18 replies to this topic

[Simon]

Good leadership, communication, feedback, training etc. are all essential for motivating employees, but let’s cut the fluff, what employees want is more money. Unfortunately however, in business it’s not always possible to meet the pay desires of all employees.

So in the absence of huge pay awards for everyone I’m looking for ideas on incentives, benefits and rewards that can be given to employees that may help to lessen the blow of the above.

For example an idea could be to provide free daily fresh fruit, which encourages healthy eating and perhaps could help employees to stop smoking (smoking in the workplace is banned in the UK 01st July 2007). The problem is in isolation this could be viewed by employees as a cynical ploy to avoid or limit pay increases. It is. But if introduced as part of a range of incentives it is more likely to be viewed positively.

Another idea is to give extra day’s holiday for long service e.g. 1 extra day allowance after 10 years service and another extra day after 25 years service. These extra days wouldn’t cost the company much - if anything.

I would be interested to hear from members on what you do in your company to incentivise (word?) your employees

Thanks in advance.
Simon

[Sankara narayanan]

Dear Simon,

After many sorts of trials what we found effective(in my previous company in India)was like this,

a) when ever an employee is staying back in morning shift for over time, company buys a breakfast packet for him

b)if an employee does 11 overtimes (11 x 8 hrs) he gets 1 overtime free(this was very effective as we had dearth of man power always)

Apart from the above, an appraisal of the employees is conducted(for those who have completed 3 years of service in the organization) by way of a test paper, followed by interviews which is first done by a panel of HODs and then by the top management. Top rankers are promoted.

Then there was a scheme of selecting the two best dressed(in company attire, of course) employees every month and they are a given a small bonus.This was to promote good hygiene practices

Finally a worker is selected as Man Of The Year after assessing all the traits on and off the factory. This is done by a top management team. He is presented with an award during the annual day celebrations.


I think this helps


Best Regards,

A Sankara Narayanan

[Simon]

I think this helps

It does Sankara, most definitely.

I especially like your ‘best dressed’ award, which rewards role models and encourages the correct behaviour.

It’s quite easy and not very costly to develop a range of incentives that show employees that management are interested. When giving selective rewards there is an argument of fairness and maybe some employees who don’t get the award may speak of favouritism towards others, but you can’t please everyone. As long as the rules are clear and the decision making process is transparent that’s all you can do.

What about a birthday card from the Managing Director every year; or how about a company-wide raffle of corporate gifts received at Christmas from suppliers (and not just all going to the Directors and Purchasing Department). Possibly prizes for business improvement ideas or special achievements by individuals and teams.

One question Sankara. What about Woman of the year?

Any more ideas members?

Regards,
Simon

[Sankara narayanan]

Dear Simon,

Yes, I almost forgot it. We had X mas cakes distributed every year to each employee, by the MD and other directors. In another company where I worked we did have this privilage of getting a greeting card from thr HRD manager on birthday. Yet another scheme was to get one salary extra(cheque signed by the MD himself) on your wedding. Well, all these small gestures do have an impact on boosting the employee's morale. Of course, some practices do tend to become 'rights'. That's when it loses its charm.

Regarding the best woman award, in that company, believe it or not, we had only female.She was the HOD of QC. Obviously she was the best woman always!!!

A small doubt. How to quote relevant details from other posts?


Best Regards,

A Sankara Narayanan

[Simon]

Yes, I almost forgot it. We had X mas cakes distributed every year to each employee, by the MD and other directors. In another company where I worked we did have this privilage of getting a greeting card from thr HRD manager on birthday. Yet another scheme was to get one salary extra(cheque signed by the MD himself) on your wedding. Well, all these small gestures do have an impact on boosting the employee's morale. Of course, some practices do tend to become 'rights'. That's when it loses its charm.

I like the sound of those, especially the extra cheque on getting married. One could trade in for a new wife every year and get paid for it. You're right about people taking advantage and assuming rewards are rights. But for any negative the positives outway them, however, care and attention is necessary in implementing and running any reward system.

A small doubt. How to quote relevant details from other posts?

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Regards,
Simon

[Simon]

BUMP for some more ideas.

[okido]

Hi Simon,

As motivational factor money is the last were I would resort to.

What works?
· Give an extra day off when one year without sickness leave
· Provide good canteen facilities free coffee, thee, milk, soup, and provide sandwiches against a low price
· Issue company clothing with logo’s
· Praise people who bring the extra step in front of others
· Reward good idea’s with a small bonus
· Reward people when they detect problems that are not within their control but definitely upset customers
· Give people the opportunity for training, and pay the training
· Be flexible when production is low and people want a day off

And for the more daring:

· When you visit a customer take an employee with you
· When you visit a supplier take an employee with you
· Send people to a fair with a specific task, bring back at least three idea’s that can be used
· Invite people in staff meetings

Remember to share good fortune with your friends, Okido

[Simon]

It’s funny; money is probably the first thing that people mention when asked what motivates them. But motivation science tells us otherwise and the business benefits of giving extrinsic rewards such as pay increases are usually short lived. I can never work it out.

Interesting link:

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Motivation

Like you say Okido, good management practices, communication, and involvement along with some creative ways of saying well done. I like your list very much – thank you!

Have a nice weekend.

Regards,
Simon

[Jean]

Hi Simon,



I feel the staff should be rewarded and motivated continuously, instantly with something interesting and should be fun-filled.



We have a rotating wheel (every month) with over 25 rewards which the best 3 employees (Gold, Silver and bronze medal winners ) get a chance to rotate so that they can get a prize the few which I remember are :-



1) Lunch with the GM

2) Movie tickets for 2

3) Lunch for 2 in any of the selected restaurants.

4) 1 night stay in any hotel provided by the company.

5) A free return ticket (mostly in any budget airlines)

6) Gift or shopping Vouchers (from our suppliers)

7) 2 Tickets to any water theme parks or shows

8) 3 lbs cake from our shop as per the staff choice

9) Best employee of the year will earn extra 5 days of holidays to his annual leave.

10) Overtime hours will be accumulated (8 hours – 1 day off)



Other surprises:-



11) Watch with company logo.

12) Mint boxes for all people who have attended any training sessions

13) Bag with company logo

14) Leather purse for birthday with a Bday card from the GM

15) Key chains or pens

16) Diary / organizer for all supervisers and above category

[Simon]

It sounds great Jean, have you got any jobs?

Thanks for your input, lot's of food for thought.

Regards,
Simon

[Jean]

Dear Simon,

You are welcome. Lots of jobs in the hospitality industry.......can give a try

[GMO]

Money becomes a right not a reward (even if it's a bonus) and ends up being absorbed into the daily expenses.

Don't forget your fruit analogy could end up going rotten and becoming a food safety hazard!

Motivation doesn't have to be about giving something, it can be about involvement. Involve people in the decision making and then they understand and might have the will to act in the way you want.

Also, I think a simple "thank you" goes a long way. You'd be surprised how little it's said and recognition for good work in that way is proven to be effective.

Rather than give a monitary bonus, I'd always get the team out together for a night out. There may be some reluctance but it helps break down barriers and encourage better teamwork as well as the reward element.

[okido]

Hi Jean,

How do you select the 3 best employees.
And does the coffee lady ever get something ??????

Have a nice day, Okido

[Jean]

Hi Okido,

I suppose you are asking how we select the Bronze, Silver and Gold medal winners. All the Managers and supervisors can select the line staff who have done something exceptional and out of their job, like rescue someone during a fire incident and then that person is given a Gold Card with the reason for appreciation and that persont is allowed to put it in the Recognition box. At the end of the month before the company union all cards are collected and the best 3 among all the gold, silver or bronze cards are selected and announced. All the winners are eligible for the nomination for the employee of the year.

[Penard]

...and for the 3 worse ones, listeria, staphylococcus and salmonella! For sure I joke, don't worry about employees in my firm!

Regards,

Emmanuel.

[okido]

Hi Jean,

There is probably a cultural divide here as we look rather strange to these kind of systems that are focused on the individual.
By rewarding individuals you widen the gaps in your teams.
Building a successful business depends not only on the sole 20% of the workforce that does exceptional things every now and than and they do not need incentives to do so.
I am much more interested by moving the 75% of the workforce that is already beaten too oft and standing idle along the side.
And than there is 5% of the workforce that does exceptional things with or without any incentive.
It is better fishing in a pond with 75 carps than it is in pond with 20 no.

Have a nice day, Okido

[Jean]

Hi Okido,

We have a work force of approx 650 and this kind of recognitions help to motivate people and its never the same people who get the awards everytime. Morever this may be common in most of the hotels in a similar way or so.

[GMO]

We had a recognition scheme for paperwork in one factory I worked in. The winner the previous month when I started had just been recruited as a QA; within a year, I'd promoted him to QA team leader. It might be a good or bad thing but it focusses your mind on the good performers (and then you steal them!)

Seriously though, there are benefits to being devisive sometimes. Why shouldn't people who do a good job day in, day out be rewarded? Does that not encourage better performance in the others? Especially if you award for improvement not just acheivement?

It doesn't have to be a monitary award anyway. Reward is a wide thing. Nothing motivates me more than training for example and as I said before saying "thank you" and "well done" is really important and a free way of being a person who rewards good behaviour rather than always focussing on the bad.

[cazyncymru]

I make a point at the end of each audit to walk around the factory and thank those who had any sort of interaction with the auditor, and to give them positive feedback.

A thank you costs nothing, but means the world to the operators, after all, they are an integral part of the business.