Incentive - November 2008 - (Page 28)

information, managers then provide incentives and rewards to employees throughout the year. In addition to length-of-service awards, which begin at the oneyear mark, Crystal D also has a number of other programs that help provide Gen Yers and other employees the day-to-day recognition and reinforcement they desire, she says. Prizes are a common feature at company meetings, and there are plenty of barbecues, picnics and community outreach events to help keep morale high in the company. There’s also a peer recognition program, where employees nominate each other for exhibiting the company’s core values. And to boost the frequency of nominations, Crystal D also provides incentives like gas cards and gift certificates to those who nominate their peers for awards. Other companies, like Cognex, a Boston-based high-tech firm, provide employees with less traditional length-ofservice awards. At the three-year mark, Cognex employees receive a Seiko watch. But at five years, employees receive an all-expensespaid long-weekend trip for two and up to $250 in spending money, says Kimberley Vaillancourt, the company’s corporate, culture and events manager. At each five-year mark, the company provides employees with an additional week of vacation and an all-expensespaid trip for two to one of a variety of locations, with increasing dollar amounts in spending money. Then at 20 years, there’s the additional week of vacation, plus the company provides a trip for the employee and up to seven friends or family members to enjoy one of several excursions, including golf in Scotland, a cruise on the Aegean Sea on a private yacht, or a stay at a castle in Ireland. The company rewards employees in a variety of other ways as well, but employees really seem to appreciate the additional time off and all-expensespaid vacations the most, she says. And in such a competitive marketplace, the vacations help not only in the company’s “The Gen Ys aren’t going to stick around for the Rolex watch.” —Lenny Sanicola, WorldatWork. retention efforts, but in its recruitment efforts as well. As the Great Place to Work Institute’s Adler points out, employers like Cognex, SnagAJob and Baptist Health South have come to recognize that the most important service anniversary is the end of day one. At RTTS, a New York City–based software quality testing firm, the approach is a little different. While length-of-service awards start at 10 years with an engraved Movado watch, RTTS employees are rewarded in many other ways leading up to that milestone, says Ron Axelrod, senior vice president of business development and recruiting. At many firms, it takes five or six years before employees can even qualify for a managerial position, he says. But at RTTS, employees are eligible to train to become senior test engineers or senior quality assurance analysts after only a year at the company—a promotion that can represent a $5,000 increase in pay and three weeks of vacation. This is particularly attractive to Gen Y employees and recent college grads—the bulk of the company’s new hires. Employees who outperform their peers also are eligible to receive higher pay. After a year, they qualify for up to $2,500 in tuition reimbursement. And RTTS also is generous with vacation time—at the beginning of their second year, employees receive three weeks, and at the five-year mark, they receive four. To recognize employees for good performance and going the extra mile, RTTS rewards employees with a variety of other incentives, like American Express Incentive Services points, allowing them to choose from various gifts, like mountain bikes or golf clubs. One employee, who decided to revamp the company’s Web site, was rewarded with a weekend trip in the Bahamas. “So, again, our focus is not so much on longevity as it is on merit,” Axelrod says. “Our main goal is to keep our customers happy, and to do that, we need to meet our employees’ expectations.” I Send comments to feedback@incentivemag.com Consumers Employees Dealers Sales Team do you want to knock them off their feet? Motivate them all with the help of Sony’s Online Premium Incentive Resource Center. One simple click gives you complete access to the latest knowledge and must-have products to motivate each of your unique audiences, with: I Monthly updates on new and exciting program ideas I The latest product offerings from Sony I How-to guides for all of your incentive programs I Calendar of events to see Sony’s products visit incentivemag.com/sony Sony. A brand everyone knows for rewards everyone loves. 28 | Incentive | November 2008 | incentivemag.com http://www.incentivemag.com/sony http://www.incentivemag.com/sony http://www.incentivemag.com

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

Incentive - November 2008 Editor’s Note Headlines Cover Story: Pop, Fizz! Incentive Interview Cracking the Recognition Code Primer Travel News Canada, City Style Potentials Here and Now Cameras: Picture of Innovation The Spirit of Giving Advertiser Index Last Word

Incentive - November 2008

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