Using a Recognition and Reward Initiative to Improve Service Quality : A Quasi-Experimental Field Study in a Public Higher Education Institution

We describe a service quality initiative that focused on improving the work behavior and job attitudes of employees in a job category that is often overlooked, yet which is integral to the success of most public sector organizations — administrative assistants. Data on service quality were collected on an ongoing basis by an independent entity, Educational Benchmarks, Inc. (EBI). Faculty ratings of administrative assistance improved by > 5 Standard Errors of Measurement compared to other EBI measurements. Survey data from administrative assistants were highly favorable. The present action research suggests that a recognition and reward intervention can improve service excellence in a public sector higher education organization