It’s Not All About the Money

January 18, 2012

For years, managers have viewed cash as a great motivator.  It was easy – your staff did something great and you paid them.  If you wanted more from your employees, you paid them more. But were you really getting what you paid for? 

Let’s be honest, all of us are motivated by money, but it is only a short-term motivator and will not provide the long-term lift organizations are hoping for. You might ask yourself, if money is not a good motivator, then what is? According to the 2009 McKinsey global survey of executives, managers, and employees (from a range of job sectors), some nonfinancial motivators are more effective than extra cash in creating and increasing employee engagement. The participants in the survey stated three non-cash motivators that are more effective than cash motivators. Those non-cash motivators are:

  1. Praise from immediate managers
  2. Leadership attention
  3. Chance to lead projects or tasks

Recognition comes in all shapes and sizes – from a simple thank you to a recipient’s choice of merchandise. But what is most important is the power it generates to inspire employees to perform above and beyond which ultimately accelerates the bottom line. 

And there couldn’t be a better time. We have large organizations that are implementing enterprise-wide recognition systems to reduce cost and promote innovation while reducing administrative burden from existing recognition tools.  Instituting a recognition system within your organization can be your gauge to supporting effective outcomes.  It also provides constant feedback, stimulates collaboration, drives engagement, increases productivity – the list goes on and on.  What is your organization doing to recognize others?

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Help Others this Holiday Season

December 16, 2011

As a company that is passionate about volunteering in our community, we are always looking for ways to help others in need.  Last week, our company created beautiful hand-made jewelry for a local battered women’s shelter; a shelter provided by 360 Communities.  

360 Communities offers more 50 services including healthy family programs, child care resources, and prevention of domestic violence.   The shelters they provide are safe-havens to large numbers of women and children who are victims of domestic violence.

Organizations everywhere are trying to make a difference. Actually, many Americans (a whopping 83%) agree that companies should accomplish their business goals while also trying to improve society and/or the environment.  This data was gathered from an online survey polling over 1,000 individuals this past October and November (http://blogs.forbes.com/csr/).

Consumers know that businesses exist to make a profit. But increasingly, consumers say they care about the social and environmental impact of a business’s operation – so much, participants of the survey stated they would change their purchasing decision. Almost 40%  said they would change their buying decisions if the organization was giving no or very little money to charity.

It is so wonderful to be able to help others this holiday season.  I would like to personally thank my staff for taking the time to come together as a team. We learned how our 4 hours of effort (and fun) can brighten someone’s Christmas day. What is your organization doing to support social responsible initiatives? I would love to hear about it.

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Circle of Excellence Award

October 10, 2011

This past week at the Motivation Show in Chicago, Anderson Performance Improvement, along with our client Travel Tags Inc., was awarded the prestigious Circle of Excellence Award from the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA) for the Travel Tags Rewards program. We are so thrilled to be receiving this award for the fourth time!

Each year, the IMA recognizes outstanding incentive and recognition programs used as business tools. IMA honors organizations and their partners who effectively design and implement incentive programs to motivate their employees. The Circle of Excellence Award is based on a broad range of criteria including scope of the program, creativity, and most importantly, results.

The IMA presented the 2011 Circle of Excellence Awards on October 5, 2011 at The Motivation Show inChicago- recognizing the four best-in-class companies for creative and successful programs, as well as the marketing incentive partners that worked with them on the campaigns. Click here to view the YouTube video.

The Travel Tags program was designed to give employees at all levels of the company the opportunity to recognize each other for their contributions using various vehicles (On-the-Spot Cards, E-cards, etc). The Travel Tags program is an exceptional example of how a recognition program can be used as an effective business tool to meet specific corporate objectives.

The results for the Travel Tags Rewards program after one year were amazing!

  • Over 88% of employees participated in the program
  • After the inception of the program, Travel Tags experienced over a 70% decrease in safety incidences
  • Over 99% of orders shipped on-time

Never under estimate the power of a properly implemented recognition program!

Take a look at your organization’s reward mix – are they offering a recognition program?  Remind them recognition programs can create a positive environment that impacts your bottom line. It is the fuel that inspires and energizes others to work smarter and harder, supports behavior change, catapults training initiatives, and increases productivity!

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What’s New in Sales Incentives?

September 21, 2011

So what’s new in sales incentives?  Well, actually quite a bit according to the Premium Incentive Products Magazine.  Over the past few years, many companies have become reluctant to implement lush incentive programs.  Of course, the economy reflected some of the major changes, but other factors are causing some new developments as well.

For example, many members of Gen X and Gen Y are flooding our workforces.  Because of their passion to help others, they are requesting to include socially responsible items within their incentive rewards mix.  According to a current poll by Incentive Research Foundation (IFR), more than 70% of respondents request socially responsible related awards.

Some points-based sales incentive programs also allow participants to redeem points for charitable donations.  Many Gen X or Gen Y redeemers tend to use their points for items that benefit someone or something.  Such an example is Helping Hands (link) rewards – these special gifts 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.

Other trends on the horizon are using smart phones specifically to redeem rewards. This new application will enable the user to find something in a retail store, scan the barcode, and display the amount of points needed for that particular item.  This gives the participant a chance to “see” the item and, with enough points, can just click ‘buy now’ and their order is complete!

The biggest and most effective trend in sales incentives is linking an incentive with changes in behavior.  The best sales incentives programs incorporate a behavior change – many salespeople know what they need to do (sell more!), but don’t know how to get there.  For example, targeting some of your top prospects is a key behavior in the sales cycle.  This trend can have a positive effect on your entire sales force, not just your top performers! 

More and more incentive programs are also going global.  This only makes sense – if those global branches are important to the organization’s financial standing, why not motivate them to perform better as well.

What’s new with your organization’s sales incentives? I would love to hear your new ideas and trends!

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Trends in Employee Recognition

August 10, 2011

I had recently reviewed the “Trends in Employee Recognition” research compiled and completed by the WorldatWork organization. This report summarizes the results of a survey used to gather information about current trends in recognition programs. Specifically, the research is designed to measure specific types of recognition programs and the impact on the workforce. It has some great information that I would like to share!

WorldatWork is a not-for-profit organization providing education, conferences, and research focused on global human resources issues including compensation, benefits, work-life and integrated total rewards to attract, motivate, and retain a talented workforce.

Overall, WorldatWork has found that recognition programs continue to be a big part of the total rewards toolkit. More than 86% of the organization’s surveys have a recognition program in place; “Years of Service” program being the more prevalent with “Recognition to Encourage a Specific Behavior” being the biggest gainer on the list. More and more companies are seeing the importance of behavior-based rewards and recognition!

According to the WorldatWork data, the following is the top five recognition goals of an organization: 

  1. Recognize Years of Service
  2. Create a positive work environment
  3. Motivate high performance
  4. Create a culture of recognition
  5. Increase morale

WorldatWork also discovered that recognition is perceived to have positive effects on many key strategies such as increased engagement and retention, recruiting, and relationship to turnover. Now is the perfect time to create a culture of recognition! 

For the full report of Trends in Recognition, click here.  Does your company host a recognition program? If so, what is your organization’s goal?

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Effective Motivating and Rewarding to Accelerate Success

May 18, 2011

These days everyone is looking for the perfect solution to ramp-up sales. The compensation package, including sales incentives, is an important key to your salespeople’s success. 

A well-designed incentive program that is implemented effectively helps an organization attract and retain the best salespeople.  It also energizes and motivates salespeople to engage in activities and behaviors that will drive high levels of desired results.  An effective incentive plan can also be a considerable source of enthusiasm and inspiration! 

There are so many reasons why is makes sense to incorporate sales incentives into a salesperson’s total compensation package:

  1. Salespeople Drive the Company’s Top Line – A highly motivated salesperson will create more sales than a less motivated one. 
  2. The Output of Salespeople is Measurable – It’s easy to track, report, and reward salespeople’s metrics. 
  3. Acknowledges a Salesperson’s Success – The rewards generated from an incentive program serves as a constant reminder of their success.

Rewarding your sales staff on “activities” is an effective way to encourage and develop specific desired sales behaviors. According to a marketing research firm, it is crucial to establish a link between rewards and performance – which will provide a clear and fair relationship between expectations, achievements, rewards, and your corporate strategy.

Expectations:
Your employees must be aware of the expectations within their job. Your rewards program could be off to a bad start if the expectations are not clear.

Sales Goals:
For goals and achievements to have the greatest motivational impact, they must be measurable and visible.  The earning rules for the sales incentive program must be clearly designed and communicated.

Rewards:
Other than using a points-based system, maximize effectiveness with possible rewards such opportunities for growth and a work/life balance. 

Corporate Strategy:
Make sure you are including your organizational strategy within the rules of the program.  For example, if your company is redefining its sales process to better meet the needs of the multi-national customers, your sales incentive should reflect this initiative.

When trying to increase sales, retention, and engagement, an effectively planned and executed sales incentive can help you achieve your goals.  Is your organization including sales incentives in their total rewards package?

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Recognition and Change Management

March 21, 2011

We are often faced with change in the workforce.  Some people deal with change well while others don’t. Change within an organization can come in all shapes and sizes – new management, acquisition, shift schedule, new team member, etc.  Even the smallest changes can cause a major ripple in your employees’ work life.

Effective change implementation means careful planning, communication, and facilitation.  During change, managers need to involve their workforce, not just impose it.  Change can be seen as “threatening” and can be disruptive to your organization’s ability to run efficiently. Change managed well will ensure your workforce is engaged and able to adapt.

Here are some ideas for instituting change: 

  1. Communication, Communication, Communication! – It is important to keep communication lines open during change. According to Right Management , organizations that effectively plan for and communicate change, while allowing their people to become actively involved in the change process, are taking positive action to ensure their workforce is adequately prepared and positioned to perform at higher levels.
  2. Train your Team – Senior management’s most important task during the change is to train middle management.  Middle management may have the most difficult position: they must facilitate change AND help their employees understand the reasons for the change. They must also be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to help their employees. Training is the cornerstone for building knowledge about the change and required skills. Here’s an idea: Recognize and reward those who know the new knowledge!
  3. Positive Consequences – When dealing with change, the most effective way to deal with the change amongst your peers and employees is creating a culture of recognition. According to a survey conducted by Right Management (link), organizations that do not manage change well are four times more likely to lose talent. Early success and long-term wins during change must be recognized and celebrated – for recognition to be most effective, it needs to be personal, immediate, sincere, and specific.

During any type of change in your organization, remember to communicate, train your troops, and recognize those exhibiting the new behaviors.  Recognition is a necessary component of change management in order to cement and reinforce the change in your organization. As a result, your workforce will be engaged, motivated, and happy!

The great news is change doesn’t have to be seen as a negative – if your organization will be undergoing a change, do you have your plan in place?  Remember to recognize individual throughout your change implementation.

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Gift Cards: Are they really an Award?

February 28, 2011

Many of my clients say their employees would like to see gift cards in their reward selection. But are gift cards truly rewarding?  Countless studies regarding cash and non-cash rewards show non-cash rewards get the greatest results. Gift cards are considered equivalent to cash because of the face value and are much less effective than rewarding with tangible, merchandise-based awards.

Many organizations look at gift cards as the ultimate flexible reward – a participant can choose what they want from a local retailer.  But if you look closer at what this person is using their gift card for, it might surprise you.  Many of those who select gift cards are using them for household items such as groceries, diapers, etc.  Are these “disposable” items really a memorable award?

A tangible expression of thanks can be an excellent way to encourage increased performance, promote company values, and boost retention. Here is some data that supports why tangible rewards are more powerful: 

  • Tangible Rewards are Visible – Tangible rewards have trophy value; share your success with co-workers, friends, etc. 
  • Gift Cards are Spent on Necessity – Participants who receive a gift card typically use it for everyday items and rarely on a special purchase, event, or experience.
  • Don’t Remember? – After 30 days of receiving a cash reward or gift cards, a participant will not recall what it was used for.
  • Increased Loyalty – Tangible rewards reinforce association with the sponsor company and increase loyalty. 

A study conducted by the Incentive Research Foundation shows that tangible incentives increase work performance by an average of 22%.  When looking at cash or gift card-based programs, tangible award programs outperform those by an average ratio of 3:1.

When is comes to actual rewards, respondents to an Incentive Federation survey indicated merchandise and travel incentives are more compelling than cash. Merchandise transcends its roll as a reward and becomes a trophy to be “displayed.”  How this item was earned is shared with co-workers, family members, and friends.  You definitely earned your bragging rights!

Take a look at your organization’s reward mix.  Are you using the “right” rewards? And of course, remember to recognize those who go above and beyond!

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Reward Employees on a Budget

January 31, 2011

Everyone enjoys a pat on the back for a job well done.  Especially if it includes some type of reward! However, many businesses today face the dilemma of wanting to recognize employees but have a very limited budget to do so.  Engaging and rewarding employees doesn’t have to break the bank! 

A list of creative and easy-to-implement ideas was created by a variety of professionals in a range of industries.  They were asked “What are your best practices to recognize others without breaking the bank?” If your corporate goal for 2011 is to incorporate a culture of recognition and to run lean and mean, here are a couple ideas to get things started in the right direction: 

  1. Flex those Hours – Give deserving employees the ability to flex their hours.  This can range from allowing an employee to telecommute one day a week to the flexibility to start earlier and leave earlier in exchange for high performance. This perk offers the most gain with the least pain. 
  2. Handwritten Note – Hand out personal, heart-thought notes from the top-dog to the top-performers.  It is amazing the lasting power of this low-cost idea!
  3. Help them Connect – Introduce a star employee to someone in senior management or a key supplier.  This low-cost idea will make their day or even their career.
  4. Award a Free Pass – Reward an employee with a pass for a day off.  Everyone can use a day off!
  5. Make it Fun! – This is by far the most important – make it fun and your employees will play, which in turn will boast morale, increase production, and make your organization a fun place that people want to be.

A study conducted by Accountemps found that frequent recognition was named as the number one requested non-monetary compensation by full and part-time employees, with regular comp coming in at No. 2. It is so important to reward someone for a job well done. Recognition creates a positive environment that fosters improved performance. It is the fuel that inspires and energizes others to work smarter and harder, supports behavior change, catapults training initiatives, and increases productivity.

The great news is, you don’t need to break the bank and your bottom line will flourish. Today, I challenge you to recognize someone – make it fun and memorable!

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Don’t Lose Your Top Performers

January 10, 2011

Don’t let your top performers jump ship this year.  As a result of the recent recession, more and more employees are thinking about looking for a new gig.  Actually, according to a recent survey by Right Management, a division of Manpower, 84% of U.S. employees plan on looking for a new job in 2011. Only 5% stated they intend to remain in their current position, while 11% were not sure about their decision. 

The survey included over 1400 employees in North America.  Most are feeling increasingly restless and will be leaving in droves if the opportunity is favorable. Many employees sat tight through the recession without considering a job change because so few jobs were available.  But years of increased work without an increase in compensation, has many looking for greener pastures. 

Douglas Matthews, president and chief operating officer for Right Management, called the results a wake-up call to management. “This finding is more about employee dissatisfaction and discontent than projected turnover,” he said.

What can you do to keep your top performers on your team?  One of the top reasons people stay where they’re at is because of recognition.  This is the perfect time to create a culture of recognition! Statistics show companies who recognize their people outperform companies that don’t by 30 to 40 percent. Recognition leads to happy, motivated, and engaged employees, and that adds to the bottom line – both in employee retention and net revenue.

This year, make it a daily goal to recognize someone in your organization.  Did you recognize someone today?  Let me know how you’re recognizing your employees.

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