Hospital Pharmacy - December 2017 - 729

736242
research-article2017

HPXXXX10.1177/0018578717736242Hospital PharmacyPhillips et al.

Letter to the Editor

Commentary: Exploring Novel
Approaches to Staff Rewards and
Recognition

Hospital Pharmacy
2017, Vol. 52(11) 729-731
© The Author(s) 2017
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https://doi.org/10.1177/0018578717736242
DOI: 10.1177/0018578717736242
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Holly Phillips1, Ivana Bogdanich2, Kristen Carter3, Jacob Holler4,
Trisha Smith2, Erin H. Ticehurst5, and Molly Wascher6
Nearly 40 years ago in the Harvard Business Review,
Frederick Herzberg addressed ideas about how to motivate
employees.1 In this review, Herzberg identified motivating
factors imperative in the work environment: achievement,
recognition for achievement, actual work, responsibility, and
growth or advancement. A survey presented in Herzberg's
publication of over 1600 employees from various backgrounds including hospital personnel and nurses revealed
that job satisfaction is more likely to result from these motivating factors as opposed to dissatisfaction-avoidance factors like salary, working conditions, and interpersonal
relationships.1 Specifically, Herzberg's reported survey identified that achievement and recognition had the largest
impact on job satisfaction and may have long-term effects on
employees and their attitudes toward work.
A more recent survey performed in 2014 by researchers
with the Nursing Executive Center2 identified that an area for
improvement in staff engagement among nurses was in the provision of recognition related to achievements and contributions
to care. This survey was completed by more than 340000
employees within 575 health organizations. Assessment of the
survey results revealed that meaningful recognition provided in
a timely fashion can lead to an engaged workforce. Providing
effective recognition for employees is possible by linking recognition to specific accomplishments, allowing recognition to
be delivered by a person who possesses professional importance, and delivering recognition in a timely fashion.3
Overall, recognition of employee achievements and
activities provides a positive environment in addition to
motivating employees and improving their overall moods.4
While well studied throughout the last decades and despite
well-documented assessments in the fields of nursing and
health care, there is minimal information published regarding the process of rewards and recognition within departments of pharmacy. This commentary seeks to identify and
describe some current processes of recognition and rewards
for pharmacy staff.
An exploratory survey was sent through the Vizient listserve to identify novel practices related to pharmacy staff
recognition and rewards. Institutions were asked to share
meaningful ways that pharmacy team members are being
recognized for their outstanding work on a daily basis. The
following information was requested from participating

institutions: name, institution, job title, e-mail, and brief
description of the "best practice" method used to reward/recognize pharmacy team members for their efforts. Nineteen
institutions participated in the survey and shared numerous
initiatives utilized for staff. Three program types were noted
by more than one institution: criteria-based awards, thank
you notes, and public recognition.

Criteria-Based Awards
Several institutions have established award programs that
recognize staff for a variety of contributions. A "good catch"
award was utilized at 5 of the responding institutions to promote a culture of safety and recognize employees who identify medication errors throughout the medication-use process.
Most nomination processes included simple and convenient
steps for employees to nominate themselves or a peer such as
having small collection boxes for nominations in the pharmacy or on patient-care units. In most cases, nominations for
the award could be submitted by individuals from any discipline involved in the patient-care process. Winners and nominees were described as being recognized publically through
avenues including e-mail, during a standing department or
medication safety meeting, in a designated location (eg, a
bulletin board or flier), or in multiple venues. Information
included in the public recognition often included proposed
resolutions or the resulting intervention.
Additional criteria-based awards have been created at
institutions to recognize all levels of employees within the
Pharmacy Department. Examples included preceptor of the
year, employee of the month, etc. Certificates, trophies, and/
or small monetary incentives were commonly associated
with the awards to provide additional extrinsic employee
1

University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, CO, USA
University of Iowa Healthcare, Iowa City, IA, USA
3
University of Cincinnati Medical Center, OH, USA
4
Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
5
University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA
6
Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA
2

Corresponding Author:
Holly Phillips, 12505 E 16th Ave, F757, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Email: holly.phillips@uchealth.org
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