Updated 11/2/2021 Page 1 of 4
Appreciation & Recognition Portal: Internal HR & Supervisor FAQs
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.
Compensation Services
(607) 255-9976
www.hr.cornell.edu
Appreciation & Recognition Portal
SUPERVISOR FAQ
What is the value intent of real-time spot recognition?
• Celebrate staff achievements and contributions
• Retain top performers
• Increase job satisfaction, productivity and employee/supervisor engagement
• Implement simple, adaptable and timely staff appreciation
• Boost morale through low cost and no cost recognition options
Why Awardco?
• Vendor used for University Service Awards
• Facilitates online, timely recognition which is critical to engagement and retention
• Engages the entire university in spot recognition effort; one central university solution
• Allows for reduction in administrative approvals
Who can receive spot recognition?
Employees, including temporary employees, can send a personalized message to a colleague to be shared
privately with the individual. The system also allows supervisors to periodically recognize non-academic staff
and bargaining unit employees with tokens of appreciation in the form of points.
What types of spot recognition are available in the Appreciation Portal?
You can choose to recognize someone through the following programs.
• Spot Recognition: Say thank you to a colleague or congratulate a member of your team for a successful
project.
• Life Celebrations: Take a moment and celebrate with a colleague or friend on a life event.
• Birthday: Wish a friend, coworker, or colleague a happy birthday.
• Sustainability Champions: Recognize a champion who demonstrates sustainability leadership with
actions big or small.
• Additional specialized programs to come!
Each program is designated as non-monetary or monetary or both.
Non-Monetary – all employees have the ability to recognize their peers, supervisors and others
Monetary – supervisors have the ability to periodically award points to purchase products of Cornell Items and
items through Amazon. Available point options are 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, and 75. Please note that compliant with
Cornell policy 3.14, recognition not associated with job performance (#congrats) may not be recognized with
points.
Updated 11/2/2021 Page 2 of 4
Appreciation Portal: Supervisor FAQs
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.
Is each point equivalent to $1?
Yes.
Who will be able to see the recognitions?
Recipients will receive an email and be able to see their own recognitions within the system. Supervisors will be
able to view a summary of the hashtags given to their group/employees (and which hashtag).
How will college/unit budgets be structured – who will be able to give out points?
Annual college/unit spot recognition allocation is established according to Workday headcount pulled each
November. As this is an alternate way of providing recognition, no additional university funds will be provided.
Budget structures are configured uniquely to each college or unit. Structures and allocations will be re-evaluated
beginning in January of subsequent years during the budget planning cycle.
What are the tax implications if I give my staff points?
Consistent with the Division of Financial Affairs (DFA) tax reporting procedures, tangible personal property
provided occasionally and valuing no greater than $75 is not taxable to the employee. Supervisors may award up
to 75 points per instance to select from The Cornell Store items or Amazon items. These points can be
accumulated without impacting taxability. https://www.dfa.cornell.edu/tax/fordepartments/giftcards
Should every one of my staff receive points?
No. Awarding points is only one way to show appreciation to your staff. Consider Extraordinary Behaviors, High
Impact Project Completion, Exceptional Innovation, Outstanding Performance and Substantial Work Effort when
providing monetary appreciation in a timely, real-time fashion. Recognition should be given in many ways
throughout the year – base pay increases, variable recognition, professional growth & development and informal
appreciation and recognition.
How do the prices on Amazon.com compare to the Amazon products in the
Appreciation Portal?
There is no product markup on the products, however, the product pricing includes sales tax.
Can colleges/units purchase points on a pcard?
Can college officers purchase points directly through Awardco?
No, please follow the invoicing process below.
Can more points be purchased by employees?
If an item costs more points than is in an employee’s account, there is not an option to pay the difference or to
add points to your balance. Amazon has over 600 million products from which to choose.
Do points expire?
Awarded points do not expire. They continue to accumulate until the employee terminates.
What role will kudos that my staff receive through this portal have in my assessment
of their performance?
While the Appreciation Portal recognitions do not feed into Workday, staff may keep track of their appreciations
Updated 11/2/2021 Page 3 of 4
Appreciation Portal: Supervisor FAQs
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.
throughout the year and share these acknowledgements as they review their successes.
How will employee data be managed, and how often will it be refreshed?
The employee file will be pulled from Workday and updated within Awardco semi-monthly on the 15
th
and 30
th
.
Awarded points are linked to the individual. Budget structures are linked to the supervisor’s position number as
designated within Workday. That means:
• If an employee changes positions, their awarded points will follow them.
• If an employee separates or is terminated, they will have up-to 15 days to spend their points before they
are removed from the system when the next batch of employee data is imported.
• New employees and/or supervisors will not have access to reward and/or redeem points for up to 15
days until the next batch of employee data is imported.
Expenses are incurred by the department annually each fiscal year, not when they are redeemed. If all points are
not spent in the allocated fiscal year, they are rolled into the next fiscal year.
What is the process to recognize an employee should the supervisor position be
vacant?
The Appreciation Portal is designed in accordance with Workday’s supervisor hierarchy allowing the next level to
recognize the employee.
When a position is no longer a supervisor, what happens with that allocation?
As supervisors are identified by position number, the budget would be deleted and reassigned to the new
position after consultation with the college/unit HR Director.
What dashboards are available within the Appreciation Portal?
Employees who are supervisors (called “Group Managers”) can view dashboards limited to individuals within a
unique group or lower. Supervisors will see all of their own direct reports and their direct reports. Dashboards
are also visible to Executive Managers (HR Directors) using college/unit filters.
• Active Users – the number of direct reports or those within the supervisory organization
• Recognitions – total number of recognitions provided
• Awarded vs Redeemed – summary of points awarded vs points redeemed
• Last Awarded / Most Awarded – two dashboards for summary of points given, displayed by employee
• Hashtags – summary of the number of hashtags given
• Remaining Budget Dollars – noted by position number, remaining balance for point distribution
What employee information is provided to Amazon or The Cornell Store?
The only information shared with Amazon or The Cornell Store is what the employee enters in the shipping
address when redeeming points (name, shipping address, phone number and preferred email address).
• For The Cornell Store purchases, customers will be notified by email when their gift card order is
received and the gift card will be mailed to the address provided.
• For Amazon purchases, customers will receive an order confirmation email then receive a shipping
notification when the order ships to the address provided.
Updated 11/2/2021 Page 4 of 4
Appreciation Portal: Supervisor FAQs
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities.
How do employees find tracking information for items purchased from Amazon?
• Log In and hover over My Profile.
• A drop down menu will show two options. Select My Redemptions.
• Once on the My Redemptions page, a list of all of your orders will be visible, starting with the most
recent. The delivery date for each order will be displayed under the date, price, and "Processed" status.
• If the order still shows as "Pending" there will not be any information until order is processed.
• It usually takes Amazon 24 hours to provide the carrier's tracking information.
o Visit the United States Postal Service's website if tracking number is USPS.
o Visit the United Parcel Service’s website if tracking number is UPS.
• For The Cornell Store, the employee will be notified when the card is ready
How will employees Return, Cancel, or Refund an Amazon Order
• Because orders are placed on your Cornell’s Amazon account and not a personal account, employees
will not have access to the account to view the orders for returns, refunds, or exchanges.
• Begin by signing into the Appreciation Portal. Then send in a Support Ticket which allows Awardco to
contact Amazon on the employee’s behalf.
• In the Support Ticket, please include:
1. When the order was placed.
2. The exact item(s) needed to return/replace.
3. The reason for returning/replacing the item(s). (i.e., damaged, not what you expected, wrong size)
4. Whether the item(s) needs return for a refund, or replacement of the exact same item(s).
5. If Amazon approves the return we will send you your return label via email.
Questions
Contact your HR representative or email recognitio[email protected]
System Support
For Portal Login, Updating your Profile Photo Step by Step instructions https://awardco.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
