“Employee incentives” is a phrase that gets tossed around a lot in today’s business world. In fact, many business owners encourage other owners to implement such programs as soon as possible. But before you jump into such a program, it is important to understand what employee incentive gifts are and how they work.
What’s the point?
A major reason for having employee incentive gifts is motivation. Having a series of clear and realistically obtainable goals and rewards in place is meant to motivate employees to not only work harder, but to work better. These gifts or rewards offer a good way of motivating the employees, giving a clear direction for them while the boss is able to handle the direction for the company as a whole.
Does everyone have them?
While not every business has employee incentives, many will. They are becoming more popular as more employers are trying to find ways to keep their businesses interesting, positive, and motivational. If your workplace does not have them you can ask your boss about the possibility of implementing an employee incentive program. There are a number of different systems that can be used, which makes it easy to implement the program into most any type of business. These systems can be simple rewards such as “Employee of the Month” or point systems that build towards physical gifts such as an iPad. Any of these can be structured into an affordable and beneficial system for employee motivation.
Is it affordable?
An employee incentive program can be affordable. It all depends on your business. Larger businesses will be able to handle larger rewards and incentives while smaller businesses may not be able to handle them at all. Your employer would need to examine the budget to determine how much can be used for an employee reward program, if anything at all. Some common examples include:
- Certificates for restaurant dinners
- Gifts like vacuums, stereos, or home decorations
- Paid days off
- Recognition among coworkers
- Better parking spaces
While these are not the only options that are possible within an employee incentive system, these are fairly common examples. Every system can be personalized and tailored to both the company and the employees that make up the company, so different price ranges and personalities are able to be accommodated for.
How do I start?
Starting an employee incentive system can seem like a daunting task, but all you have to do is take it slowly. If you make a system that is easy to understand and easy to follow, employees should feel excited about being able to take part in a system of rewards for their hard work. In other words, the system should not be so complex that it creates unneeded stress for the employees and pulls their attention away from their work. Make sure your system is simple and slowly introduce it while gauging employees’ reactions. Employees should give feedback about the system since they are the ones who are directly taking part in it after all.
