When creating your rewards and recognition program, not only are enticing program rules going to attract participants, but the choice of rewards plays an even bigger role in increased engagement. If you are not offering a variety of awards, people may simply not want the award you are offering.
A recent poll completed in the performance improvement industry surveyed more than 1,000 employees about rewards preferences. It turns out there’s a significant gap between what they want and what they’re getting.
Here are some suggestions that grew out of the survey:
1. Give participants the choice. What floats your boat might not float theirs.
2. Place an emphasis on variety. The poll found two-thirds of employees say that their company needs to offer greater options when it comes to how they reward employees.
3. Make the rewards rewarding. It’s an important factor in retaining excellent employees and for improving performance. Offer items that have lasting trophy value.
It is so important to provide choice and variety. Every employee is unique, and one size does not fit all in employee rewards. Provide a selection of rewards to accommodate all employees. At Anderson Performance, we offer over 4500 items in our catalog; well above the industry standard. Trying to guess what a person will find rewarding is like trying to forecast the weather.
And, people everywhere embrace the opportunity to extend kindness. This trend is especially true with Generation Y; they are civic-minded and socially conscious as individuals, consumers, and employees. This is a true testament of why choice and variety is so important.
Recently, we have added a selection of socially responsible rewards to our offering. These items are unique and creative, and are manufactured by a variety of social enterprises whose sole mission is helping disadvantaged men and women learn new skills, become self-sufficient, and improve their lives. The selection includes gourmet chocolates made by smallholder cocoa producers in West Africa, beautiful jewelry created by mountain villagers of Guatemala, and scented soaps and spa products handcrafted in a transitional job program for at-risk women in Chicago.
What are some unique rewards you have seen? We would love to hear your feedback.
