“In the five years Staff Council has been operating, a common theme we hear from the community is the value and importance of employee recognition,” said Byron Fitch, chair of the Staff Council Employee Engagement Committee. “Recognized employees are happy employees, and how long a staff member has been at Georgia Tech is a reason to celebrate and say ‘thank you’ to them for all they do.”

In collaboration with Georgia Tech Human Resources and led by the Staff Council Employee Engagement Committee, the five-year recognition program has been developed to show appreciation. Staff achieving their five-year mark will receive a congratulatory email from Staff Council with details on how to pick up their gift during the first two weeks of every month at Staff Council’s office in the Campus Recreation Center. The five-year gift bundle will include a Georgia Tech-branded retro lunchbox, a coupon for $5 off any dining location in the Student Center, and other tokens of appreciation.

The Staff Council has been able to recognize more than 900 staff members since the inception of the one-year recognition program.

“As staff members continue on their career journey at Georgia Tech, we hope to show our appreciation by fueling them through a collection of symbolic recognition gifts to mark their milestones along the way,” said Joscelyn Cooper, member of the Employee Engagement Committee. Those employees with a five-year anniversary as of Jan. 1, 2019, and later will be contacted by Staff Council over the next six months to receive their gift.

The Staff Council exists to understand perspectives that represent the broad population of staff about matters of institutional importance, and to communicate those perspectives — along with advice and suggestions — to the Institute president and executive officers at regular intervals.

The Council meets the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. Meeting location varies but can be found on the calendar at staffcouncil.gatech.edu, and meetings are open to all of campus.