How Can We Enhance Employee Motivation with Creative Rewards in Manufacturing?

Hi Friends,

I am working with a German manufacturing MNC. We have just initiated rewards and recognition schemes for our employees (mainly monetary rewards). Now, we are working towards introducing softer rewards and recognition schemes that would impact the motivation, morale, and overall feel-good factor of employees.

To start with, I am working with our management representative (who oversees the ISO 14000 and TPM initiatives of the company) and have introduced trophies for Best Kaizen and OPL of the month, quarterly, and yearly - also the best TPM team of the year. The winners of the yearly awards get the privilege to dine with our MD. Additionally, we publish articles and contributions of executives and workers on various creative dimensions in our internal company magazine, along with pictures and write-ups in the canteen and notice boards.

We have started skill-building workshops for the children of our employees from this month. We also organize competitions for the kids from time to time at our campus.

I would be glad if you could share and guide me on other initiatives that are practiced in this area in your companies or other benchmarked companies.

Thank you,
Swati

Hi swati,

I am Pramod working in an MNC, I am a fresher, but still I can give you few info regarding incentives or benefits practiced in few of the companies.

I have cut and pasted few infos, our company follows signing the contract, so just ignore it if it doesnot apply, but still it contains some good info regarding benefits, I have drawn few incentives program. I was looking for retention strategies among COntract employees, if you can share some info, I would be glad enough.

Pramod

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Make employees fall in Love with the your company.

· Celebration, Fun

· Open communication

· Introduce fun factors

· Better benefit package than the competitors

· Make and Keep Promises

· Do not let your employee stagnant

· Send E-Newsletter to all the employees, which is cost effective, add some column which have jokes, Humor at Marlabs, and A separate page for the employees where they can share their experience.

· Create a easy Platform where employees can give feedback,

· Listen to employees idea, never ridicule them.

· Celebrate festivals like Christmas, Diwali, Holi etc

· Identify list of Festivals and distribute sweets from Marlabs on those days!

· Effective incentives, regular outing

· Effective communication channel

· Well planned orientation, well defined Job description, Authority, and Benefits, money, Job Satisfaction.

· Show employees they are being profited and cared by company..

Pay to Stay:

· Sign a contract in such a manner where the employee will receive around 4k to 5k at the end of the expiry of the contract

· Make an offer during Negotiations, like the Marlabs will withhold 1000 per month, that will come upto 3000 for 3 months, and after 3 months, they will be given 6,000. If everything works out well, this can be implemented

· During the negotiation or After 1 month of signing the contract, Make know the employee that he/she will be sent to a Tourist Destination/On Vacation after 3 months/expiry of contract where the company will bear the expenses. And a tourist package for Two can be given for 2 days and 1 night, which should work out within 3000.

Hi Pramod,

Thank you for the inputs. Regarding the competency dictionary, we will share the process and the future linkages once I am through with the stuff.

Regards,
Swati

Hi Swati,

More Tips About Recognition and Performance Management

If you attach recognition to "real" accomplishments and goal achievement as negotiated in a performance development meeting, you need to make sure the recognition meets the above-stated requirements. Supervisors must also apply the criteria consistently, so some organizational oversight may be necessary. The challenge of individually negotiated goals is to make certain their accomplishment is viewed as similarly difficult by the organization for the process to be a success.

People also like recognition that is random and provides an element of surprise. If you thank a manufacturing group every time they make customer deliveries on time with a lunch, gradually the lunch becomes a "given" and no longer rewards. In another organization, the CEO traditionally bought lunch for all employees every Friday. Soon, he had employees coming to him asking to be reimbursed if they ate lunch outside the building on a Friday. His goal of team building turned into a "given," and he was disappointed.

There is always room for employee reward and recognition activities that generally build positive morale in the work environment. In one company, there is a "smile team" that meets to schedule random, fun employee recognition events. They have decorated shop windows, with a prize for the best, for a holiday. They sponsor ice cream socials, picnics, the "boss" cooks day, and so on, to create a rewarding environment at work. Another company holds an annual costume-wearing and judging event along with a lunch potluck every Halloween.

Rewards and recognition that help both the employer and the employee get what they need from work are a win-win situation. Make this the year you plan a recognition process that will "wow" your staff and "wow" you with its positive outcomes.

Just go through this... this might give a hint on how to go about.

Thank you,

Chith

Hi Chith,

Thank you for the inputs. I have been thinking about introducing some really new concepts for rewarding in my organization. I agree completely with what's mentioned in the article - there needs to be a surprise element in the reward and recognition system; otherwise, it tends to become normal and is taken for granted. Please do keep sending me ideas about the same when you come across something.

Regards,
Swati