Recognizing service milestones
Last updated: August 26, 2025
Work anniversaries are important. Every milestone tells a story. Whether it’s a staff member’s first year or their 25th, each work anniversary represents dedication, growth and meaningful contributions to the UW community.
UWHR administers the UW Service Recognition Program to recognize all regular staff for their continuous years of dedicated service to the University. We encourage you to recognize staff at 1 and 3-year milestones and then starting in year five, staff also may chose to receive a service award for their continuous service (e.g., 5, 10, 15-year milestones).
The UW Service Award Program is not impacted by the spending pause put into effect in March 2025. All gifts and delivery logistics for 5+ year milestones are centrally funded. For other types of recognition, please review university spending guidance.
Who is eligible?
All regular staff who are in active service on their company service anniversary date as listed in Workday are eligible. The program measures continuous employment from the “Hire Date.” The Hire Date is the most recent date of hire into continuous UW service in a regular staff position. Periods of academic, student, or intermittent and non-permanent employment are not included in calculating your years of continuous employment.
Time on layoff is not deducted as long as the employee remains on the layoff list until rehired by the University. Employees rehired by the University after their removal from a layoff list do not have time on layoff counted towards service recognition milestones and their company service date is reset.
Employees on a leave of absence during their company service anniversary will still receive their selected award from their department upon return to work.
Manager’s role in recognizing service anniversaries
Celebrating milestones should be easy, consistent and authentic. That’s why we’ve created ideas and templates to support you in honoring the people who make UW extraordinary.
Managers and HR partners can run the R0441 Service Award Date by Organization in Workday. While gifts don’t start until year five, we strongly encourage managers to recognize service anniversaries at year 1 and 3.
The first year at the University of Washington is more than just an anniversary—it’s a meaningful moment to pause and celebrate growth, connection, and commitment. For many employees, reaching the one-year mark represents a full cycle of learning the culture, contributing to their team and finding their place in the UW community.
As a manager, your recognition of this milestone can leave a lasting impression. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to be impactful—a simple note, a thoughtful message, or a quick moment of acknowledgment can make someone feel seen, appreciated and motivated to continue growing at the UW.
Milestone certificate (fillable PDF)
- Download for campus employees
- Download for UW Medicine coming soon
Personalized Thank You Note or Work Anniversary card – A digital card from the manager recognizing key contributions (click on the image to download).
Team Shoutout – A mention in a team meeting, Teams channel, or department newsletter.
An email makes a difference – Send an email to the employee letting them know you appreciate having them on the team.
Growth Discussion – A check-in on professional development goals and upcoming opportunities. Consider directing your employee to a free LinkedIn Learning course which might be meaningful to them.
Three years in, employees have built deeper relationships, refined their skills, and made meaningful contributions to their teams. This milestone reflects dedication, growth, and a continued belief in UW’s mission, and it deserves recognition.
As a manager, you have the opportunity to make this moment feel personal and powerful. A simple thank-you, a shared reflection, or a message of appreciation can go a long way in strengthening your team’s connection to their work.
Personalized Thank You Note or Work Anniversary card – A digital card from the manager recognizing key contributions.
Team Shoutout – A mention in a team meeting, Teams channel, or department newsletter.
UW Medicine branded image
UW branded image
An email makes a difference – Send an email to the employee letting them know you appreciate having them on the team.
Growth Discussion – A check-in on professional development goals and upcoming opportunities. Consider directing your employee to a free LinkedIn Learning course which might be meaningful to them.
Milestone Certificate
Reaching five years at the University of Washington is a significant achievement. It’s a milestone that speaks to an employee’s dedication, resilience, and growth within the UW community. This is the moment where the value of their contributions becomes even more apparent—and as a manager, you have the chance to celebrate that enduring commitment.
Here is the UW Service Award 5-year milestone process:
An Employee Service Award team member will send managers and employees an email at the beginning of the month letting them know that it is their five-year anniversary. Managers will also receive the employee’s celebration five-year pin and five-year certificate through campus mail. Managers are responsible for presenting their employees with the pins and certificates.
Here are some ideas and UW branded templates that you can use to support your meaningful recognition:
Personalized Thank-You Note or Work Anniversary card – A digital card from the manager recognizing key contributions.
Team Shoutout – A mention in a team meeting, Teams channel, or department newsletter.
An email makes a difference – Send an email to the employee letting them know you appreciate having them on the team.
Share the good news – Send your employee a “5-years of service” signature block to add to their email signature.
Growth Discussion – A check-in on professional development goals and upcoming opportunities. Consider directing your employee to a free LinkedIn Learning course which might be meaningful to them.
A decade of service at the University of Washington is no small feat. It’s a remarkable achievement that speaks to dedication, commitment, and a deep connection to our community.
Here is the UW Service Award 10, 15, 20, 25 + year milestone process:
An Employee Service Award team member will send managers and employees an email at the beginning of the employee’s anniversary month letting them know that it is their anniversary and a link to order their gift from the UW Bookstore. Managers will then receive the employees’ gift through campus mail as well as the employees’ certificate.
Managers are responsible for presenting their employees with their gift.
Here are some ideas and UW branded templates that you can use to support your meaningful recognition:
Personalized Thank-You Note or Work Anniversary card – A digital card from the manager recognizing key contributions.
Team Shoutout – A mention in a team meeting, Teams channel, or department newsletter.
An email makes a difference – Send an email to the employee letting them know you appreciate having them on the team
Share the good news – Send your employee a “10-years of service” signature block to add to their email signature.