Employee Appreciation and Recognition Policy
1. General
This policy is intended to appreciate and recognize an employee, a department and our
entire staff for outstanding contributions that further the goals and objectives of
<<name of practice>>. Sincere thanks never grow old. Ongoing, meaningful appreciation
and recognition provide an effective, low cost way of raising moral and encouraging
higher levels of performance.
2. Recognition Categories
o Day to Day – Managers, supervisors, leadership and staff personally acknowledge an
individual for a job well done/contributions to the practice.
o Career Milestones – this recognition involves recognizing employee milestones such
as years of service, achievement of professional education (i.e., Certification,
Master’s Degree).
o Celebration/Group Events – Recognition in this category can include, but is not
limited to acknowledgement and appreciation for successful completion of project,
achievement of quality or utilization metrics, practice anniversaries, overall
employee appreciation and more.
3. Implementation
Identification of employee recognition/motivators: Managers, Supervisors and the
Hiring Manager/Office Manager are responsible for learning and identifying how
individual employees would like to be appreciated and/or recognized. Managers and
Supervisors are encouraged to:
1. Ask new hires about a favorite previous recognition moment during orientation
or onboarding
2. See a team member as a complete person and ask questions to help identify
employee motivators
3. Get to know staff to be able to use what you know to identify recognition an
employee would value
o Day to Day – Managers, supervisors and leadership are responsible to personally
acknowledge employee contributions to the practice. This can include verbal or
written thanks for a task well done.
o Career Milestones/Advancement – The Office Manager is responsible for
acknowledging years of service recognition at each quarterly staff meeting.
Employees who have achieved an annual anniversary during the quarter will be
acknowledged and recognized at the staff meeting for years of service to the
practice. In addition:
o Employees who achieve three years of service will receive <<fill in blank>>.
o Employees who achieve five years of service will receive <<fill in blank>>.
o Employees who achieve ten years of service will receive <<fill in blank>>.
1|Page
Developed by the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians (NJAFP).
224 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 www.njafp.org
©2015 NJAFP
o Employees who achieve fifteen years of service will receive <<fill in blank>>.
o Employees who achieve twenty years of service will receive <<fill in blank>>.
New Hire Thank You - After one month of service, a new staff member will receive a
thank you or appreciation note from the <<fill in blank here, Immediate Supervisor,
Manager, Office Manager or Leadership>>, identifying at least one contribution the
new staff member made or highlight a positive comment about the new hire within
his/her first 30 days of employment. The <<Office Manager or Hiring Manager>> will
<< write a thank you or send a reminder to Manger five days prior to the staff
member’s 30th day on the job so the thank you can be written and provided to the
new hire.>>
o Celebration/Group Events - Once a year on the <<fill in blank, could be date practice
opened, first day of summer, Flag Day, whatever>> practice will host an Employee
Appreciation and Recognition Day. Employees will be notified/ reminded of this date
90 days in advance. The practice will <<fill in blank here regarding annual activities
that will take place, see 100 No Cost or Low Cost Appreciation and Recognition Ideas
attached to this policy>>. The Office Manager is responsible for working with
<<leadership, team of staff members>> to execute the celebration.
4. Monitoring
This policy will be reviewed at least every two years by the Office Manager for any
changes or updates.
Effective Date:
Approved By:
___________________________
Signature
2|Page
________________
Date
Developed by the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians (NJAFP).
224 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 www.njafp.org
©2015 NJAFP