The Rewarding Excellence Program

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

In March 2010, Montgomery County introduced the Rewarding Excellence Gainsharing Program for implementation in the Montgomery County Government departments. The Rewarding Excellence Gainsharing program is a unique approach that engages all employees involved in the program, empowers first-line employees, teaches supervisors to coach, and fosters support of the department directors to achieve innovation and cost efficiency improvements for the delivery of public services to county residents. To embark on this change effort, Montgomery County Government partnered with Local 1994/Montgomery County Government Employees Organization to assure that employees and management worked more effectively and efficiently to create cost-effective service delivery models across county departments. Prior to the launch of the Rewarding Excellence Gainsharing Program, the Administration in Montgomery County partnered with the President of Local 1994/MCGEO to design the Rewarding Excellence Program and implementation stages for this effort. The Rewarding Excellence Program trains front-line employees to organize and work in high performance design teams. The teams are supported by their supervisors and department directors, with assistance from trained team mentors and facilitators. To date, 5 teams in 5 divisions and 3 departments are operational. Approximately $430,000 was saved by the teams.