Most of us have heard or used the expression “times have changed” at some point in our careers. Many of us feel that way about one topic or another. Overwhelmingly this phrase comes to mind when it comes to strategizing incentives and morale in the workplace.
Sure, there are the standard motivators that don’t fail – money being number one. Raises and bonuses are still a solid incentive met with appreciation, but as we know, those are annual or monthly at best.
So - what works beyond money?
Time is an increasingly important motivator in today’s workplace. People seem to value their personal time and work/life balance more than ever. That means if they can convert some of those work hours to personal time, it is a win. We find that to be appreciated in the form of contest hours, earned or given. This is especially popular if it couples with a holiday weekend – so maybe leaving 2 hours early to start an extended weekend. It’s fun, easy, and popular with those who receive it!
As leaders, we must get creative after considering money and time. Electronic gift cards provide a nice incentive coupled with a surprise effect. These are great to send to the individual via text. You can send a message as well and it allows them to treat themselves to whatever they choose at a local venue or online shopping. It is easy to execute as multiple may be done in one sitting from your office desk… no running around to pick up items or wrap purchases.
The next popular winner with our team is food. Packing a lunch is boring and buying is expensive, so who doesn’t like food being offered and delivered to you while at work? We try to switch up cuisine and selections and sometimes it is a simple as a specialty cupcake. It is a nice touch if you can offer options to the individuals so they can pick their favorite flavor in advance. We like to deliver to the person at their desk or offer in a close setting to make sure everyone gets to enjoy. I get some of the most positive feedback from happy folks when we give out food!
Casual dress is another winner. Even if you are already in a casual environment, if you can make it even a little bit more casual – sports apparel on game days or flip flops on Fridays. People like ease and dressing casual is effortless.
Incentives of the past that don’t seem to work as well would be events outside of the office after work hours. I remember people enjoying this type of gathering much more years ago than they do now. It seems people are busy beyond busy, and they need all their time to make their lifestyle and schedule work in harmony. When you take time away from them – even if you are offering a meal or a cocktail – it can seem more burdensome than rewarding.
Awards like certificates and plaques don’t seem to carry the same wow factor they once did. Sure, some people still appreciate them, but these days they usually land near the bottom of the list—outshined by all the other perks we’ve already talked about.
Every one individual (and team) is different and it is always a challenge to get positive moral and motivation from the same incentives. The goal is to positively impact the mass majority. It’s our work life and we want to make it the best experience it can be, while getting the job done!
Did you like this article? The author of this piece, Director of Real Estate Default Allyson Fuller-Moore has written several work-life articles – read more below!
If you have questions about this topic or would like to connect with Allyson, please contact her at any time.
This blog is not a solicitation for business and it is not intended to constitute legal advice on specific matters, create an attorney-client relationship or be legally binding in any way.
