Submitted by Focus Group Executive Secretariat

For supervisors who appreciate the work of people on their teams, but find it difficult to make the time to reward them appropriately, the “job” just got a lot easier with the introduction of the online NAVAIR awards toolkit at http://people.navair.navy.mil/awards.htm.

The toolkit, a product of the Naval Air Systems Command People Focus Group, includes forms, instructions and tips for informal awards, such as letters of appreciation, Quality of Work Life coins and appreciation certificates for spouses. It comprises more information for giving employees formal recognition like military and civilian medals, on-the-spot awards, quality step increases and beneficial suggestion awards.

Before this toolkit was available, each supervisor had to search the organization for ways to reward employees. “We just didn’t know about them (awards),” said Capt. Michael Fralen, program manager for PMA-207, Commercial Derivative Aircraft. He was looking for a way to reward members of the program Office who had refurbished the interior of their office space in Building 419 at Pax River.

The project included coming in on their Fridays off and after hours to frame pictures in the sitting areas, put new floor tiles in the kitchen, create a chain-of-command photo wall and expand from 100 to 118 work spaces.

“The key is the idea was generated from inside and voluntary, not directed from me,” Fralen said. “I wanted to do something to show appreciation, so we started looking for different ways because you can only give so much money. I knew about the 48-hours we could give military members, so checked out what we could do for the civilians and contractors.”

In the end, Fralen presented two 48-hour passes to military members, 20 17-hour time-off awards to civilians and six certificates to contractors. “When we gave out the awards, it was a surprise. No one knew about the award, and I think some of them were somewhat overwhelmed to receive that type of appreciation – something tangible to them,” Fralen said. “And, you wouldn’t believe how easy it was to do this.”

This captain made this statement before the awards toolkit was available. Now, supervisors have the benefit of having the available awards and the process for preparing them centrally located in the NAVAIR awards toolkit.

(Note to Editor: For more information or a higher resolution graphic, contact Eddie Riley at 301-757-5136. To select graphic, right click on mouse and save.)