Barb Hendrickson

If you had a nickel for every time your client told you that cash was king you’d be a millionaire. This is a long-standing belief in the business world regarding the strength of cash as a motivator—but it’s not true. Studies show that employees perform at a higher level for non-cash awards, that tangible rewards are a better value overall for the sponsoring company and that non-cash awards presented in a personal and public way are more memorable and have a longer-term impact on the recipient.

Employee engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has to the organization and its goals. Engaged employees believe in the company, are enthusiastic about their work and consistently take action to promote and support the organization’s reputation and interests. Are your clients’ employees engaged? If not, you’ve got an opportunity to recommend an incentive program.

Incentive programs are one of very few tactics within a business improvement strategy that provide a direct correlation between costs and outcomes.