Your Wish is My Command! Become the Genie in a Bottle to your Staff with an Employee Incentive Program
In my last blog, I wrote about the joys (and there are many) of creating a SWAG Box for others. And, in keeping with that joyful theme of giving to others, this blog is about the many benefits of creating an employee recognition program in your workplace – one with actual award fulfillment.
COVID has been hard on everyone. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that employers have a way to engage with their staff members – especially since many of them are working from home. An employee incentive program is one way to truly brighten the day of an employee.
Allow me to take your through the who, what, where, why, and how of an employee incentive program.
What is an Employee Incentive Program?
There are many programs similar to an Employee Incentive Program including Employee Recognition Programs, Best Practice Recognition, Gratitude Programs, Appreciation Programs, Safety Incentive Programs, etc. But in this blog I’m focusing specifically on the Employee Incentive Program, or EIP.
Now, imagine the joy in giving an employee the perfect gift! What makes it perfect is that the person receiving the gift gets exactly what they want. And, you know they are getting exactly what they want because they chose it from your branded store that is an extension of your website. It’s as if you are the genie who pops out of the bottle to grant wishes!
There are so many options for what to include in an EIP – catalogues with all types of merchandise – electronics, outdoor recreation equipment, jewelry, art – any many other exciting and incentivizing lifestyle items!
EIPs can be game changers as they provide peer and public recognition, allowing the recipients (including those who work remotely) the opportunity to be recognized for their contributions.
At CREATIVE, we have the know-how and the experience of crafting excellent Employee Incentive Programs. And we’ll work with you to ensure it’s exactly right for your workplace with tailored incentives that support your core values, safety procedures, or sales targets. What’s best is that we have the vendors, the warehouse, and the ability to have it delivered almost anywhere in the world!
When Should an Organization Use an Employee Incentive Program?
There are so many opportunities to use an EIP and it’s never too late to get one set up! Whether it’s to show appreciation to your employees, award specific accomplishments (hitting sales targets, impeccable safety records, going above and beyond), or provide on-the-spot bonuses, an Employee Incentive Program has so many benefits.
Use an EIP to encourage your employees to recognize their peers. How awesome and unexpected would it be for a staff member to receive points (like cash) from a colleague to use in their store for purchase?! Your whole team will love both giving and receiving items through an EIP.
An added benefit is you get to see (and note) all the amazing recognitions across work teams, specific departments, and the whole workplace. The bottom line is that it helps you grow your business and maintain loyal employees (reducing turnover).
Remember, EIPs are different than Employee Recognition Programs (ERPs) which reward your staff for years of service. EIPs, specifically, should be used to incentivize your staff, give bonuses, and recognize accomplishments based on your specific goals. Whichever program you choose (ERPs or EIPs), Creative is here to help.
Who Would Use an Employee Incentive Program?
The short answer to this question is any employer – large or small! An EIP program works especially well for staff working remotely or at home – although it still works wonderfully for people still working in an office. EIPs offer something for everyone from mailroom staff to corporate clients.
Basically, EIPs are for ANYONE involved in the workforce in any way, shape, or form.
Why Use an Employee Incentive Program?
Instinctively we know people work harder when they believe their efforts are both noticed and appreciated. And this common sense is backed up by research. Ninety percent of people agree that being recognized makes them want to work harder. They feel heard and seen, engaged, and connected to the company.
When employees have a positive feeling toward the company they perform better and there is less turnover. As well, happy employees are more likely to help attract new recruits because people seek a happy work culture.
In addition to driving business success EIPs can help you measure this success by uncovering workplace performance insights.
Do I still need to convince you of the benefits of employee incentive programs!? Okay, here is what we know:
- EIPs feel good (for both the sender and the receiver).
- EIPs boost morale, production, company connection, and loyalty.
- EIPs are a great way to recognize and appreciate the achievements of staff.
- EIPs give you another way to measure and keep track of company successes.
- EIPs provide your company with an amazing way to differentiate itself from others.
- Last, but certainly not least, EIPs are incredibly convenient and cost-effective. Having a specially chosen gift arrive at one’s home is part of the new world of fulfillment. What other gift allows everything to be set up, used, and delivered anywhere all from the convenience of one’s computer?
How Does One Create a Successful Employee Incentive Program?
That’s easy…contact CREATIVE! Our program specialists are happy to help you with this. One of the first things to note is that EIPs are not (well, should not be) “one-size fits all.” There are so many factors that must be considered when creating an EIP – the type of workplace, the culture of the workplace, the employees who would be using it – that no two programs would ever be exactly alike.
Ease of use, immediacy, choice, and flexibility are key elements of a successful EIP and the professionals at CREATIVE will help you achieve all those aspects.
We will work with you to ensure you match the rewards to the actual achievement. This point is key to the success of an EIP. Large efforts and accomplishments shouldn’t be paired with very small or modest rewards. Similarly, smaller successes needn’t be rewarded with “gold-choice” awards.
Why Choose CREATIVE to Help You Set Up an Employee Incentive Program?
Here are just a few examples of why you should use the pros at CREATIVE to craft your Employee Incentive Program:
- 45 years of recognized and lauded business experience
- top-rated list of vendors with exciting options to choose from and available warehouse storage
- proven incentive software that continues to be modernized
- incomparable knowledge of EIP points/award criteria, program rules, and clever strategy, and
- the ability to ensure award fulfillment is delivered almost anywhere in the world – even to your front door.
We are here to help you create a hands-off EIP that results in a positive and headache-free experience for everyone.
Contact CREATIVE today to get started on your company’s Employee Incentive Program!
780.988.0015 // Toll-Free: 1-866-588-7924 (1-866-LUV-SWAG) // hello@acreativeagency.ca
EILISH LEMIEUX | Eilish is a self-professed “word nerd” with more than two decades of experience writing and editing for government, non-profits, and small and large businesses. Eilish honed her craft working in Communications for sixteen years at the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Teachers’ Association, and the Legislative Assembly of Alberta before starting her own writing and editing company doing work for different organizations including JumpDemand, Enbridge, the Government of Alberta, S. Pointe Art Consultants, and Detroit Tool and Engineering. Email Eilish with any questions or requests at Eilish@acreativeagency.ca