I’m pleased to share an update on the Strategic Plan deliverable to “revitalize employee recognition programs and associated events so they meaningfully resonate with employees.” This work is grounded in something we’ve heard consistently from employees—that feeling appreciated, seen, and connected matters—and it directly supports our shared commitment to fostering vibrant and inclusive communities at BCIT.
We want to nurture a culture where expressing thanks, celebrating achievements, and acknowledging each other’s contributions is part of everyday life. When appreciation is woven into our interactions, we strengthen trust and build a workplace where everyone feels supported. The Employee Excellence Awards, Long Service Recognition, and Years of Service Recognition—play an important role in shaping this culture.
In 2025, employees’ feedback following the Employee Excellence and Long Service Recognition programs and events reaffirmed the value of these in‑person celebrations, which resumed in late 2024. Many of them shared how meaningful it was to gather, connect with colleagues, and honour career milestones together. We’re grateful for this insight as it reinforces the importance of creating spaces that bring our community together.
Employees also shared suggestions for improvement, and we’ve listened. To enhance transparency and strengthen the fairness and rigor of the Employee Excellence Awards program, we’ve developed updated program guidelines along with guidelines for the Main Adjudication Committee. Additional improvements have been introduced this year, including removing self-nominations and anonymous nominations, offering information sessions for adjudication committee members, and refining the adjudication process so that members of the main adjudication committee submit recipient choices before meetings begin.
Employees and active students can now use a single, streamlined process to submit nominations. Adjudicators can review the nominations they are responsible for online and record their comments directly within the system, making the process more transparent and efficient. For program administrators, having all nominations in one platform reduces administrative effort and enables timely, accurate reporting.
We will further explore other ideas that employees have provided such as different momentos and gifts for service recognition, options of donations instead of gifts, and creative ways of highlighting the accomplishments not only of excellence award recipients, but also of nominees.
Our people’s experiences and insights continue to shape this work. We encourage employees to please keep sharing your ideas and suggestions at recognition@bcit.ca.
Thank you,
Kendal Regan
Consultant, Organizational Development
Commitment: Foster vibrant and inclusive communities
Initiative: Employee recognition and development
Deliverable: Revitalize employee recognition programs and associated events, informed by consultation and feedback to ensure they meaningfully resonate with employees.