Incentive - October 2008 - (Page 24)

CASE STUDY Known for mixing high style, ergonomics and comfort, furniture design firm Herman Miller showcases company products at work, but incentives and recognition also play a role in keeping employees loyal and creative A Design for Living 85-year-old Herman Miller’s Aeron chairs have become a symbol of Corporate America treating employees well. But how does the company motivate its own? By Jenny Cromie G erb Kingma, customer experience senior manager, has sold Herman Miller furniture to clients all over the world for 30 years. But he’s still amused when they walk into the company’s headquarters in Zeeland, Mich. Sure, his customers might buy $3 million worth of furniture after a single visit, but usually they want something other than a few Aeron chairs and Noguchi tables by the time they leave the building. After experiencing the Incentive company’s sleek office environment, espresso bar, and a sampling of the company culture, many clients ask, “Are you hiring?” Most of the time, they’re joking. Sometimes, they’re not. “They want to work for us, and here I am trying to sell them furniture!” Kingma says, laughing. While visiting, clients usually clue into something else about the company—Herman Miller isn’t just about its popular Aeron chairs and office furniture. One client recently turned to Kingma and said, PROFILE: Herman Miller Industry: Office furniture/environment manufacturing. Challenge: To continue to create award-winning products and a company culture that encourages long-term customer and employee loyalty, innovation and learning. Solution: Annual awards and incentives that recognize top-performing employees, spot rewards such as gift cards or small merchandise items, a tuition reimbursement program that encourages exploration and continued learning, flexible work schedules, paid time off to volunteer in their communities and length-of-service recognition. ROI: A 3 percent turnover rate, 23 percent of the workforce with 20-plus years, high employee engagement, award-winning products and company culture. 24 | | October 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.incentivemag.com

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

Incentive - October 2008 Contents Editor's Note Headlines Cover Story: Face Time with Senior Executives is the Top Motivator of Cisco Systems' Chairman's Club Winners Incentive Interview Safety Incentives: Safety Drives a Limousine Service's Motivational Efforts Case Study Primer Learning: Diving into Incentives for the Mind Enhances Both Loyalty and the Bottom Line Research: Travel IQ Travel News Florida Coast to Cost Caribbean Escape Potentials Here and Now Gadgets & Power Tools: High-End Roars Seen at the Motivation Show Advertisers Index Off the Cuff

Incentive - October 2008

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