Incentive - June 2008 - (Page 30)

GOING TO THE DOGS Some creative managers use animal magnetism to retain top talent. When the owners of Mount Pleasant, S.C.–based Sylvan Dell Publishing heard that one of their sales managers was paying to kennel his dog during the workweek, they instituted on-site “doggy day care” for the pup, which led to another sales manager getting a puppy and parking it in the publisher’s canine kindergarten. “Sometimes we’re up to four or five dogs in the office, but it’s great,” says employee and dog-lover Angie Dzalamanow. “There’s nothing better than taking a puppy-love break along with the coffee.” Woof woof. FIT FOR SUCCESS A healthy work environment is par for the course at Chicago-based National Futures Association (NFA). Besides providing reimbursement and discounts for things like smoking-cessation programs and Weight Watchers, NFA also runs sports teams and a Webbased holiday exercise program, with rewards of gift cards and pedometers. But Director of Human Resources Nancy Bohanon says the most compelling health program at the company is its optional annual health screenings. “The screening has a blood draw with a full panel of tests, plus we do a lifestyle assessment, which identifies risks for things like diabetes,” she says, adding that about 100 of 240 employees in the Chicago office usually participate. The company’s prime motivation for the programs is to control health care costs, but by improving employee health, they’re improving morale as well, Bohanon says. “It’s the right thing to do.” of design is about perspective—and it’s hard to have a good sense of perspective when you’re stuck in an office all the time,” Moore says. “Fun Days get us out of the office to experience new things and help us keep an open mind.” Orange Element Fun Days so far have included paintball at a partner firm, snowboarding, baseball games, golf and duckpin bowling, all in the name of a good time. “I think there is a direct correlation between the amount of fun we are all having here and the quality of the work that we produce,” says Moore. “Making sure that we’re having fun allows us to be fun people, and that’s a big part of what our clients love about us.” Orange Element maintains the fun the rest of the month with a lighthearted blog, which employees contribute to, and a pinball machine and putting mat set up in the office. And they aren’t just for show, says Garret Ohm, marketing director. “The perception is that design firms are lavish spaces with rooms filled with toys. But the harsh reality is that in most firms, this is only a façade,” he says. “Most employees are too scared to endure the countless evil stares from upper management if they try to spend any time during the day doing non-billable work.” Not so at his office, where “the games are used all the time.” room, and now we’ve moved it to an on-site food shop.” All the revenue generated in the sale of the organic food goes back to the hospital. The hospital’s employees appreciate the availability of healthy food, and even regard organics as a special bonus within the category of healthy food. “There’s definitely a segment of our employees that want organic foods,” Ladell says. “It’s growing.” Food is a locus for fun at other companies too, like McMurry, a Phoenix-based marketing communications firm. “We do a ‘Free Food Friday’ the third Friday of every FOOD FOR THOUGHT Employees appreciate having food in the workplace, but one way to kick it up a notch is to offer organic foods, as is the case at Parkland Health & Hospital System in Dallas, which in October of last year started a program to offer locally sourced organic goods for sale in the workplace. By drawing on nearby organic farmers and distributors, Lakesha L. Ladell, exercise science & kinesiology wellness program educator, conceived and executed a small organic market in a conference room. As a seasonal item in the fall, pumpkins were a major draw, in addition to other fruits and veggies. “Working in the health care industry, we had read that there might be health benefits associated with organic food, and we wanted to give it a try,” she explains. “We started it out as a one-day session of a farmers market in a conference Free Food Fridays often comes with a theme, such as Asian or Mexican, at Phoenix-based marketing firm McMurry month in all three of our offices,” says Strategic Communications Specialist Katie Haney. “Enough food to feed everyone is brought in from restaurants around the city. One month is Mexican, one month is Asian cuisine, one month is pizza and salad, another month could be a baked potato bar. It’s a fun thing to bring everyone together to just relax. Sometimes we’ll mix in a bingo game or something to that effect just for hoots.” The company also has free Starbucks coffee, a discounted snack bar, and free pies at Thanksgiving, all contributing to an upbeat work environment. s Send comments to feedback@incentivemag.com 30 | Incentive | June 2008 | incentivemag.com 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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