Supervising and Recognizing Student and Temporary Employees

1. Am I consistent when I train, supervise, evaluate, recognize and discipline?
2. Do I communicate clearly?
3. Do I respect others including my student or temporary employees?
4. Am I committed to doing a good job? Is that visible to my employees?
5. Do I treat every employee equally?
6. Do I have and encourage a positive attitude?
7. Am I accessible to my employees?
8. Do I support my employees?
9. Do I provide leadership for my employees?
10. Do I keep my employees’ trusts?
11. Do I set a professional example-keep cool in front of others?
12. Do I encourage feedback from my employees?

Now try this:
Place the word “how” in front of each question and write down your responses. Take a look at what you have written. Can it be improved upon? Take note of the questions you could not definitively answer and work on strengthening these areas.

• Communicate expectations
• Be confidential
• Assess progress and communicate
• Provide feedback ASAP on good performance or “need to work on” areas
• Be fair
• Be consistent
• Document

• Recognition (from supervisors, peers, Student Employee of the Year nomination)
• Money
• Being noticed for their special skills and unique contributions to your workplace
• Experience to add to their resume
• Building transferable career skills
• Flexible schedule and convenience of on-campus position
• Interaction with other students/faculty/staff/visitors
• Relaxed, preferably casual, work environment
• Opportunities to take initiative
• Being busy at work
• Networking opportunities
• Developing professionalism
• Opportunities for leadership and responsibility
• Learning time management
• Improving communication skills
• Sense of pride and accomplishment
• Work title
• Knowing staff depends on them/crucial to operation
• Ability to change stereotypes about college students
• Food and fun

• Potluck lunch at the office periodically-students benefit from free food, they don’t have to bring anything, and all employees get to enjoy
• Commons and Union staff have implemented a Friday the 13th treat day
• Start a tradition in your office. Remember elementary school when you brought treats for everyone in the class on your birthday? Try it out in your office-ITS does this with great success.
• E-cards are free and a good way to say exactly what you appreciate about your employee
• Finals come around once a semester. HR makes “Survival Bags” for the student employees to give the week before dead week. Almost everyone in the office brings 1 inexpensive item for each of the bags-they fill up very quickly. An example of what might be in a bag includes: microwave popcorn, granola bars, top ramen, tea bags, juice box, mini candy bars, sticky notes, pens, bottle of water, etc. Our students look forward to this bag every semester and are VERY pleased we remember they have another “job” in attending school.
• Nominate them for “Student Employee of the Year”