Incentive - September 2008 - (Page 12)

HEADLINES Where Are We? PAGE 14 No one could guess last month, but let’s see if our contest stumps readers for a second month running Solutions to Stress PAGE 18 A new Careerbuilder poll says 78% of workers are stressed; experts suggest incentives can offer relief Motivation Made Easy Incentive houses go back to basics with new programs BY ALEX PALMER I n the last few months, several incentive companies have introduced new programs that emphasize simplicity and back-to-basics value. Incentive Logic’s new IGNITExpress, Rewards Direct by Maritz and Altour Incentive Management (AIM)’s Aspire software bundles are all offering companies a formal, but simple, rewards program. Rewards Direct, announced in early August, serves clients needing rewards fulfillment service only. According to Michael Donnelly, CEO of St. Louis–based Maritz Motivation, the program is targeted at organizations with a “do it yourself ” approach to incentives. “They really understand their business and their clients, but on the motivation side, they need the help with awards that really deliver the promise,” says Donnelly. He explains that client companies may be strong on the “understanding and enabling” of employee performance, but will want to reach out to a company with Maritz’s background to provide a “purposeful choice” to winners. The program aims to fit easily into clients’ pre-existing incentive programs, rather than overhaul the whole thing. Similarly, Incentive Logic’s platform, IGNITExpress, also aims to help get companies onboard with a formal program, even if it’s a modest one. “It helps companies that really have no internal benchmark for a program and want to try it out, but the full engagement of a custom program is just too much to bite off,” says Troy Darling, manager of corporate marketing for Incentive Logic. “What it will tell companies is whether just the fact of having a program will have some impact.” The IGNITExpress platform handles all aspects of a points-based rewards program such as online reward redemption, fulfillment, tracking and administration. “We know that if we do the deeper continued on page 16 Study: Wellness Incentives Work Employees who participate in their corporate wellness programs take less than half as many sick days as those who do not, according to a new research report. And companies that offer incentives to encourage employee participation have substantially more participants. According to new research by Maritz Poll, a division of St. Louis–based incentive and motivation firm Maritz Inc., employees who do not participate in wellness programs took an average of 4.44 sick days per year. Those who participate infrequently took 3.35 days. But those who participate on a regular, weekly basis took just 2.17 days of sick leave. Companies with incentives attached to wellness programs saw 23 percent of employees participate in wellness programs, compared with just 16 percent at firms without incentives. —Leo Jakobson 12 | Incentive | September 2008 | incentivemag.com http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - September 2008

Incentive - September 2008
Contents
Editor's Note: The Best of Times and...
Headlines
Cover Story: MetLife Rethinks Recognition
Incentive Interview: Russ Edelman
Case Study Orkin: The Presidential Treatment
Coca-Cola Bottling: The Sweet Taste of Success
Keep Cash Off the Hood: Auto Incentives
Handle with Care: Motivating After Layoffs
Start Spreading the News: PR Incentives
Planning: Got Lemons? Make Lemonade
Industry Veterans Speak: The President Slept Here
Motivation: Action! Start Teambuilding Now!
Incentive Primer: How To Reward Well
Motivation@Work: The Character Connection
Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do
Top Undiscovered Destinations: New Territory
Field Report: South Africa In Style
Field Report: Golf's Pilgrimage
Potentials Here and Now
In-Room Gift Ideas: Pillow Talk
Shopping Sprees: Shop Till You Drop
Gift Cards: Plastic Is Perfect
Advertiser Index
Last Word: Outsmart! Author James Champy
Special Supplement: Mexico

Incentive - September 2008