Recognition Ideas Catalog

Celebrating Excellence in the Berea Community

Recognition doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming to be meaningful. Whether it’s a quick digital shout-out or an intentional team moment, celebrating your staff’s hard work reinforces our culture of mutual support.

Use this catalog to find the right way to say “Thank You” to your team today, or read through some of the ideas below!

Utilize our established platforms to share success with the broader College community.

Berea Boost: Submit a shout-out to the Berea Bulletin to publicly recognize a colleague who has been exceptionally helpful, kind, or willing to go the extra mile.
OfficeVibe “Good Vibes”: Use the “Good Vibes” feature in our OfficeVibe portal to send a digital high-five. These can be private or shared on the public feed for the whole department to see.
- Your department doesn’t have OfficeVibe? Contact Tessa Riley to ask about implementing it!
The Berea Experience Shout-Out: Nominate a team member for a campus-wide service award or a spotlight in our annual celebrations.

Quick gestures that show you notice the small things.

“Top of the Meeting” Shout-Outs: Dedicate the first 2 minutes of every staff meeting to “Kudos.” Let team members recognize each other to foster peer-to-peer appreciation.
The Handwritten Note: In a digital world, a physical card or post-it note left on a desk carries significant weight. Be specific about what you appreciated.
The “Desk Drop”: A small favorite treat, a specialty coffee, or even a unique office supply (like a fun pen or notebook) can brighten an employee’s entire week.
Early Release “Coupon”: If the role allows, give an employee a “leave an hour early on Friday’ pass as a thank you for a particularly grueling project or week.

Invest in your team’s connection through shared time and creativity.

Celebratory Team Lunches: Take the team to the Dining Hall or a local favorite to celebrate the completion of a major project or a successful semester. Stepping away from the “work desk” allows for a more natural, person-to-person connection.
Campus Creative Breaks: Leverage our unique Berea resources! Schedule an hour for the team to visit the Ceramics Studio or participate in guided hikes at Brushy Fork with the Forestry Outreach Center. It’s a great way to de-stress and tap into the creative spirit of our campus.
Change of Scenery: For smaller teams, swap the conference for a walk around campus or a visit to the Pinnacles, Artisan Center, or Windswept.
Professional Development Days: Dedicated time for the team to learn a new skill together – whether it’s a technology workshop or a guest speaker – show you are invested in their collective growth.

Recognition Tips for Supervisors

To make your recognition as effective as possible, remember the “Three S’s”:

Specific: Instead of “Good job,” say “I really appreciated how you handled x.”
Sincere: Recognition should feel authentic, not like a box to be checked.
Soon: Try to recognize the effort as close to the event as possible to reinforce the positive behavior.