smile!
Here is how the “mind meld” went: The Purchasing and Stores recognition team
(DeAnn Wells, Chris Payne, Suzanne Knoblet, Carolyn Drebert, Susan Lowney, Debbie Carter and Trudy Still) and the members of the FM recognition team met to “beam up” the two programs. Financial Management recognition program had The Outstanding Performance Salute (TOPS). The TOPS was replaced by the STAR Award. (STAR stands for Successfully Taking Another Route, e.g. to assist a client or streamline a work process; not to be confused with taking another route into the Andromeda galaxy, which can be very dangerous, but that is another story…).
Prior to the mind meld, both Purchasing and FM had their own separate versions of a Team Spirit Award, so guess what? A single, unified TEAM SPIRIT award emerged. And finally, Purchasing had a SPIRIT award that included awards such as a key chain, a money clip, a business card holder and a fancy-schmancy pen. Some Purchasing folk may feel sad to see the SPIRIT award has gone away, but the selection of gift items are still available to recipients of the current BRAVO award. All these awards were incorporated and given “active duty” into the new Financial Management recognition program. It was a win-win for everyone!
What’s new and exciting for the RQT this year? The Husky Card has been added as an option for the Recognition Treat ($3) and Bravo Award ($10). FM employees can now use their Husky card at any Housing & Food Service cafeteria, at coffee shops on campus and at selected shops on the “Ave”. The RQT developed its own team logo and created a very nice card to be used with the CARE award. The current FM RQT (Anne Lawson, Joyce Halwas, Maria Bayya, Elisa Bondoc, Gwen Darden, Andrea Edmon, Laura Hightower, Susan Malysiak, Sophia Meyering and Susan Powell) are hard at work implementing ongoing improvements to further encourage all FM personnel to show appreciation towards one another.
So, the next time someone does something nice, or goes the extra mile, or thinks of a way to improve the jet thrusters, please recognize them for their initiative and efforts. All of us will definitely “live long and prosper” if we make good use of our new and improved recognition program. Beam up something good for someone who deserves it- it doesn’t get much better! Spock out.
