Employee Recognition Research Paper

Employee Recognition Programs
THE SECRET TO A MOTIVATED WORK FORCE

Rewards and Recognition Programs,
The Secret to Maintaining High Morale and a Motivated
Work Force

By
John Jurgle
Pompano Beach Fire Department
Pompano Beach, Florida

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Employee Recognition Programs
CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

I hereby certify that this paper constitutes my own product, that where the language of others is set forth, quotation marks so indicate, and that appropriate credit is given where I have used the language, ideas, expressions, or writings of another.

John Jurgle

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Abstract
Employee reward/recognition programs and their effects on morale and motivation amongst the ranks, is one of the
How valued and effective is the current department’s employee recognition/reward program? b. How does Pompano Beach Fire Rescue’s employee recognition/reward program compare to other fire departments?
c. From an employee perspective, what type of recognition and rewards do they value?

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d. How does the department’s employee recognition/reward program compare to programs in the private sector?
Background and Significance
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue is located in the South Florida area and serves an urban community of approximately 105,000 residents. The geographic area serviced is approximately twenty five square miles. The city is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on its western boarder by the Florida Turnpike. The city of Pompano Beach is made up of residential, commercial, and industrial areas. There are a significant number of both commercial and residential high rise buildings located throughout the city. There are two railways, an inter-state highway, numerous major county roads, and the Florida Turnpike which run through the city.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue is a full time, paid career department with a staffing level of
However, there were those examples of programs that had a strong monetary component to them, such as the Miami-Dade employee reward/recognition program (Miami-Dade Government, 2008).

The final motivational theory examined, as it related to employee recognition programs was McGregor’s X and Y Theory. McGregor categorized workers into either category X or category Y (McGregor, 1960). The characteristics of a category X employee or organization include the belief that work is distasteful to most people. These individuals or organizations believe that people are not ambitious and prefer to be directed. People are basically irresponsible according to the Theory X beliefs. More importantly is the belief that motivation occurs only at the physiological and security levels. Theory X makes the assumption that most people must be closely controlled in order to accomplish organizational goals.

McGregor’s Theory Y assumes that people approach work as if it were as natural as playing, assuming the conditions are favorable (McGregor, 1960). People and organizations who subscribe to Theory Y approach work and organizational problems with a certain