Is the thought of coming home to a clean house, or a mowed lawn, or simply a night out on the company, a driver for personal happiness?
When it comes to going the extra mile at work, some people are highly motivated by internal forces, such as pride or a keen interest in what they do, but most of us also respond well to rewards, treats and other inducements.
If you are looking for fresh ways to stimulate your team, or change their behaviour, the experts suggest that flexible hours and public acknowledgement are some of the most powerful motivators.
Designing an incentives programme that will keep your staff inspired for more than three months takes careful planning and imagination. It is not the size of the prize that counts but the intrinsic value you can build in.
Firstly, be very clear about what kind of behaviour or what sort of achievement you wish to reward and what budget you have at your disposal.
Then, consider who will win the reward. Will it be offered to the entire team or only to individual top performers? Is the prize meaningful and does its size and scale adequately reflect the achievement you seek.
If you are spontaneously rewarding an employee or a team member, remember that rewards are most effective when:
Often, a simple pat on the back works wonders. Mary Kay Ash from Mary Kay Cosmetics summed it up when she said: “There are two things that people want more than sex and money… recognition and praise”.