Recognition Ideas for Student Employees

Recognition is important to expressing appreciation for the valuable work student employees provide to your department/agency.  There are a variety of ways in which a supervisor may recognize student employees for little or no cost.  The following are some ideas that can help you recognize your student employees in a special way. 

Please remember that departmental funds may not be used to pay for gifts, meals, gift certificates, or other items with an associated cost.

Low Cost

• Treat Day - full-time staff bring in treats/lunch for student employees.
• Food - reward students for a job well done with a treat of their choosing.
• Take pictures - post employee pictures and list what wonderful things they do for your department.
• Coupon Booklets - this is always a hit with students!  Insert coupons for a free can of soda, movie night at the boss’ house (everyone needs to redeem for this one), one dozen home baked goodies, etc.  Be creative in designing your own coupons
• Notes Home - send a note to the families of your student employees.  Let them know what the student does, how their work impacts your department, and how terrific the student is.
• Have your staff wear special name tags honoring student employees (STUDENT EMPLOYEES ARE GREAT EMPLOYEES – WE APPRECIATE OUR STUDENT EMPLOYEES)
• Buy low cost, blank certificates and make up silly awards for students: best telephone voice, best web-surfer, etc.
• Friendship Plants - take cuttings from a plant in the office and give to each student as a live “connection” to the office.
• Bright Ideas - spray paint a light bulb gold, screw into a jar of play-dough and make a label around the jar naming who is receiving the “Bright Idea” award.
• Take your student employees to lunch or buy them pizza.
• Give “gag” awards: “hazardous duty” (cleaning coffee machine); longest drive, etc.
• Good Egg Award - buy plastic Easter Eggs, fill with goodies and give out with “Good Egg” certificates.  List what the student did to deserve this award.
• Handwritten thank you notes on cards sent to on campus P.O. boxes.
• Bake cakes for student employees on their birthdays.
• Buy low cost gifts and gift certificates to reward students for a job well done.
• "Kudos" certificates attached to a Kudos candy bar.
• Give stickers to all employees and ask them to hand them out when they see someone doing a good job. 
• Traveling trophy - each recipient hands it off to the next recipient.
• Develop a token system to earn points for items.
• Surprise incentive - put a reward somewhere in a project that requires persistence (filing) to surprise the student.

Free 

• Pat on the Back - Draw an outline of your hand on a piece of paper.  Photocopy enough copies for all students in your office.  On each hand write a note that tells the student why they deserve a “Pat on the Back”.
• Change the department phone message to recognize student employees.
• Look around the office or at home for a white elephant item.  Name the item for the award (Employee of the Month/Week, Great Idea Award, Gotcha Award - catch someone in the act of doing something good).
• Decorate an office bulletin board or the office door in recognition of your students.
• Chalk the sidewalk in front of your office saying “thanks” to your student employees.
• Verbally thank students for their contribution to your department.
• "You Rock" award - print "You Rock" on a rock and present it to someone when they go a good job.  Encourage the student to present it to another member of the staff when they observe someone doing a good job.
• Nominate students for CSB or SJU Student Employee of the Year or CSB/SJU Student Team of the Year.
• Develop a peer recognition program (e.g. employee of the month/week - other students can give input or feedback) and place on a tag board or poster for public recognition.
• Promote students to higher level positions in your department.
• Ask students what motivates them and implement a recognition program that is based on individual preferences.
• Ask students to share their expertise with other student employees by offering a training session.
• Offer to be a mentor for student employees.
• Provide flexible scheduling and a choice of projects for student employees that have proven themselves in your department.
• Acknowledge personal achievements in a group.
• Provide letters of recommendation for students who do well in your department.
• Use the Internet for cool "freebies" to recognize your student employees:

123 Greetings:  http://www.123greetings.com

1001.com:  http://www.1001.com/postcards

American Greeting Cards:  http://www.americangreetings.com

Awesome CyberCards:  http://www.marlo.com/card.htm
Blue Mountain Greeting Cards: http://www.bluemountain.com
Cardmaster: http://www.cardmaster.com/

Cards Up:  http://www.cardsup.com

Custom Greeting Cards: http://www.dltk-kids.com/cards/index.html

Digital Postcards: http://www.all-yours.net/postcard/dp.html

EGreetings:  http://www.egreetings.com

Go Greetings: http://www.gogreet.com/index.html?/

Hallmark Greetings:  http://www.hallmark.com

Mail a Meal:  http://www.mailameal.com/
Print-free Cards: http://www.printfree.com

Roadrunner Cards:  http://www.roadrunner.pacprod.com

Thundercloud:  http://www.thundercloud.net 

Toon O Gram: http://www.toonogram.com/

Virtual Florist: http://www.virtualflorist.com/
Virtual Presents: http://www.virtualpresents.com/

Wow Greetings:  http://www.wowgreetings.com

Yahoo Greetings:  http://greetings.yahoo.com