Staff Excellence Awards

 

UBC Facilities provides recognition and rewards through the Staff Excellence Award (SEA) Program, to Facilities staff who have consistently demonstrated excellence in the performance of their work and service to the university. All UBC students, faculty, and staff are invited to nominate one (or more!) of their clients or colleagues who, in their view, have achieved excellence in the Award categories inspired by our VPFO Strategic Plan.

Nominations are now closed for 2023. Thank you for all your nominations this year!

Eligibility

Staff with a minimum of one year of service who are actively working in UBC Facilities (Asset Replacement & Improvement, Building Operations, Capital Planning & Development, Custodial Services, Customer Services & Informatics, Energy & Water Services, Facilities Planning, Municipal Services, Project Services) at the time of the award presentation. For the Kim Nultry Award, a minimum of five years of continuous employment with UBC Facilities is required.

Individuals may be nominated for all Staff Excellence Award categories. Nominations may be submitted by all UBC faculty, staff or students.

Recipient(s)

The Staff Excellence Award Committee include representatives from each of the departments within UBC Facilities. The award recipient(s) will be selected based on the submitted nomination package. Recipients will be announced at the Facilities holiday events in December 2024.

The total value of gift certificate is $200 for individual winners and $100* each for team winners. Winner of the Kim Nulty Award receives a $300 gift certificate. All award recipients will have their name engraved on a plaque, which will be displayed in the University Services Building lobby.

*Team winners receive $100 each. However, if a crew/shop wins, they will receive lunch in lieu of the cash prize.

View the 2023 Staff Excellence Award winners

Award Categories

Teamwork

Awarded to a group or individual that has demonstrated several of the following:

  • Exemplary collaboration, cooperation, reliability and flexibility within and between all levels of UBC Facilities, affiliated departments and the UBC community
  • A willingness to share task responsibilities, provide support and show respect for other team members
  • A high level of cohesion, participation and commitment to team and organizational objectives
  • Has overcome significant challenges or obstacles to achieve a goal through perseverance and hard work
  • Seeks to promote diversity by motivating greater contribution from all voices in the workforce so that everyone has equal opportunities to express their opinion

Leadership Development

Awarded to an individual who has demonstrated several of the following:

  • Exemplifies exceptional qualities of either a formal or informal leader or exhibits confident and empowered behaviour throughout their work and leadership. Includes; accountability, respect, inclusion and professional development
  • Leads by example; positively influenced/engaged others to contribute, to engage in equitable and inclusive practices and be respectful of others
  • Demonstrates leadership and commitment to values of equity and inclusion by encouraging others to meet their full potential and achieve their career aspiration
  • Demonstrates willingness to bring equity into the workplace and inspire change among the workforce
  • Actively shares responsibility, information and credit when working towards the achievement of a goal
  • Provides leadership, coaching, mentoring, guidance, tools and trust needed for all team members to achieve their goals
  • Exhibits outstanding abilities in planning, implementation, and impact evaluation
  • Fosters a culture of service excellence through positive attitude and performance in the workplace
  • Takes prompt action to resolve issues quickly and effectively
  • Communicates in a manner that is fair, straightforward, honourable and open

Asset Stewardship

Awarded to an individual who has demonstrated several of the following:

  • Makes significant contributions to maintaining and improving our assets and spaces in a sustainable manner
  • Is invested in ensuring our spaces are safe, efficient, inclusive and effective
  • Makes contributions that have enhanced asset information, ensured safe maintenance & operations of our assets and increased asset sustainability
  • Contributes to enhancing the equitable use or inclusive/accessible design of our spaces throughout the campus and in the direct workplace
  • Embraces inclusion of Indigenous, inclusive and socially responsible considerations throughout their work processes and through interaction with others

Creativity and Innovation

Awarded to an individual who has demonstrated several of the following:

  • Contributes innovative ideas and/or facilitates an innovative environment where excellence and greatness have been enabled
  • Makes contributions, develops or improves methods, processes and/or procedures through original thinking and creativity, with significant positive impacts within UBC Facilities or the University
  • Employs emerging technology and/or introduced new and meaningful ways to achieve new standards of efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace
  • Positively affects staff morale, productivity, budget, work quality, or customer service
  • Demonstrates a strong commitment to teamwork, respect, a positive work environment that enables all to reach their optimum potential
  • Creates cost-effective, sustainable, inclusive and/or innovative work methods or practices that align with UBC VPFO’s strategic plan in providing inspiring spaces

Customer Service Excellence

Awarded to an individual having demonstrated several of the following:

  • Provides a high level of customer service over and above the expectations of their role
  • Maintains a consistently high quality of service to their clients with particular commitment to inclusive practices
  • Exhibits strong leadership, cooperation and credibility with both internal and external UBC Facilities clients
  • Anticipates clients’ needs and potential problems, with an ability to value cultural diversity, various perspectives and to continuously learn and engage with a variety of groups; while delivering on-time, within budget service and results
  • Maintains an efficient, professional, respectful and positive manner
  • Consistently provides superior service and is willing to go the “extra mile” to find mutually satisfactory solutions

Safety and Wellbeing

Awarded to a group or an individual that has demonstrated several of the following:

  • Leads activities and initiatives that promote the social, physical, and/or mental health and wellbeing of staff
  • Makes significant contributions to a safe, inclusive and healthy workplace where people feel respected, supported, valued and inspired.  Includes; work environment, health & safety, well-being, values and culture
  • Is dedicated to workplace health, safety and wellness and contributes to tangible improvements in workplace environments, employee wellness, safe work procedures and practices, and accident prevention and reduction
  • Inspires community members to foster connections and create networks of care for themselves and others

Inspiration: The Kim Nulty Award

Awarded to an individual who has a minimum of 5 years of continuous employment with UBC Facilities and has demonstrated criteria from a minimum of 3 of the other award categories —Teamwork, Leadership Development, Asset Stewardship, Creativity & Innovation, Customer Service Excellence and Safety & Wellbeing as well as:

  • Commitment to continuous improvement and development
  • Positively influences others to build consensus around departmental and University initiatives
  • Supports respectful environments to enhance equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Leads by example to influence equity and diversity initiatives and the creation of a positive, inclusive, and respectful environments.

Nominations

Please submit your nominations to the Staff Excellence Award Committee, referring to the specific award criteria as listed above. While it is not mandatory, you may also include supporting material such as client survey results, productivity statistics, performance records, safety records, and/or additional letters of support. There are no limits on the number of nominations an employee may submit; however self-nominations will not be accepted. Although the nomination itself will remain confidential, the nominator will receive confirmation of receipt of submission via email.