
DFA Employee Recognition Program
The Division of Finance and Administration recognizes the contributions of every employee or team to the overall mission and strategic plan of the university. Our Employee Recognition Program is designed to provide avenues for those efforts to be acknowledged publicly. Every day presents an opportunity for colleagues, co-workers, and managers/supervisors to recognize the great work of our people in the following categories:
- CARE - Customer Appreciation Repeatedly Expressed
- IDEA - Innovate, Discover, Encourage, Achieve
- SAFE - Safety Award for Excellence
- TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More
Review the category descriptions and examples below, and select the appropriate category for your nomination.
The program has four quarterly cycles. The deadlines for nominations for each cycle are: March 31, June 30, Sept. 30, and Dec. 31. All nominees are featured on our website and receive a digital certificate (printed certificates available upon request).
Questions? Email WithUForU@uci.edu

CARE
Customer Appreciation Repeatedly Expressed
This award is for teams and/or individuals who:
- Takes the initiative to improve the value and efficiency of the services they provide
- Maintains a consistently high quality of service to campus customers including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and external clients
- Consistently and substantially demonstrates an ability and willingness to work positively, respectfully, and effectively with others
- Builds strong relationships with customers; proactively reaches out to learn about customer goals and interests; stays aware of customer needs, concerns, and satisfaction

IDEA
Innovate Discover Encourage Achieve
This award is for teams and/or individuals who:
- Developed an idea that moved the division and the campus forward or continuously comes up with creative ideas by producing a wide-range of suggestions
- Significantly improved a work process or system, or has significantly increased the efficiency of an operation or department/unit
- Demonstrates significant improvements in student or staff services or enhanced student or staff satisfaction
- Participates in collaborative problem-solving, breaking down boundaries and/or creating new relationships to improve the way work gets done
- Embraces change as an opportunity for growth and innovation
- Takes a proactive and innovative approach toward finding sustainable solutions to business challenges
- Demonstrates a high degree of financial responsibility coupled with sound judgement

SAFE
Safety Award for Excellence
This award is for teams and/or individuals who:
- Excel in creating and maintaining a safe and healthy workplace
- Hold an excellent workplace safety record (i.e. no accidents/injuries in the last year or longer)
- Reports hazards, slips, trips, falls, near misses, etc. in a timely manner

TEAM
Together Everyone Achieves More
This award is for teams and/or individuals who:
- Works effectively as part of a team to successfully accomplish a task or meet a goal
- Builds effective collaborative relationships across different groups of departments within the organization to define and solve problems
- Creates a team environment that promotes communication, trust, cooperation, and respect for differences
- Develops a partnership that seeks input and involvement of those affected by decisions
- Successfully reach achievements that exemplify campus or systemwide collaboration