By Malenah Hunter, Associate Director of Membership and Awards, ̽»¨Â¥
The found that a significant indicator for retention is the likelihood of employees looking for other employment. Of the variables surveyed, the strongest correlate of retention is general job satisfaction. This means that as job satisfaction increases, the likelihood of looking for other employment decreases. A common pain point affecting employee satisfaction is not being recognized for their contributions. Only a little more than half of the employees surveyed stated they’ve received some form of acknowledgement for doing good work.
Although the showed varying levels of improvement across job satisfaction variables, 1 in 4 employees disagreed that they were rewarded for their efforts.
As it turns out, being appreciated and valued by others is far more important than the standard incentives and benefits. More and more, employees desire stronger recognition at work. Institutions can strengthen a sense of belonging for their staff by recognizing contributions, reinforcing the purpose of work, encouraging employee voices, and fostering supportive relationships.
While daily verbal or informal acknowledgments are great, tangible rewards remain the most effective form of thanking people for a job well done. Awards publicly acknowledge hard work and can validate that efforts are not going unnoticed. Even being nominated for an award is a boost in self-confidence and shows that the work is on the right track; it’s encouragement to keep going, even when it may seem like it’s not making an impact.
There are many reasons why ̽»¨Â¥ places so much importance on awards and has spent over 60 years honoring both members and nonmembers for their outstanding contributions to higher education and the association. ̽»¨Â¥ Awards:
Highlight the best work, innovations, and dedicated leadership in the field.
Build a culture of appreciation and belonging, reminding people that their contributions have meaning.
Motivate people to stay active and engaged, and to keep moving higher-ed forward.
Serve as a record of how people’s work has shaped the field over time.
Show that excellence is valued and worth celebrating.
All of this is made possible by our members who continuously do the work every day and behind the scenes to serve their students and institutions.
Here’s how you can keep this important tradition going:
for an ̽»¨Â¥ Award. You can submit as many nominations as you like. Nominees are only notified that they have been nominated for an award and must accept to be considered. Eligible nominations are reviewed by the ̽»¨Â¥ Awards Committee, and recipients are notified in December.
Encourage your friends and colleagues in the field to as well.
Attend the 111th ̽»¨Â¥ Annual Meeting in person, where recipients will be honored during the Opening Session.
Continue to support the profession and community in other ways, inspiring the next award recipients.
̽»¨Â¥ Award nominations open August 1 and close on October 31 every year. .
Nominations require a login to ̽»¨Â¥ Community. First time logging in? Review the login FAQs. Have questions? Email awards@aacrao.org.