“Pay It Forward”

 Recognition Program

Guidelines (Effective 12/08/06)

I.                     Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide a platform by which one employee may share and pay tribute to the positive workplace-based contributions and

efforts of another employee, with an overall goal of enhancing employee morale.

The program is designed to encourage employees to be more aware of the positive efforts made by their fellow employees and to show appreciation by sharing and “paying forward” the recognition and praise they, themselves, receive from other employees.   The ultimate goal is to foster a spirit of positive employee morale and cooperativeness without regard to employee position or authority.

II.                   Eligibility

The employees are the benefactors of this program.  An employee of the County department may choose to share and pay tribute to the efforts of an employee assigned to their own or another department.  In keeping with the spirit of the “pay it forward” philosophy, through the natural evolution of the program, when the employees in one department have finished recognizing the efforts of those within their own department, the award will be paid “forward” to some other employee in another County department.

III.                  Scope of Recognition

In light of the purpose of this program, the criteria used by an employee to pay tribute or recognition to another employee will be based on the opinion and judgment of the employee bestowing the recognition award, providing the reason for the tribute or recognition is based on an attribute, function or characteristic that is performed and/or exhibited in the workplace or that contributes to a positive work environment. 

Examples of recognition may be one’s success in consistently diffusing difficult situations with the public; successful completion of a special project that was executed while regular duties were also satisfactorily completed; completing a highly complex or significant project prior to its scheduled completion date; creating and assisting in implementing cost-savings measures within the department, etc.

IV.              Process

1.   Initial Kick-Off Meeting

a.   In a pre-scheduled meeting with department employees, the bestowing department will introduce the “Pay It Forward Recognition Program”, and this document distributed to, and reviewed with employees.

b.   In the presence of the department director and all or available employees, the bestowing employee will introduce the recipient of the Award by reading from a recognition certificate that will be provided to the recipient; a copy being placed in the employee’s file.

c.   The “Pay It Forward Recognition Award” (trophy) will be presented to the deserving employee, with the certificate describing the reason for the award. 

d.   The newly recognized Award recipient will become the facilitator of the next meeting and will be prepared to recognize the efforts of another employee, and pass the recognition and Award to the new recipient.  All scheduling by the newly recognized Award recipient for the next meeting will be made with the concurrence of the department head or his/her designee.

2.                  Follow-on Meetings

a.    The Award recipient will open the meeting with a brief welcome.

b.   The current holder of the Award will introduce the new recipient of the Award by reading from the certificate that will be provided to the recipient; a copy being placed in the employee’s file.

c.   In the presence of employees, the "Pay It Forward Recognition Award" (trophy) will be presented to the deserving employee, with the certificate describing the reason(s) for the recognition.

d.   The newly-recognized Award recipient will become the facilitator of the next meeting and will be prepared to recognize the efforts of another employee, and pass the recognition and Award to the new recipient.  All scheduling by the newly-recognized Award recipient for the next meeting will be made with the concurrence of the department head or his/her designee.