How do you create an environment where people feel welcome and rewarded for a job well done? It’s a question we put to three top-performing agencies.

The three agencies we asked:

• Department of Financial Institutions
• Attorney General’s Office
• State Investment Board

All three have Performance Management Confirmation and can reward employees with pay. But each agency says employees welcome any kind of recognition for a job well done.

Specific practices at DFI

“We try to communicate our expectations to employees. This helps them to understand how their work fits in with the goals of the agency,” said DFI Director of Administration Gloria Papiez. At the Department of Financial Institutions, employees are recognized in a number of ways:

• Employee of the Month Awards: Employees are nominated by their peers, supervisors, or managers.
• “Get Caught Doing Something Right” Recognition Program: Employees and managers fill out an Employee Recognition form. The person also gives the employee an item from the Recognition Tool Kit (full of small treats).
• Individual recognition: Divisions within DFI also thank their employees in a variety of ways.

Specific practices at AGO

“We have always implemented best practice methods, techniques, and processes,” said AGO HR Director Pam Skinner. “This means including employees in the decision-making process and listening to them.” Some of the ways employees are recognized at the Attorney General’s Office:

• Employee Recognition E-mails: E-mails sent from Attorney General Rob McKenna to thank an employee for a particular accomplishment.
• Employee Recognition Awards: Peer driven nomination and selection program.
• Employee Newsletter Kudos: Another way of thanking employees publicly with a regular “kudos” column in the AGO newsle