Motivation Minute

Integrate wellness, safety programs to reduce injuries, illnesses

Kurt McDowell — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Safety and wellness programs are generally separate within an organization. Combining them could improve the overall health of employees and help reduce workers' comp costs, suggests recent research.

By housing health protection and health promotion activities in different silos, the effectiveness of each is limited, according to the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Instead, companies should look toward systematically integrating the two functions for the best outcomes.

"Workplace health protection and promotion enhances the overall well being of a workforce by more closely integrating health promotion and health protection activities along a continuum," says a recent ACOEM guidance statement. "In this model, health promotion interventions contribute dynamically to improved personal safety in addition to enhancing personal health, while occupational safety interventions contribute dynamically to improved personal health in addition to enhancing personal safety."

Health protection usually includes activities such as basic safety training, the use of protective gear, work organization, and safety enhancing modifications. Health promotion typically encompasses health risk assessments, wellness initiatives, and immunizations.

"The safety side of the equation -- encompassing the activities that protect workers from occupational injury and illness and promote a better work environment -- is often housed in an organizational sector that is completely separated from health and wellness," the document says. "The safety committee in a mid-sized manufacturing company may have no formal connection with the coordinator of the company's wellness incentive program, housed in human resources, for example."

There's growing evidence that the two affect each other. The authors cite several studies.

"Good physical condition, absence of chronic illness, and good mental health are the factors that have been scientifically observed to be associated with low occupational injury rates," according to ACOEM. "It has been clearly shown, for example, that workers with certain adverse health risk factors are more likely to sustain injuries than those without such risks. Among those factors are obesity, sleep deprivation, having poorly controlled diabetes, being a smoker, abusing drugs and/or alcohol, or being impaired by certain prescription medications."

The authors note that identifying medical conditions that impede safety has been shown to be effective in reducing accidents among commercial drivers and pilots. They also cite studies showing an increased risk for an occupational injury connected to fatigue.

ACOEM suggests employers begin to consider ways to integrate their health promotion and protection programs. Examples of common elements in an integrated model include:

Building a whole life approach to health and safety, which combines on the job and off the job dimensions in a unified vision that leads to a true culture of health.
Stressing the importance and connection of overall health and wellness to safety outcomes.
Recognizing the evolution in the nature of workplace hazards and including this awareness in the development of health strategies.

California recently introduced an initiative with a guideline for employers titled The Whole Worker: Guidelines for Integrating Occupational Health and Safety with Workplace Wellness Programs. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has implemented a paradigm of workforce health that embraces a more holistic, cross-silo view of a healthy workforce.

Employers can affect healthier lifestyles through such actions as encouraging employees to take the stairs, creating walking trails, offering healthy snack options in vending machines and in meetings, providing access to on-site exercise facilities, and encouraging stretch breaks.

Original Article: http://www.riskandinsurance.com/story.jsp?storyId=533344950

Corporate Wellness Incentives Reduce Costs

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Corporate wellness programs that offer employees rewards can help significantly reduce the cost of health care, according to a new report released this week. Data shows that wellness incentive programs result in company savings-to-cost ratios of more than $3 saved on health care costs for each $1 invested. "Less than one in five employees will participate in wellness programs that do not offer rewards," said Rodger Stotz, spokesperson for the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), which published the report. "This changes dramatically when incentives are offered – four in five will participate. Clearly all businesses should consider this when looking at their wellness efforts."

The report, which examines existing research and case studies regarding workplace wellness programs, also cites the success of specific companies. For example, IRF research shows Johnson & Johnson saves an estimated $9 million to $10 million in health care costs every year as a result of its wellness program. Data also shows Citibank realizes a health care cost savings of up to $4.73 for each dollar it spends through its health management program. Finally, IRF says Union Pacific Railroad's medical self-care program achieved cost savings of $2.78 for every dollar invested by reducing inappropriate emergency room and outpatient visits.

"The U.S. is spending about $2.5 trillion per year on health care," Stotz said. "As much as 75% of that is spent on preventable conditions, so the potential savings through preventative health care measures that include workplace wellness programs could be as high as $1.9 trillion per year. And this doesn't even consider productivity gains or worker quality of life improvements."

For more information about starting a wellness incentive program in your organization, click HERE or Contact Us for more information.

Employee Recognition Survey

Kurt McDowell — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT

We have assembled a list of survey questions to assist our clients in assessing their recognition needs. These questions are designed to:

Give you an adequate picture of how well supervisors deliver recognition (and whether training is warranted)
Show how employees like to receive recognition (formally, publicly, privately, etc.)
Answer what types of recognition your employees like best
Gain employee input in program development and design

Whether starting a new program or reviewing an old one, these questions should help guide you in the right direction. We usually recommend total anonymity for your respondents, but that's your call. Depending on your culture, it's also important to consider alternate methods of delivery - both hard copy and digital delivery. The key is a credible representative sample.

We would love your feedback. To download the survey, click below:

Employee Recognition Survey

Peer-to-Peer Reinforcement is Most Effective

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Peers are the most useful reinforcers available to your organization - even more than front-line supervisors. Peer reinforcement is also the most underutilized.

Only those in the same or similar position in the workplace:

are in the best place to deliver positive and immediate feedback (reinforcement)
are looked on as a trusted source of feedback for behavior by their peers

The only problem is that most employees have never been educated on the impact they can have in bringing desired corporate values/behaviors to life, and even worse, management does not reinforce or encourage these actions. Peer reinforcement needs to be defined within job descriptions, and layered/enabled within the overall enterprise recognition framework.

Improper Execution

Management often has opted for team reinforcement over a true peer-to-peer initiative, and have not received the measurable success in performance improvement desired. I've written about team recognition in a previous post.

When your organization empowers peers to be a driver of reinforcement for each other, process and performance improvements occur much faster - and most importantly - last longer.

Note: For more information about training managers to reinforce peer-to-peer, contact us or learn about our recognition training compendium.

What Is The Cost of a Bad Hire?

Kurt McDowell — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:00:00 GMT

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Recognition Must Have Personal Value (to the recipient)

Kurt McDowell — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Studies have concluded that actual dollar value of a reward is insignificant (or should I say less important) to the reward recipient than most managers believe. The item just needs to meaningful to the recipient, and create a positive memory of the accomplishment.

Also, don't be afraid to survey a sampling of employees to ask what moves them, whether or not they like to be recognized in public or in private, etc. But most of all communicate to your people of your desire to celebrate their accomplishments, and would love their input (their investment) in coming up with the best strategy.

Don't just throw money at them. Celebrate the moment. For some great advice on how to train your managers to reward correctly, contact us for your FREE copy of our "Celebrate the Moment" brochure, or inquire about our training services.

Reward and Recognition Must Be Earned

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

One of the great things about team reward and recognition is that everyone gets rewarded.

One of the challenges with team reward and recognition is that everyone gets rewarded.

If everyone on the team contributed there is no concern, but when there is a considerable discrepancy between high performers and low performers, what is the impact?

In the thinking of the high performer, she feels that her extra effort was not rewarded correctly and resolves to ratchet back her effort in the future. The poor performer gets reinforced for inefficient effort, and makes no behavior change. End result: lower productivity in the next quarter/time period.

There must be a direct relationship between the performance of the individual and the corresponding recognition and reward. Team recognition has its place but not at the expense of desired behavior reinforcement and behavior change.

A Daily Affair - Positive Reinforcement

Kurt McDowell — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Positive reinforcement must be ingrained in a leader's daily activities. Organizations throughout the country spend their time and money on rewards and recognition, yet many fail to achieve the results they should. Why? Because paired with these positive, yet periodic, vehicles of behavior reinforcement is daily negative reinforcement.

Daily, employees are confronted, pressured, threatened - negatively reinforced - by economic, social, and corporate forces. Take a snapshot of one employee's day. Do the positive influences (influencers) outnumber the negative?

It's hard to dance when someone or some event keeps tripping you up.

Look for new ways to acknowledge the behaviors your employees do well. Be definitive. Point out both the behavior and its positive implications on your feelings toward them and the impact to your organization.

Try this experiment. Find an underperforming employee. For one week, ignore all the negatives - whether performance, attitude, whatever - and acknowledge the positive. See what happens. I'd love to hear about it.

IRS Tax Treatment of Employee Awards-2011 Update

Kurt McDowell — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Awards

You can generally deduct amounts you pay to your employees as awards, whether paid in cash or property. If you give property to an employee as an employee achievement award, your deduction may be limited.

Achievement awards.

An achievement award is an item of tangible personal property that meets all the following requirements.

It is given to an employee for length of service or safety achievement.
It is awarded as part of a meaningful presentation.
It is awarded under conditions and circumstances that do not create a significant likelihood of disguised pay.

Length-of-service award.

An award will qualify as a length-of-service award only if either of the following applies.

The employee receives the award after his or her first 5 years of employment.
The employee did not receive another length-of-service award (other than one of very small value) during the same year or in any of the prior 4 years.

Safety achievement award.

An award for safety achievement will qualify as an achievement award unless one of the following applies.

It is given to a manager, administrator, clerical employee, or other professional employee.
During the tax year, more than 10% of your employees, excluding those listed in (1), have already received a safety achievement award (other than one of very small value).

Deduction limit.

Your deduction for the cost of employee achievement awards given to any one employee during the tax year is limited to the following.

$400 (average per employee) for awards that are not qualified plan awards.
$1,600 for all awards, whether or not qualified plan awards.

A qualified plan award is an achievement award given as part of an established written plan or program that does not favor highly compensated employees as to eligibility or benefits.

Highly Compensated Employees

A highly compensated employee for 2008 is an employee who meets either of the following tests.

The employee was a 5% owner at any time during the year or the preceding year.
The employee received more than $110,000 in pay for the preceding year.

You can choose to ignore test (2) if the employee was not also in the top 20% of employees ranked by pay for the preceding year.

An award is not a qualified plan award if the average cost of all the employee achievement awards given during the tax year (that would be qualified plan awards except for this limit) is more than $400. To figure this average cost, ignore awards of nominal value.

Deduct achievement awards as a nonwage business expense on your return or business schedule.
You may not owe employment taxes on the value of some achievement awards you provide to an employee. See Publication 15-B at IRS.gov.

How Will You Get Your Exercise in 2011

Kurt McDowell — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Too many people confine their exercise to jumping to conclusions, running up bills, stretching the truth, bending over backward, lying down on the job, sidestepping responsibility, and pushing their luck.

-- Author unknown

What's Your (Prospect / Employee's) Learning Style?

Kurt McDowell — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:37:57 GMT

The successful outcome of your next sales presentation will be determined largely by your ability to do two things very well; develop rapport with your prospect and adapt your sales message to engage his or her preferred learning style. The learning style theory was developed back in the early 1970s and has proven to be an extremely powerful communication model that every school teacher, parent, manager and sales rep should have in his or her toolbox. Simply stated, this theory promotes the concept that people have a natural preference, based upon their dominate sense, in how they choose to learn and process information; visual/seeing, auditory/hearing, or kinesthetic/touching.

Unfortunately, far too many sales reps unknowing undercut their sales effectiveness by failing to recognize the need to engage their prospects' learning styles. For example, if a sales rep determines that his or her prospect is a visually-based learner, it's up to the sales rep to make the adjustment and incorporate more colorful graphs/charts, brochures and other visual aids throughout the presentation.

It's easy to quickly and accurately determine your prospect's (employee's) preferred learning style by simply paying attention to his or her most commonly used words and phrases.

Visual-based learners might say:

"I can certainly see your point."
"That looks good to me."
"Do I make my point clear to you?"

Visual-based learners like pictures and prefer to get their information in writing. Use colorful charts, graphs and other visual learning tools to help them make a buying decision.

Auditory-based learners might say:

"That sounds good to me."
"I hear what you're saying."
"That rings true to me."
Auditory-based learners tend to hang on every word that you say. This type of prospect learns best through group discussion and tends to talk things out when making a buying decision.

Kinesthetic-based learners might say:

"I can get my arms around that concept."
"This point really grabbed my attention."
"Let me get a grip on what you're saying."
Kinesthetic-based learners prefer to learn by physically touching and doing. Keep this type of prospect actively evolved throughout the selling process by using demonstrations and other hands-on learning tools whenever possible.

If you want your prospects to get the most benefit from your website information, sales presentations, brochures and related marketing materials, you need to present the information in the most engaging way possible. Multiple forms of information delivery will give you the best possible chance of appealing to each of these different learning styles.

Source: John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. He is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker. To have John speak at your next event, or for more information, click here .

Are All Goals Good Goals in Sales?

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:13:59 GMT

Deadlines give people permission to wait

Setting a monthly or quarterly goal allows for salespeople to wait until the end of that time to reach that particular benchmark. Under these circumstances, there is no incentive to try to achieve the goal as soon as possible since there are not positive consequences for doing so. You might actually build in fear that reaching the desired level too early might result in a shifting of the bar.

Goal attainment gives salespeople permission to stop

Has this ever happened to your organization? One or a group of reps had a great month, but instead of booking the extra business above goal, will "bank" the business for the following month. Remember that 'J' curve in college?

If your rep's goal is 1000 units per month, it is in her best interest to coast or hover around that mark (hence the flattening of the curve). The employee knows that it will be easier to meet the next month's goal by coasting (or worse yet, there is still that fear that management will raise the bar next month. Negative reinforcement.)

Does setting goals actually limit performance?

Well, yes and no. W. Edwards Deming was one of the first management gurus to notice the performance limits caused by goals and standards. Managers must realize that goals in and of themselves must be an antecedent to positive reinforcement. To know whether your goal structure is a negative reinforcement engine, look for these clues:

The 'J' curve - look for that sharp rise in performance before the deadline
Negative talk - from both employees and line managers
A flattening of performance after goal achievement
Lack of a plan for positive reinforcement
If you remove a performance standard and the performance drops

For ideas on how to properly reinforce for maximum performance, feel free to contact us.

Wellness Incentives and Measuring Workplace Productivity

Kurt McDowell — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 20:00:52 GMT

Employers spend an estimated $13,000 per employee per year in total direct and indirect (productivity-related) healthcare costs, motivating many organizations to address health and productivity management as an integral part of business strategy.

The growing focus on reducing healthcare expenditures, retaining valuable employees and optimizing employee productivity is compelling employers to quantify the effects of productivity impairment on the bottom line and the return on investment of population health-management initiatives.

How to Effectively Measure Workplace Productivity:

Determine how workplace productivity data will be used.
Get to know the various measurement tools available.
Determine the most relevant measurement approach.
Don't be data rich and interpretation poor.

Link to the full article by Steven M. Schwartz at HR Executive Online

Consequences That Change Behavior

Kurt McDowell — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:38:33 GMT

Employees respond better to small, immediate, and certain consequences. So when designing an initiative to shift behavior, certain consequences work better than others. Many organizations will budget for bonuses, profit sharing, retirement benefits, or other future "compensation," that do little to bring discretionary effort on a daily basis. These tactics work great for attracting talent, but do little toward the work-life experience

Consequences that yield the best behavioral results occur daily, and often will not show up on the balance sheet. A positive affirmation, peer acknowledgment, a small victory, can often do the trick. Managers need to foster an environment of small "wins" to lead to desired behaviors and outcomes.

Employees will not resist change if the change provides immediate positive consequences for them, so rather than managing the change, manage the consequences associated with the change.

The Path to Extinction

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:57:10 GMT

Companies and managers think that if they intend to positively reinforce an employee's behavior or performance, then that is what they are doing. Unfortunately, that's not true. Additionally, many companies are decreasing or eliminating incentive structures due to "cost." What happens in the vacuum? Behavioral extinction.

Doing nothing is doing something for employee performance. Doing nothing to reinforce a behavior leads to extinction of that behavior. In a down economy, extinction is epidemic. Look around your own company. Does anybody express that they don't feel appreciated or that they feel ignored? If so, we know extinction is occurring.

Management changes behavior by its action AND its inaction

When managers do nothing, they may be changing behavior in one of two ways:

Making the desired behavior extinct, or...
Allowing inappropriate behavior to be reinforced (i.e. with no clear consequences)

A positive word or a personal note cost nothing, and when phasing out or cutting back larger programs, are even more important. There are great low cost alternatives out there. Check out one of my previous posts for a comprehensive list.

The Dead Man's Test

Kurt McDowell — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT

A great litmus test to gauge the effectiveness of your recognition strategy is the "Dead Man's Test," coined by Dr. Ogden Lindsley in 1965. In a nutshell, "if a dead man can do it, it isn't behavior and you shouldn't waste your time trying to produce it."

Unfortunately many initiatives fail this test - especially in the safety arena. "Zero defects" or "Days without a lost-time accident" are examples of goals that don't pass the test. Dead men never have accidents and they don't manufacture defective products. Another problem is the focus on the negative. "Don't have an accident, " "don't be late," "don't make a mistake."

What we must always remember is that employees are hired to DO things - be active. Active behavior gets things done. Pinpoint specific actions that are necessary for your desired result and make sure they are observable, measurable, and reliable. Specific behaviors achieve specific results.

Employees Twice As Likely to Head for the Door - According to New Blessing White Study

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:05:35 GMT

Employees are 86% more likely to leave their present employment than they were before the recession started, according to preliminary findings from Blessing White's survey of 2400 respondents in North America.

Respondents reveal career concerns as the top reason for moving on, with 28% attributing thoughts of leaving to "My career. I don't have opportunities to grow or advance here." "My work. I don't like what I do or it doesn't make the most of my talents" came in second with 18% and "My manager. I don't like working for him or her" came in third with 13%. Intent to stay, however, is fueled by enjoyable work ("My work, I like the work that I do." 35%), a meaningful connection ("My organization's mission. I believe in what we do." 12%), and a job that fits into a desired work/life balance ("My job conditions. I have flexible hours, a good commute, etc." 10%).

OK, but what are some tactics that can be used:

Help employees define their wants and needs
Clearly identify the work/behaviors that drive your organization's success
Equip managers at all levels to reinforce and drive those behaviors

The Two Ways to Change Behavior: Energizing your Employees

Kurt McDowell — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:52:59 GMT

Behavioral psychologists agree that there are two ways to change behavior.

Doing something before the behavior occurs (antecedents)
Doing something after the behavior occurs (consequences)

It is critical that an organization initiating a culture change understand these elements and their roles in shaping employee behaviors. Since antecedents come before the behavior occurs, they are called "setting events." These events set the stage but do not cause the behavior to occur.

Consequences follow behaviors and determine the probability of a behavior to reoccur. A consequence will make a behavior occur more often or less often.

Antecedents can make a behavior occur once, but only a consequence can make a behavior happen again. Many companies invest in expensive training, office or team design, etc., but these are only antecedents. If management does not create validating mechanisms, lasting and consistent performance will suffer.

Antecedents initiate but cannot sustain performance, thus are inefficient and costly to manage performance.

Employee Lifetime Value: Measuring the Long-Term Financial Contribution of Employees

Kurt McDowell — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:14:23 GMT

This document examines properties shared by Employee Lifetime Value and Customer Lifetime Value, which are explored in further detail in a 45-page research report entitled Employee Lifetime Value: Measuring the Long-Term Financial Contribution of Employees. This white paper and the full report were produced by the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement and the Performance Improvement Council. 85% of a company’s assets are related to intangible capital tied up in knowledge and human talent. What are your employees worth to you?

Employee Lifetime Value and Its Link to Customer Lifetime Value

Dollars and Sense of Corporate Wellness Programs

Kurt McDowell — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:27:52 GMT

Many articles talk generally about the overall benefits of corporate wellness programs for businesses - as companies save money, it lead sto higher employee productivity, job satisfaction and morale. This post however, will focus only on specific analytics of these programs (i.e. performances in dollars, cents, and percentages) and the great value they bring to companies that use them.

In a comprehensive review of over 100 peer-reviewed studies of company health and wellness programs in the past three decades, the average annual savings of health care costs was $ 358 per employee. In addition, companies averaged $ 294 in annual savings due to decreased employee absenteeism. This is an annual total savings of over $ 650 per employee!

In calculating the savings rate less the cost of corporate wellness consulting and program implementation, the return on investment on reducing health costs was $ 3.27 for every dollar spent by the company and $ 2.73 for every dollar spent to reduce absenteeism. Another source studying more than 50 major programs found that EVERY program showed positive results for health, and some yielded a return on investment of $ 5.00 or more for every dollar spent.

Here are some specific examples that show how dramatic savings are tied to corporate wellness programs:

One small company managed to save between $ 3,000 to $ 15,000 in reduced health claims of employees.
Another company lowered sick leave by almost 20 percent
One small self-insured municipality that instituted a wellness program is saving $600,000 per quarter!

Corporate wellness programs also yielded higher sales, higher employee productivity and greater morale, leading to greater rates of worker retention. A study of large firms with basic wellness programs showed a decrease in staff turnover by almost three to ten times.

Most of the cases sited above were basic wellness initiatives over the last 30 years. A lot has changed in 30 years. For a comprehensive wellness solution that promotes, tracks, and rewards healthy behaviors, try ChipRewards. Over 70% of health care costs are preventable. And in the economic climate today, saving money everywhere you can is an imperative. Let us help you unlock the potential of your team. Contact us for more information.

How to Develop an Incentive Program

Kurt McDowell — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:15:58 GMT

1. Establish Objectives

Identify what goal/objective needs to be accomplished, for example: improved attendance, increased sales of a particular product, etc. The objectives must be simple, specific, and obtainable. Begin with a clear, briefly stated objective and communicate it to all participants.

2. Outline the Strategy

Build the foundation of the Incentive Program carefully, expanding on the methodology to be used. The structure of the program should detail exactly who is the target audience, and anyone else who will be influenced by the program. The size of the group is important to the budget of the program, as well as the ability to communicate clearly and measure the results accurately. Other considerations are geographic boundaries or sales regions, legal considerations, family issues, the length of the program and timing, individual goals or team goals, and of course, the reward.

3. Measure Performance

Define both quantifiable and qualitative goals that can be measured, and keep it simple. It might be necessary to look at historical data and come up with an average in order to define a particular sales goal. The goal needs to be fair to all involved, and obtainable by everyone.

4. Establish the Budget:

Depending on whether the program involves sales or non-sales personnel, the budgeting will be different. In general, the three elements of budgeting include:

Number of participants
Length of program
Expected results

There are two types of award budgets: 1) closed-ended, and 2) open-ended. You would need to determine the maximum costs involved with a closed-ended program, and an estimate of costs involved for an open-ended program.
In a sales program, the traditional rules are:

Anywhere from 5% to 10% of additional (incremental) gross sales during the incentive period can be applied to the total cost of the program, and
The cost of the incentive awards should equal 5% of all compensation for the program period.

In a non-sales program, it is more difficult to put a monetary figure on the value of "improvement," but some measures are possible that involve increased productivity, improved attendance, and improved safety (fewer traffic tickets, for instance). The budget is then determined by the "value" the company will realize from the improvements made by the Incentive Program. An enterprise-wide budget of 1%-3% of payroll for all your incentive and recognition programs is a good benchmark. This would include years of service, safety, performance, immediate, cumulative (points), and milestone achievements.

5. Budget Elements:

Element

Awards

Communication/Promotion

Administration

Training/Research

Percent of Budget

80%*

10%**

5%**

5%**

* For merchandise awards, this includes shipping (about 10% of the cost of the items) and taxes (about 6% of cost).
**The last 3 categories are fixed costs comprising 10-20% of incentive program costs.

6. Select the Perfect Awards:

It is important to select the correct award because if the individual is not emotionally vested in obtaining the incentive award, he or she will not pursue the goal. Spend some time speaking with the target group and create an award selection within the framework of the budget that will be important to the group. Don't forget awards with a social mission like our Helping Hands rewards, or that invaluable "lunch with the CEO."

7. Administer the Program

Administration is approximately 20% of the program budget (including communication/promotion), and a good 50% of the planner's time. The target group needs clear, consistent communication and timely feedback on measurement of their performance. McDowell Incentives, Inc. can provide you with tools and a turnkey strategy to maximize the impact of your solution. Feel free to utilize our in-house creative and design team.

8. Celebrate the Success of the Program

The end of the program should be celebrated with the target group and performance measurement by individual or team should be provided at this point. Individuals should then receive their awards.

9. Analyze the Success of the Program

Did the Incentive Program achieve its objectives?
Were the participants motivated to change their behavior?

Remember, an Incentive Program provides a short-term gain, and follow-up is important. Start planning the next one today, and don't forget to ask us about our enterprise solutions that allow you to build on the fly. Incentive Programs can be launched in as little as 30 minutes!

Employee Recognition – What, Why, When, Where, How

Kurt McDowell and CSI Recognition — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:04:54 GMT

Employee recognition is an excellentt communication tool that can help to reward and motivate employees. This builds a better relationship between employees, upper management and the company that can help the business grow and thrive. It also helps to boost employee morale and increase productivity within the company. In order to create the best employee recognition program for your company, you need to understand what it consist of and this includes the what, why, when, where and how of recognition programs.

WHAT

What is employee recognition? True employee recognition is getting involved with the employees and asking them their opinions about solving real problems and discussing important job issues. This is important to employees because they want to be recognized for their unique qualities and individual contributions. It’s also respecting the employees by physically rewarding them for a job well-done and by pointing out the specific reason for the recognition.

WHY

By recognizing and rewarding employees for doing a good job and putting forth an effort, you’re encouraging them to continue to work in the same effective manner. It’s a critical part of creating a great work environment, increase motivation, raise morale and keep employees satisfied with their position.

WHEN

Employee recognition should be done immediately or as soon as possible after an employee has met a specific criteria that qualifies them for recognition. This will help to reinforce positive behavior. The employee will appreciate being rewarded for a job well-done and they will want to continue to put forth this kind of effort because they know it’s truly appreciated.

WHERE

Deciding where to show recognition will partly depend on how the employee is being recognized and for what services. For example, there may be times when upper management approaches the employee in the workplace, calls them by name and personally thanks them for a specific job done well. There will be other times when employees will be recognized at award ceremonies.

HOW

A successful employee recognition program will address several important issues that will benefit both the company and the employees. Begin by making it possible for all employees to receive the recognition they deserve, not just a few. Put a criterion in place that explains what actions will receive recognition and make sure that everyone knows they will receive a specific type of recognition if they meet specific criterion. Everyone needs to know in advance what is expected of them and what actions will be considered for special recognition.

Employee recognition needs to be consistent but it shouldn’t become a habit. In other words, it’s a good idea to use an element of surprise once in a while by switching things up a bit and not making any one method of recognition repetitive.

Today’s employee wants recognition that directs their career path while providing them advanced job opportunities and that is the type of employee recognition you can expect from McDowell Incentives, Inc. and CSI International. Our STARS Service recognition solutions are designed to recognize the individual for who they are and for their unique contributions to the company.

Meet our outstanding Recognition Partner, CSI

Kurt McDowell — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:06:35 GMT

Little Moments Can Create Big Results

Dr. Gary Bradt — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Remove Subtle Signs That Put People Down

Audit your work place for any subtle practices that divide people based on rank and privilege for no good reason. If such things really matter to your executives, you've got the wrong people in positions of power.

Hand Written Notes Can Be Powerful Tools

In this electronic age, hand written correspondence has gone by the boards in favor of e-mail, and voicemail. If you want to stand out from the crowd, take the time to write a short, handwritten note to express gratitude or appreciation toward your best customers, clients, prospects or even an employee or co-worker. This small gesture leaves a strong impression.

Ask 'How Are You Doing?' And Mean It

When times are tough and people are stressed, taking the time to genuinely inquire into how someone is doing sends a powerful message of caring. Taking a minute or two to inquire after a co-worker's sick child or parent or to see how the job is progressing, let's people know you care. As a consequence, they are more likely to care about you and the business.

Nothing Is Too Small

If you have a group that likes to celebrate small things like birthdays but you could care less, find a way to support them with these seemingly small issues. If your group has been working extra hard lately, plan something small but fun as a reward. Remember the little things are the big things.

Think Short And Small

To maximize the benefit of listening to a speech or attending a seminar, think "short and small" to hit it big.When attending educational events,make it your goal to walk away with a short list of just one or two main ideas to focus on going forward.

Source: Dr. Gary Bradt is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant and the author of The Ring in the Rubble: Dig Through Change and Find Your Next Golden Opportunity.

Team Building is First and Foremost Employee Education

Borut Nikolaš — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:08:52 GMT

From Engagement Strategies Magazine

Borut Nikolaš, General Manager of Slovenian DMC, Maya Travel Agency, recently wrote an article on team-building incentives in Kongres magazine.

Have you ever noticed how many companies advertise team building programs on their websites? Last year I called one of them out of curiosity and inquired what they recommended for a one-day team building program. Their answer: "a whole day tournament in darts, which can be carried out anywhere they have dartboards. This will certainly strengthen friendly relations among employees." I got chills when I heard firsthand what some people offer as team building. It was fairly obvious that the gentleman who gave me this information had no idea (and here he is not alone) that team building is first and foremost employee education where trust, communication, organization and motivation within a team are strengthened through different techniques of teamwork and workshops. This leads to an analysis of team dynamics and individuals. Programs are devised into one day or longer and are periodically repeated to achieve desired goals and to also measure the progress. With the right team building programs you will find it much easier to utilize the skills and potential of your employees.

Want to build the best team you possibly can?

Make sure your line managers have the proper tools and skills to encourage and lead others. Many times, an employee is promoted due to expertise in the "technical work" but doesn't yet know how to duplicate themselves through others. Our spaced-repetition e-learning course for managers has 8 modules that teach skills for managers to practice-drill-rehearse weekly. Check it out HERE

Hewitt Analysis Shows Steady Decline in Engagement

Kurt McDowell — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:10:47 GMT

While the economy is slowly recovering, a recent analysis by Hewitt Associates, a global human resources consulting and outsourcing company, shows employee engagement and morale in the workplace are not. Almost half of organizations around the world saw a significant drop in employee engagement levels at the end of the June 2010 quarter, the largest decline Hewitt has observed since it began conducting employee engagement research 15 years ago. This highlights the growing tension between employers and employees, who are showing fatigue in response to a lengthy period of stress, uncertainty and confusion brought about by the recession and their company's actions.

Since July 2008, at the onset of the economic downturn, Hewitt began closely analyzing changes in employee engagement levels by quarter for more than 900 organizations globally that conducted annual engagement studies. These studies covered topics such as employee morale, confidence in the organization, career opportunities, rewards and recognition programs and trust in leadership.

Historically, Hewitt's research shows that about half of these organizations improved their engagement levels in a one- or two-year period, while only 15% had experienced a decline. However, the past two years have been more challenging: the percent of organizations with declining engagement has been steadily growing. This trend is particularly notable in 2010. Hewitt's research shows that 46% of organizations experienced a decline in engagement levels in the quarter ending June 2010, while just 30% saw an improvement.

Hewitt's analysis suggests a clear link between employee engagement levels and financial performance. Organizations with high levels of engagement (where 65% or more of employees are engaged) outperformed the total stock market index even in volatile economic conditions.

During 2009, total shareholder return for these companies was 19% higher than the average total shareholder return. Conversely, companies with low engagement (where less than 40% of employees are engaged) had a total shareholder return that was 44% lower than the average. For more information on the study, visit www.hewitt.com

2009/2010 U.S. Strategic Rewards Report

Towers Watson and World at Work — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Key Findings

Organizational restructuring has been pervasive and deep.

Seventy-two percent of participants have gone through a restructuring or made layoffs since the economic downturn began in 2008.
Regardless of whether companies downsized, 89 percent of respondents report taking at least one or two actions to minimize the extent of workforce downsizing.
On average, survey participants report taking 3.5 different actions.

There has been a negative impact on some employee perceptions that could lead to higher attrition when the crisis is over.

Top-performing employees are 20 percent less likely to agree that they understand the link between their own goals and the company’s goals than in 2008.

Employees believe the changes made by their companies are affecting work quality and delivery to customers.

Forty-one percent of employees indicate that changes have had an adverse impact on quality and customer service, while only 17 percent of employers believe this is the case.

These results are a signal that things are not going to return to “normal.” As a consequence, companies must take proactive measures to mitigate the negative effects of cost-cutting actions on employee morale and productivity. Employers will need to reevaluate the “deal” with employees — the Employee Value Proposition — and create a renewed bond as the economy recovers.

Here is a link to the full study...

Don’t Get Trapped in the Pitfalls of Recognition - Human Motivation Can Be Delicate

Kathy Bromer — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:24:49 GMT

Formal recognition is an excellent way to reward stellar performance, improve motivation, and positively impact employee job satisfaction. Most companies use a common sense approach to “rally ‘round recognition”, rewarding employees with cash, with a pat on the back, or with a single item that can easily be shopped at retail. In return, employers whole-heartedly believe they should receive a significant return on their efforts and investment in the form of sincere appreciation, improved behavior, increased production, or better job performance.

Truth is, human motivation is a complex and delicate process. An employer’s perception of what motivates employees may not match the employee’s perception. All awards aren’t equally effective, and a poorly executed program may do more harm than good.

The good news is with a few small adjustments, common pitfalls can be avoided and new action plans can be created:

Cash vs. Merchandise

Using money to shape behavior just doesn’t cut it. If you think it did, think again on how long the improvement you were trying to accomplish lasted? Chances are the positive result lasted momentarily when the stimulus-dependent recipients went looking for the next infusion of monetary reward. Keep compensation and performance separate. Reward performance, length of service and on-the-spot (immediate) recognition with strategic-based planning that establishes benchmarks, timeframes, and rewards that are on going and deliver high-perceived value. Recognize employees with a meaningful choice of awards that have broad appeal so each recipient will find true value in your expression of appreciation.

Consistency vs. Inconsistency

Avoid a one size fits all approach. Don’t award everyone for the same thing with the same reward. Instead, set well defined goals. Reward individuals for outstanding achievement based on their job related goals.

Continuous vs. Sporadic

For greater impact, recognize specific achievements when they happen, vs. mass distribution of awards at a year end banquet or company picnic. Seize the moment; make it special and ongoing. That way, you’ll generate higher levels of enthusiasm and excitement and create a recognition environment that everyone will want to participate in, on a daily basis. Keeping it timely and meaningful keeps it real!

Generic vs. Wow-Factor Awards

Are you awarding framed certificates or the proverbial watch to everyone? Chances are, the reaction you’re receiving isn’t as positive as you anticipated. The younger generation tracks the time of day on their mobile phones, and where’s an in-field sales employee going to display their framed certificate? The more personalized the award selection, the greater the value, the greater the impact, the greater the chance others will want to achieve similar results. Tapping into an individual’s interests/lifestyles and offering a wide selection of award choices (vs. no choice) will provide a higher level of satisfaction and motivation.

Real recognition keeps employees charged and psyched. Remember to keep it interesting with a variety of constantly evolving ways to recognize and appreciate.

Follow Up Your Effective Coaching with Meaningful Recognition

Kurt McDowell — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:30:58 GMT

The link between effective coaching and meaningful recognition is a vital step in the amount of success a company can achieve. Coaching in the workplace is a way in which management can teach employees the skills they need to be an asset to the company. Coaches have a unique opportunity to train the workforce correctly so they’ll have the knowledge needed to achieve the organization’s goals.

Follow up the coaching with meaningful recognition to reward employees for their achievements and you have the type of work environment that has the potential for great success. Meaningful recognition is all about the employee not the company. For it to be meaningful, it should make the person feel like a valued employee and feel appreciated for their abilities and achievements.

The link can be achieved by these three points...

Successful Employee Recognition Through Training Your Managers

Kurt McDowell — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Kind of like a horse and carriage, one without the other just doesn’t cut it. Same goes for recognition programs and training. At CSI International, we believe successful recognition programs are directly affected by the manager/employee relationship. Managers are the key stakeholders in the recognition process and need to understand and be trained on the role of recognition in the workplace.

Not as easy as putting a Service Award or Performance program in place, you say. True, but not as hard as you think. It boils down to “best practices” and training your managers on essential recognition elements. We have designed three manager training segments to drive employee engagement and enhance the recognition experience, for both managers and recipients. Our exclusive training segments include:

Article continiued at CSI International