Employee Incentives That Actually Work

Posted on by

In addition to DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) consulting and training, I also offer my innovative Total Engagement Consulting Career Mapping solution to retain top talent through offering long range career planning and growth. In addition to my own offering, there are many other incentives companies can offer to employees to engage and retain this important human resource.

There are many benefits to offering employee incentives. They can boost loyalty, morale, and productivity, and if done right, they can help you to create a positive atmosphere and build a great team. However, not all benefits and incentives are equal. To be effective, you have to offer incentives that people want to earn. The good news is large cash bonuses certainly aren’t the only way to motivate your team. Let’s take a look at some other options.

Bonuses. Perhaps the most well-known and appreciated incentive is, of course, the bonus. People will work hard for a bonus and undoubtedly enjoy receiving it. But bonuses shouldn’t be expected, they shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve, and for the best results, it shouldn’t take your employees too long to earn a financial bonus. Offering bonuses can be tricky for small businesses, and some of the other options below might be better suited.

Gift Cards. Gift cards can be ideal because you can purchase gift cards in bulk so that you always have them to hand. A small gift card to celebrate a milestone, reward hard work, or say thank you after a tough day is a nice touch that will be remembered and appreciated. This can be a much more accessible option for smaller businesses and teams.

Shared Experiences. Not all incentives have to be monetary. Shared experiences like staff days out, trips, lunches, or other fun adventures can be a fantastic way to motivate people and improve morale. They can also boost your reputation as an employer and help you to attract the best staff.

Incentives focused on health and well being are increasingly popular, plus they are good for employees!

Health and Wellness Benefits. Offering health and wellness benefits is a great idea. Busy workers don’t often have time to exercise as much as they’d like, and things like gym memberships might offer convenience, but they can be costly. Offer things like cycle-to-work schemes; workplace yoga and mediation sessions; and discounted fitness classes and memberships for those who walk, instead of free parking. This helps your team to stay fit and boosts their moods. It also shows them that you care about their health and well being.

Days Off. The ability to earn extra days off through hard work is one that your employees will love. Just make sure any scheme you offer to earn the time is transparent and fair and that you can’t be accused of favoritism in the office.

Extra Breaks. Extra breaks are easy to offer and make a great incentive. Offering an extra lunch break to people who have hit targets, or even just a 10-minute coffee break during a tough day, is a great way to show you care, boost morale, and avoid fatigue in the workplace.

Gifts for Special Occasions. Remembering people’s birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions always goes down well, simply because it shows that you’ve taken an interest in the people you work with. A simple acknowledgment is excellent, but a card and a small gift can be a wonderful incentive if you can. Giving them important days off is always a fantastic perk.

Of course, different people respond to different things. Getting to know your team and building honest relationships with them is the best way for you to find out what they want and what they will be willing to work for.

You don’t need to hate on others if you love yourself – an editorial

Posted on by

When I travel, I often spend those hours on the plane and sitting in airport terminals reading LGBTQ-themed novels. A fascinating book I just completed (ideal for long trips) is the 750-page novel “Maxym” by Patrick C. Notchtree. The story follows an orphaned boy in Russia who grows into a trained hired assassin, yet at the same time is a very sensitive kid dealing with his sexual orientation as gay. Actually, I learned quite a bit about Russian culture, geography and recent history by reading this book.

During the time Maxym was going through his military training as a late teen, he disclosed his sexual orientation to his closest friend Stepan, who was a very strong straight ally. On page 567 where several of the characters were discussing the growing hatred toward LGBTQ people in Russia, Stepan remarked:

“Homophobes are insecure, inadequate people and so they project their self loathing onto a scapegoat to make themselves feel superior to at least one group. Of course they spout religion and family values and so on to make it socially acceptable, but they just want everybody to be like them because then their world view seems safe.”

I totally agree! If someone is totally satisfied with their own selves, there is no need to put down or hate another group. I do feel that much of the growing hatred and division is our country around LGBTQ equality is perpetrated by those who do not feel good about themselves. Also looking for others to scapegoat is a convenient way to avoid working on your own self-growth and actualization. Someone who continually cuts down other people can then avoid self-examination and improving themselves.

Two main points to make – avoiding the negative around diversity and leverage the positive around it.

Avoiding the negative. It is so sad that much of American (and even increasing global politics) revolves around the politics of hate – that is finding some group to hate on and causing division among citizens. In the past, one particular unnamed American political party has over time focused hate on LGBTQ+ people, African-Americans, Muslims and immigrants. Instead of focusing on uniting all people together to achieve optimal national success, too much energy is spent on minimizing, dividing, hating and even propagating false narratives. See my 2019 blog “Why So Much Hate?”

One of the most horrific results of this hateful rhetoric has been the increasing violence targeted toward Black and LGBTQ+ Americans. (Buffalo NY supermarket, El Paso WalMart, Jacksonville FL Dollar Store, Pulse Nightclub, Murder of LGBTQ supportive storeowner in CA….)

A diverse team working together is so much better than a focus on hate and division.

Leveraging the Positive. Instead of propagating hate and fear toward others who are different, we should celebrate the great diversity of our country. Bringing diverse people together will lead to innovation, better business results and an overall boost in our economy as everyone works to their full potential instead of wasting energy fighting the hate hurled at them. See 2019 blog, “Diversity and Inclusion – Should It Divide Or Unify Us?”

My call to action – individual and corporation: Reject all forms of hate and division, and refuse to vote for or support with corporate dollars all politicians and leaders who foster hate and division.