Chances are that you’ve heard people referencing money as the thing that “makes the world go ’round.” You’ve probably even heard some other phrases just like it that showcase the value that we as a society place on money as the main motivational tool in our lives. This line of thinking started when we were children (allowances), and continued into summer jobs that paid for all of our teenage desires. Once you grow up, you take a job that pays decently and probably even take another side job just to be able to support your hobbies. “Money as a motivator” has been ingrained into us since before we were old enough to even know what “motivation” was. With that being said, it’s easy to see how companies can fall into the trap of thinking that cash incentives should be their main reward type of their reward programs.
As powerful as cash may be, when it comes to driving people to work to survive and thrive, it’s actually not that great of a motivational tool for driving people to perform specific tasks and then perform them better. It demotivates. Most companies embrace the practice of prohibiting their staff from discussing their salaries or bonuses. If you have two employees doing the same job, and those employees discuss and discover that one makes more than the other, the one getting the lower pay will, more likely than not, become demotivated by learning this. Though both employees could both potentially be making the same amount of money, one finds out that he’s not and suffers from a loss of motivation. This is exactly what reward programs were designed to eliminate.
With the negative side of cash incentives becoming more and more obvious, many companies are finding themselves in situations where they have to become a bit more creative in finding ways to motivate and drive their employees to perform desired tasks and improve behaviors. Most companies know that what motivates one may not motivate another, so they’re finding new and exciting ways to inspire the people that work for them. Here are a few simple ideas that many of our companies are using to get their employees excited about work again:
- Events/Travel – Finding reasons to have an off-site event or “get-together” is one fast and easy way to let your staff know that you care about them as more than just producers. The events are easy. Have a corporate picnic or a holiday party, and you’ll definitely see people become more engaged with their co-workers and their tasks in general. Travel is a little pricier, but it’s worth it as a motivating tool to reward your top earners or producers with. You can hold a contest for a cruise or a weekend getaway as a prize for a specified behavior or objective, and you’ll see your employees’ work habits pick up considerably. You can even go all out and combine the two by having a meeting at a location that’s a little farther away than the bowling alley down the street. Cruises are ideal for memorable motivation and provide an atmosphere for your people to relax, enjoy themselves, and brainstorm some great ideas for your company’s future.
- Points Based Rewards -This model of reward program is one of the most popular ones. An online points-based rewards platform and catalog allows participants to receive points from their company that they can redeem online for a product of their choice. Employees choose what they want and that causes the reward to be more meaningful and memorable, and in turn, more motivational in the long run.
- Flexible Work Week - Allowing your employees the flexibility to complete their jobs from their home has provided a free and easy method of increasing employee loyalty and excitement about their jobs. The economy is tough, we all know that, so giving your people the option, if possible, to do their jobs from home lets them save money on gas; be more positive about doing their tasks; and successfully juggle their career and home lives under the ever-increasing pressure of today’s business environment.
There are hundreds of different methods that you can employ to your advantage that will improve your employees’ lives, improve your employees’ outlook of your company and improve the results you see from your workforce.