Incentive - June 2008 - (Page 29)

From left to right: Free Food Fridays are one of the perks at marketing firm McMurry, which caters lunch one day a month; Publishing firm Sylvan Dell welcomes employees’ furry friends with a special in-office doggy day-care room; Staff field trips—this one to Baltimore’s Mount Vernon Cultural District; others have included paintball and snowboarding—help keep Orange Element employees’ creative juices flowing 220 workers. “We want culture that’s created by the employees,” says Nishioka, “and we want people who create a better place to work.” One of the most effective motivational features of the Zango office is the building’s rooftop, which boasts a regulation-size volleyball court with competition-grade netting, plus a collection of propane grills and seating with tables. The roof sees a lot of use, says Nishioka. “Every Friday we try to leave our desks at five, and go outside, if it’s sunny. The company provides beer and snacks, and people will hang out on the roof until seven or eight at night.” A sense of cohesion is a powerful incentive for employees of Zango, which has built community-enhancing mechanisms into nearly every aspect of the organization. “One of the things that I appreciate about working here is that anyone can talk with one of the executives,” says Nishioka. “Everybody here has an opendoor policy.” The inclusiveness of executives is just one example of community at the company, which makes great efforts to provide information on a company-wide level, helping create a sense of a unified team. “I think that what makes Zango a great company is that everyone is on the same page,” Nishioka explains. One of the creative ways the company promotes equal access to information is through the use of seven 42-inch plasma screens located throughout the company’s nine divisions. The screens display monthly revenue goals for the corporation in addition to operational goals that are specific to the departments, where the screens are displayed in prominent places. The displays are also used for more explicit teambuilding purposes, like announcing FUN BY DESIGN Extra vacation days and paid leave can help motivate, but fun time on the job can be an effective incentive as well. Small Baltimore-based design and visual communications firm Orange Element takes a creative approach to its monthly Fun Day, a daylong opportunity for team members to shut off their computers and do something recreational together. “Not only is it an opportunity to blow off some steam, but it really does help us grow as a team,” says “There’s nothing better than taking a puppy-love break along with the coffee.” —Angie Dzalamanow, Sylvan Dell Publishing employees’ birthdays and their anniversaries with the company. When new hires join Zango, their names and photos are shown on the displays, as an electronic introduction to the organization. “Somebody found an old picture of me from a prior life, on the Internet, and put it up on the displays,” Nishioka relates. “Everyone thought it was funny.” Aaron Moore, principal and creative director. “We’ve found that in an industry riddled with deadlines and high-pressure situations, taking a break to refocus creates happier, less-stressed employees, which in turn creates even better work.” The office field trips can provide intellectual experiences that are in line with the company’s creative goals as well. “So much incentivemag.com | June 2008 | Incentive | 29 http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - June 2008

Incentive - June 2008 Contents Editor’s Note In The News Cover Story: Seventh Annual Industry Roundtable Incentive Interview Case Study Soft Incentives Empowerment and Engagement The Incentive Career Incentive Primer Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do The Cook Islands Field Report: Bermuda Potentials: Here and Now 50 Top Motivators: The Best of the Best Electronics: High-end Audio Equipment Gift Cards: Should One Be Enough? Advertiser Index Off The Cuff

Incentive - June 2008

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