Mattering at Work

This dimension to Total Organizational Health (TOH) is linked to employees' feelings of dignity, meaning, worth, and value within the organization. Addressing these factors involves ensuring that employees understand how and why organizational decisions are made, as well as how and why what they do for the organization matters and is aligned with the organization's mission. 

Here are some examples of TOH-related resources here at UTC that can help to improve employees' sense of mattering at work:

1. Ongoing and consistent recognition of employee efforts on behalf of UTC helps to cultivate and sustain a genuine sense of dignity, meaning, and belonging as part of the campus community. In addition to informal praise and expressions of gratitude that can and are shared between employees at all levels throughout the university, there are a number of more formalized awards and recognition programs at UTC including the following:
   • Faculty & Staff Recognition stories and the Chancellor's awards for excellence 
   • CAS Kudos: A platform within the College of Arts and Sciences where staff and faculty can report their own accomplishments or those of their colleagues to share good news and give recognition.
   • UTAA Outstanding Teachers Award
   • UTAA Public Service Award 
   • *Additional awards programs to be added
2. An employee's sense of mattering at work can be strengthened when that employee has access and opportunities to share ideas and perspectives with senior leadership within the university. Examples of such events include lunches with the Chancellor and Provost, the recurring Coffee with the Chancellor, and special events throughout the year for different groups of employees. Information about these events is distributed via campus email and newsletters.
3. Another way of strengthening employees' sense of mattering is to publicly share real and genuine appreciation. A recent example of this is a video that was compiled from UTC's campus leaders for the 2024 National Employee Appreciation Day. Check it out here if interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66jOpNa14-4
4. *Additional resources forthcoming