Staff Recognition Awards 2023

We always love hearing about staff going above and beyond to help others, particularly their fellow colleagues. That’s why the Staff Recognition Awards are a great opportunity to shine a light on some great co-workers.

If you want to show your appreciation you can leave them kudos. You never know, they may be a featured winner in the next round of awards taking place soon.

How to give kudos

First, open Iris HR, using the icon on your desktop. Once open, simply select “Kudos” from the list on the left of your screen (it has a “thumbs up” icon next to it.) You can select to view all Kudos, only your own Kudos, or just your team’s Kudos (useful for managers and others, ahead of a performance review).

To write some Kudos for a deserving colleague, click on the blue “Give Kudos” button in the top-right of the screen. A small window will then appear, where you’ll select the name from a drop-down menu and then pick a “category” from a list. These include ”supporting colleagues”, “creativity”, “making a difference” and more!

You’re then asked to write a personal comment about the colleague, before selecting a badge, which is a colourful mini pic (a heart, a medal, shooting star, sunglasses etc). You can click to make it private or anonymous.

Finally, you choose to preview your Kudos, before posting, by clicking send.

Below, is the last round of award winners who received the accolades through accumulating kudos on the IRIS HR system.

Displaying Core Values

Winner Lauren Gunning

Excellent example of ‘helping learners raise and realise their aspirations’ as well as having a ‘can do’ attitude. Lauren has arranged formal employer meetings in order to support learners who have been struggling and has completed lots of IALPs in a short space of time.

Supporting Learners

Winner Louise Bowen

Louise is passionate and committed to supporting our learners and as a result, goes above and beyond to do so. Louise builds a strong rapport with our most vulnerable learners, where they have often asked to come back to her class. She also creates opportunities for learners, especially through enrichment.

Supporting Staff

Winner Adam Castle

Adam has provided invaluable support to his colleagues, including managing the commercial room booking, learner and starts process, employer paperwork and transferring learner contracts ensuring smooth transitions for all involved.

Going the Extra Mile

Winner Maria Robinson

Maria has developed a nurturing, fun and inclusive environment where the learners feel supported. Maria goes above and beyond to ensure learners are cared for, whilst also looking after the staff at Hadfield Rd. Maria gave up her afternoon to teach ALN learners how to make pancakes and she also coordinated the learners' Cook Along for Health Week.

STAFF IN THE spotlight

New Communications Manager, Millie Reeves, shares a bit about her role and what a day in the life of a marketing team member looks like.

Tell us a little bit about your role, and what the average day looks like…

I love working in the marketing and communications department because no two days are the same – you could be writing a press release in the morning and by lunchtime you’re helping set up for an event or searching the cupboards for ACT-branded sunglasses.

Typically I am working on any internal or external communications for the business. This could be the weekly roundup emails, articles going out to the media, event speeches, awards nominations, or important staff announcements.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Given that everyone needs to put a message out at some point, the job is great for meeting people across the business from every department. I like being helpful and so when someone comes to me with some points they need turned into a press release or a lengthy email, it’s really rewarding to see them happy with the final product. Also I get a bit of a dopamine rush every time someone sends a reaction emoji to my comms emails. It’s the little things!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself…

I hate this question because it’s always a reminder of how boring I am. Something people find quite interesting when they see it is that I often write notes backwards, from right to left with all the characters inverted – so to read it you must hold it up to a mirror. Apparently Da Vinci did the same thing and researchers think it might have been because he was left-handed. That might explain it as I am left-handed too.

Where is the best place you have travelled to?

Certainly the most magical, but also the coldest, has been Iceland. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced cold like it, where you couldn’t leave your hotel without a balaclava. Such a beautiful country though and Icelanders love hot baths and swimming, so I was in my element.

What is the last album you listened to?

If you come and see me at my desk I will probably have my headphones on and I’m likely listening to Miles Kane’s new album, One Man Band. It has a great upbeat tempo to work to and there’s even a song about Italian football legend, Baggio.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

I used to work the late shift in a Tesco Express on the strip between all the nightclubs and pubs. If you thought working retail was bad, you need to try working it when almost every customer is blind drunk. There was never a dull night but come closing time it did feel a bit like a scene from Shaun of the Dead.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working.

I enjoy running. Actually, enjoy is a bit of a strong word – I tolerate running but do it most evenings. I did the Cardiff Bay 10k earlier this year and will be running the Cardiff 10k in a couple of months. I’m trying to get up to a half marathon but haven’t quite bit the bullet yet –maybe it will be my 2024 goal.

What would be your top tip for colleagues?

Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. I think sometimes we are so fixated on not wanting people to think we’re out of the loop that we miss key information just to save face. The thing is no one actually minds answering obvious questions. I spent my first few weeks asking ‘what does OPH mean?’ and ‘is Jobs Growth Wales+ an apprenticeship scheme?’ It’s better to be in the know and seem a bit silly than not.

A Hug in a Book by My Self-Love Supply

This issue’s book is A Hug in a Book by My Self-Love Supply. The pocket guide is an easy to digest mix of five, fifteen and thirty-minute self-care routines you can practice as and when you need them.

The idea is that small habits can make big changes to leading a happier work and home life.

If you fancy a copy, you can email bookclub@acttraining.org.uk

Find out more

Want to take part in our next book club?

Books are free for the first 50 staff who request a copy (first come, first served basis) and could count towards your CPD hours (subject to suitability). Request your copy by emailing bookclub@acttraining.org.uk