Working for the Workers: Join the Revolution

What works for workers? It’s a simple question, yet not an easy one to answer. Everyone knows that happy workers are essential for thriving organizations, and figuring out how to keep them pleased is a problem that employee incentive programs try to answer. More often than not, though, they don’t do particularly well.

Out With the Old

Industry-standard thinking for employee rewards programs is outdated. Employee recognition predictably follows the same tired process that it has for years–big vendors deliver selected gift items, and that’s the end of it. This system does not inspire employees to actively participate in the process of recognition. Employers who view rewards programs as processes that are part and parcel of how they manage their most valuable resource–the workers–are rare. This needs to change.

The single largest generation employed in the United States today is millennials. Young, team-orientated millennials do not respond to the same type of employee incentive programs that older generations do. Avoiding the pitfall of sticking with legacy programs for fear of change is an important step towards embracing this progressive shift in the global marketplace.

So What Actually Works?

Workers love recognition programs that show they are part of the family. This can take different forms, but core elements such as social recognition, gamification of the work experience and nomination programs from peers are critical. Rewarding great service with recognition and not just gifts from a catalog is how you inspire your workers to keep posting good results. True motivation results from acknowledgment and appreciation; it can’t be bought without any effort from management.

Organizational Culture

Employee recognition is critical for developing an organizational culture that benefits both workers and managers. Workers do their best when they contribute to a collective endeavor, something that they feel personally invested in.

Creating a positive organizational culture is a two-way street–workers need to feel valued, and employers need to know that their workers are motivated to dedicate themselves to their work.

Program Design

Size does matter, and one size really doesn’t fit all. Program design is a fundamental aspect of an upper-level management platform like a modern employee recognition program. Traditional employee rewards programs are as boring as they are tired–copied from company to company, they do nothing to provide employees with a feeling of meaningful expectation. One could say these old programs are cookie-cutter designs, but that’s a disservice to cookies the world over. Those programs just don’t work.

A custom-made CoreCentive program designed for your specific needs enables you to avoid the troubles associated with just copying existing programs for your own needs. Every company has a distinct culture, and tailored programs are simply a necessity for a company’s employee incentive and recognition plan.

Technology

Remember that generation shift towards millennials? There’s no better way to acknowledge your acceptance of this new breed of workers than to adopt the very characteristics that make them so relevant in the workplace–their technology and innovation. CoreCentive’s platforms provide the practical performance information you need without taking valuable resources and time from other departments. Data integration is the name of the game for the modern workplace, and having all relevant information just a click away is essential for employers who are looking to modernize and streamline their rewards programs.

Service and Support

Happy workers make for happy business owners, and happy clients make for happy vendors. CoreCentive loves the idea of making customers happy–employee and employer satisfaction is the single most important element of an organization’s work culture.

Delivering employee recognition programs on an innovative, fresh platform is a great way to change your company’s culture for the better. What works for the workers is inspiration — so start inspiring!