Encouraging Others: Employee Incentives
I came across a few golden chestnuts from material stored about a decade ago on employee motivation. The suggestions are still noteworthy today:
Welcome Kit: Prepare a “Welcome” Kit for the new hire that includes a “welcome card”, a “Payday” candy bar, their career description, a checklist of “self-study” new hire training projects (market study, shopper’s reports, etc).
“You Deserve a Break Today”-Once a month, fill a cooler with ice and fill with cold sodas and inexpensive snacks. Invite the staff to stop into the kitchen or break area for snacks throughout the day. Crockpot or potluck lunch can also be a nice alternative every couple of months.
“Joy Gangs”: Nominate a small group of team members (Ben & Jerry’s originated the idea) and have them create special theme days for the staff, (”Elvis Day: Serve 50’s type fast food) or have them catch someone in the act of doing something above and beyond. Honor them by presenting a certificate or “Joy” candy bar on the spot.
Grounds staff Award: Provide your team with mini-certificates of appreciation to hand out to a member of the grounds team, whenever they are found doing something especially great. Whomever collects the most in a given amount of time, receives a plaque or certificate, or trophy known as “The Golden Broom”
Never Gamble Tickets: Buy a lottery ticket and enclose it in an envelope that says, “I never gamble when I count on you.”
Speaker Phone Fridays: Connect teams across the country or region once a month by speaker phone or internet for brainstorming a specific challenge or to recognize achievements area-wide for the month.
Car Wash Blues: When your team meets a goal, offer to personally wash their cars for them
Annual Maintenance Olympics: Lock change-out Challenge, Obstacle course, etc, competing for the Golden Hammer Award.
Movie Magic: When a goal is achieved and if there is no money to treat them to the movies, close the office for the afternoon and have the whole team watch a rented movie on a vcr, supply popcorn, pop and goober peanuts. Do a thumbs up or down, as well as deciding whether anything relevant can be applied to work.