Employee Recognition I have recently become part of a group at my (european) university, where we are suppose to come up with suggestions for how the "the good effort" can be appreciated and/or recognized by the department managment. The idea is to find ways to recognize the good effort made by individual employees. 

In the past we have celebration publications in the "best" journals, but this scheme should have a broader focus, where great teaching, helpfulness, attracting external grants and so on should be recognized. I can find many more or less good suggestions for employee recognition by performing a simple google search, however, all these ideas seem to be targeted towards private companies. My question therefore is, what do you do at your universities to recognize "the good/great effort"? And what would you like, that you did?
My former university department gave out three annual awards, with a certificate and a plaque. The recipients were chosen by an awards committee of faculty. The three awards were for research, for teaching, and for service. The committee would accept nominations from anyone. I doubt that self nominating was ever encouraged, however. 

Someone in the administration sends out a "call for nominations" a couple of months or so before the awards.

In addition, occasional special awards were given for something exceptional, such as the design of a new degree, awarded to the members of the design committee. 

The awards were presented at one of the "all hands" meetings that we had periodically. Presentation was usually by the dean. 

The following are also possibilities. Photos taken, maybe placed on the "wall of honor". An article in the department newsletter. A public announcement to local media. 

Note that this was department level. The university can also do similar things at the larger level, both regular (annual) and special awards.