Do you work with an outstanding co-worker or team member? Is there a new hire in your department who exhibits visionary leadership? Are you the team member who regularly identifies problems, but focuses on potential solutions? Then take the time to nominate them, or yourself, for a Staff Award.
In addition to a monetary gift, the winners are recognized at the Faculty and Staff Honors Luncheon and receive a plaque to commemorate their achievements.
Nomination Process
Before You Begin
You will need the following three things to complete the online nomination process:
- Your Georgia Tech login (ID and password) to access InfoReady, the nomination system.
- Questions to Answer. Each award includes its own set of questions to answer. This is in lieu of you writing a nomination letter. You can click on the award of your choice and download the questions from the supporting documents on the individual award page.
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One reference letter OR video of support.
Thoughtfully consider people who can explain different aspects of the employee’s accomplishment. The reference or video can come from a supervisor, colleague, client, students, or other community member who was directly affected by the employee’s work. The goal is to fully describe, from as many different viewpoints as possible, the employee’s attitude, specific behaviors, approach, and results.
Reference letter: You may upload the reference letter yourself to the application or you may send the application to your letter writer through the InfoReady system for them to upload by the deadline.
Video of support: If your reference prefers to submit a 2-minute max video explaining different aspects of the employee’s accomplishment, they should upload the video to a file sharing site (youtube, vimeo, dropbox, onedrive, sharepoint, etc.) and provide the link to you. Place the link on a document and upload onto your InfoReady application.
Quick Guide to InfoReady
- Select the award you would like to nominate someone for. Click the Start the Nomination button. You will be re-directed to the InfoReady site.
- If you have not logged in to the InfoReady site, you will need to log in and then search for the award:
- In the top right corner, click Log In.
- Click on the box that says "Login for Georgia Tech Users." Click the blue Georgia Tech Login button and use your GT ID and password to sign on.
- You will be presented to a page full of award for staff AND faculty. You can scroll to find the award or use the search box to find the award.
After You Submit a Nomination
Expect an email from InfoReady confirming your nomination was received. Please ensure you have completed the following:
- Completely filled out the application in InfoReady and clicked “Submit”.
- Filled out the questionnaire and attached it within InfoReady.
- Requested either a letter or video of support. You can do this via InfoReady or through your own methods. If you send the request via InfoReady, your reference will have the opportunity to upload a document directly within InfoReady to your application.
Once the Nomination Process Closes
The Staff Awards committee will review all applications equally. However, if an application is missing any of the nomination criteria (missing questionnaire or not enough letters of support), their application will no longer be considered.
Tips for Preparing a Successful Nomination
Follow instructions.
Be sure to provide everything that is requested for the nomination.
Get support.
Split up the nomination questions and/or award criteria with co-workers to share writing the nomination text. Ask co-workers, supervisors, students, and/or faculty (including those in other departments, labs, or centers who may work with the nominee) to submit a detailed statement in support of your nomination.
Be memorable.
Don't worry about crafting beautiful paragraphs - provide information in a way that makes it easy for the reviewer to read and remember. Tell stories that grab a reader’s attention. Use bullet points, pictures, or highlights to make your nomination stand out.
Avoid jargon and spell out acronyms.
While you are familiar with your nominee’s work, more than likely the members of the selection committee won’t be. Keep that in mind as you describe the nature and quality of the contributions and accomplishments.
Include measurable results.
Numbers are powerful! Where possible, include measurable results that show how the nominee was able to save money, improve upon a process, saved time, increased staff morale, etc. Some examples include monetary savings, a new product or service, clients receiving goods or services in a more timely and/or professional manner, staff morale increasing, students being more informed and better prepared for courses or graduation, etc.
Use multiple examples.
Include more than one example (the more the better) of how the individual or team went above and beyond the daily responsibilities of the job.
Be descriptive in your nomination.
Try to write more than one-sentence answers for each question. Elaborate and prove to the committee why your nominee is the best person to win the award. Use adjectives. Think about the impact your nominee has had and what it would be like if your nominee had not done what they did for you to nominate them.
Frequently Asked Questions
For questions not answered below, please contact Mattie Smyth.
- Do I qualify for an award if I am not director level or above?
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Absolutely! The staff awards are for all staff who have been employed in a full-time, permanent position for at least 12 months and in good standing. If you or someone you know meets the criteria for an award then, nominate them!
- Can I nominate myself?
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Definitely! You just need to fill out the application and answer the questions as if you were nominating someone else (i.e., submit your nomination in 3rd person). You will still be responsible for acquiring two letters of support.
- Who is on the Staff Awards selection committee?
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The Staff Awards selection committee is comprised of 10 to 12 individuals from a variety of job classifications and departments.
- What is the judging process like?
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Once the nominations close, the Staff Awards selection committee reads every single nomination, questionnaire, and support letter. Each nomination goes through a series of behavioral questions that varies by award and each behavior is ranked on a scale from 1 to 5. The scale is:
1 – Does not exhibit the behavior at all
2 – Exhibits basic level
3 – Exhibits intermediate level
4 – Exhibits above average level
5 – Exhibits exceptional level
- Will the selection committee have the flexibility to move nominees to an award category that better suits the nominee?
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Yes. The selection committee will have the ability to place a nominee in another award category that the nominee may be better suited for. A member of the selection committee will notify the nominator and discuss their recommendation if needed.
- How long does the nomination process take?
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The nomination process varies by individual, however, follow the three steps under the Before You Begin section to ensure you’re prepared before starting.
- Is there a minimum number of years you have to be employed before you can be considered for a nomination?
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Yes. A nominee needs to be in a full-time, permanent position for at least 12 months and in good standing in order to be nominated for an award.
- Is there a limit to the number of nominees one college or department can submit?
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Not at all! Colleges and departments are encouraged to submit nominations for employees who meet the qualifications for each of the awards.
- Are research faculty eligible for staff awards?
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The staff awards are for staff and non-tenure track faculty. However, if a research faculty member is nominated for their work in a non-research capacity—an administrative or organizational capacity—the nomination will be considered. Otherwise, research faculty nominations should be directed to the other Institute awards listed at http://www.specialevents.gatech.edu/events/faculty-staff-honors.
- Is there an approval or vetting process for award recipients?
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Yes. After the committee has selected a winner for each award, the names of the recommended award recipients will go to (1) the nominee’s direct manager, (2) the nominee’s unit HR Business Partner or representative, and (3) senior Institute leadership to ensure that the employee is in good standing with the Institute.
- Can individuals previously nominated be nominated again this year?
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Previous nominees can be nominated again this year if the nomination represents new accomplishments from the past year.
- Can previous winners be nominated again this year?
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If an individual won an award by themselves and not as a member of a team, they cannot be nominated as an individual winner for another three years. However, if the individual who won is now being nominated as a member of a team, or won previously as a member of a different team, they can be submitted for consideration. Our intent is to ensure as many people are recognized as possible and we do not want to disqualify an entire team if just one individual has won recently.
- How many people are considered a team?
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A team is considered a group of two or more people.