Employment Manual

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

POLICY

Lincolnshire Stars

The aim of this policy is a recognition scheme that will demonstrate and deliver on the Council’s ethos that

employees are our greatest asset, meet the objectives below and support the aims of the People Strategy and Council

Business Plan.

This document applies to all County Council Employees, excluding schools

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION POLICY - Lincolnshire Stars CONTENTS TABLE EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION POLICY - Lincolnshire Stars ........................................ 2 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. 2 OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................. 2 RESPONSIBILITIES................................................................................................... 2

DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS ....................................................... 2 HEADS OF SERVICE............................................................................................. 3 MANAGERS ........................................................................................................... 3 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - PEOPLE AND MODERNISATION ............................... 3

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROCESS ................................................................... 3 Categories of Award............................................................................................ 3 Criteria................................................................................................................. 4 Definition of Team ............................................................................................... 4 Employee Recognition Panel .............................................................................. 4 How will Staff Efforts be Recognised................................................................... 4 Nominations ........................................................................................................ 5

FURTHER INFORMATION ........................................................................................ 5

SUMMARY The aim of this policy is a recognition scheme that will demonstrate and deliver on the Council’s ethos that employees are our greatest asset, meet the objectives below and support the aims of the People Strategy and Council Business Plan. The scheme recognises and values staff achievements and contributions that make a difference to the customers they provide services for. The scheme promotes and supports a culture where new ideas are shared and good practice and innovation is recognised throughout the organisation, thereby exemplifying LCC’s values PERFORMS.

OBJECTIVES Formally celebrate employee’s achievements in relation to Customer service excellence, service improvement and the PERFORMS values. Promote best practice. Improve productivity and employee engagement. Support and promote the PERFORMS values and a culture of recognition.

RESPONSIBILITIES

DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS Ensuring the Recognition Scheme is implemented in their Directorate . Ensuring that managers are committed to the policy. Regularly sitting on the Employee Recognition Panel.

Making nominations and encouraging others to do so. Using methods of informal recognition within own teams to promote a culture of recognition. Provide funding to support the scheme.

HEADS OF SERVICE Active promotion and support of the scheme within their service area. Making nominations and encouraging others to do so. Using methods of informal recognition within own teams to promote a culture of recognition.

MANAGERS Promotion and support of the scheme to their teams and departments. Making nominations and encouraging others to do so. Using methods of informal recognition within own teams to promote a culture of recognition.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR - PEOPLE AND MODERNISATION Review and revision of the policy.

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROCESS The council will host a Chief Executive’s annual recognition award ceremony to celebrate and reward the best nominations for the year from across the directorates. This scheme will reward outstanding achievement for effort above and beyond the normal job responsibilities, to employees and teams who have made a significant positive difference to the customers they provide for. This includes both external and internal customers.

Categories of Award Monthly awards and one overall winner annually in the following categories: Star Team Award (supporting either internal or external customers). Star Employee - (supporting either internal or external customers). Plus one annual award for: People’s Choice - One annual award by public nomination. Throughout the year nominations for recognition awards are sought from customers, colleagues and managers on a monthly basis. All nominations will be listed on George and LCC Connects. Nominations will be encouraged and submitted from the customer/service user, particularly where an employee and/or team has made a significant difference to the quality of their lives.

Criteria This scheme will reward outstanding achievement for effort above and beyond the normal job responsibilities, to employees and teams who have made a significant positive difference to the customers they provide for. The emphasis of the award is on customer service and service improvement in line with the PERFORMS values. Annual winners are likely to be for achievements which might potentially be suitable for national awards, for example the Local Government Association Employee of the Year Award. The employee recognition scheme aims to help develop a culture where new ideas are shared and good practice and innovation is recognised throughout the organisation, thereby exemplifying our PERFORMS values. Every nomination must show how the work/achievement relates to the council’s PERFORMS Values which are:

Putting customers first Encouraging innovation in a learning organisation Results and successful outcomes matter most Focussed on the needs of the citizen, customer and community Openness and honesty, welcoming of challenge and being accountable Respecting and including everyone, with equality of opportunity & celebration of diversity Making a difference through community leadership Setting challenging standards; always striving to improve services

Definition of Team For the purposes of the recognition scheme a team is defined as a group of between 2-20 people working jointly on a specific project or outcome. When making team nominations all team members should be named.

Employee Recognition Panel An Employee Recognition Panel will be established with Assistant Directors from each Directorate, the Assistant Chief Executive for Partnerships, and an HR representative. This group will: contribute to and support the development and implementation of the LCC

Employee Recognition scheme understand the criteria and select winners from the nominations based on this receive nominations on a monthly basis and select one winner for each category

every month decide on the monthly winners and select one overall winner for each category

annually be transparent in their decisions

How will Staff Efforts be Recognised All nominations will be listed on the Lincolnshire Stars webpage and in Insight. Winners for each category will be selected by the recognition panel and announced through the same media. Monthly winners will receive a branded Lincolnshire Stars paperweight, an invitation to attend the annual ceremony and be considered for the annual award.

Annual Winners – all monthly winners will be invited to the annual ceremony where the overall winners of each category for the year will be announced. The annual prize will be detailed on the Lincolnshire Stars webpage and accompanying literature.

Nominations

Who Can Nominate? Customers, service users, business partners etc. Employees and Colleagues (within or outside of service area). Line managers. You will need to have direct knowledge of the work that has resulted in the nomination for achievement. Please note that to ensure we are able to properly recognise all achievements across the council, people cannot be nominated for the same activity or achievement more than once within the year. Who Can Be Nominated? You can nominate any directorate county council employee, except for your partner or a member of your family. You can also nominate teams for the recognition scheme. Please see team definition above. Please only nominate people if you have direct knowledge of their work. How Do People Nominate? Nominations can be made via George from the recognition scheme page by completing the nomination form. This form is also available in paper format from the customer service centre. What Happens to the Nomination Managers will be notified when a nomination has been received for a member of their team. If a manager should have any concerns about a nomination going forward to the recognition panel for an award they will need to put their reasons for concern to the employee recognition panel for consideration. Where this happens the nominee will be informed.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Long Service Awards - employees who have attained 20, 35 or 40 years continuous service in Lincolnshire County Council are rewarded for their contribution and effort with Long Service Awards. Updated April 2009