What options are there to recognize an employee whose performance consistently exceeds expectations?

Resources

Info, How To, and FAQ's
UCI Merit Program Staff Recognition Page, Information and Programs

ANSWER

  • Supervisors can recognize employees for their contributions through cash or non-cash mechanisms. 
  • Merit-based pay increases, supervisors will reference the employee’s last performance rating and use their performance since to determine their anticipated performance rating and then map that anticipated rating to one of the three merit levels:
    • Above target performer (outstanding/exceptional, exceeds/above expectations)
    • On target performer (meets/solid performance)
    • Below target performer (needs improvement, unsatisfactory)
  • STAR awards/plan enables managers to recognize, acknowledge and reward employees for exceptional performance, creativity, organizational abilities, work success, teamwork, and/or significant contributions related to and supportive of individual, departmental, divisional, and/or organizational goals and objectives.
  • Noncash
    • Informal recognition such as taking an employee to lunch, a written note, etc.
    • Formal recognitions such as employee of the month, recognitions events such as a banquet, etc.
    • Giftcards not exceeding $75

For more information on each of these options, see the UCI Staff Recognition page.

Common Compensation and Classification Questions

Definitions

Systemwide Merit Program in a pay for performance model, the goal is to improve employee and organizational performance by rewarding individual employee effort and contributions. Employees who meet the expectations of their jobs or perform above expectations, according to measurable criteria, receive an adjustment in salary based on that performance. The amount of the adjustment varies with some measure of an individual’s performance. Employees no longer receive automatic across-the-board salary adjustments.

Recognition is defined as activities supported by communication between management and employees that acknowledge and reward them for exceptional contribution to the organization

Salary increase is an employee's total salary increase in a single fiscal year. Examples include promotional increases, equity adjustments, and reclassifications.