Recognition & Rewards

Sales stars get action figures–of themselves

12/01/2011

The action figures adorning the desks of employees at Arlington, Va.-based Decision Lens aren’t of ordinary superheroes. They’re of the employees themselves. That’s one of the rewards the employees can earn for their hard work.

How will your organization celebrate the holidays this year?

11/29/2011

Maybe the economy is rebounding! Seventy percent say they’ll have catered holiday parties in 2011!

10 tips toward a recognition program that drives performance

11/20/2011

Almost 90% of businesses use rewards and incentives to spur sales, improve retention and employee loyalty, and raise productivity during an era of slim pay raises and uncertain bonuses. If you’re starting or updating a rewards, incentive or recognition program, consider these 10 tips.

That’s not fair! Equity requires more than fair pay

11/10/2011

Conventional wisdom says that paying employees well goes a long way toward making them feel like they’re treated fairly. Not necessarily. Employees don’t consider pay or salary increases as the top factor in determining whether they are rewarded fairly, according to a new study.

Holiday sampler: 4 treats to make HR’s season bright

10/08/2011

The holidays are special, but they’re also an HR headache. Our early gift to you: Advice on everything from planning seasonal celebrations to handling end-of-year scheduling hassles.

No-raise promotions: A handy tool, but beware risks of ‘title fluffing’

08/11/2011

While salary budgets are up this year—merit raises are running near 3.0% compared with 2.7% in 2010—some still-skittish employers are more likely to dole out title raises rather than extra cash. The danger: Organizations may give gratuitous no-pay promotions instead of using the practice as a selective reward and retention strategy.

All together now: Teaching workers to ‘manage’ their bosses

08/02/2011

Pay-for-performance is effective only when managers spell out for each employee exactly what he or she must do to get paid more or reap perks like flexible scheduling. In reality, too few managers do that. They need to know supervision is a two-way street. Solution: Sometimes employees must “manage the boss.”

Sodexho honors its ‘heroes’ who volunteer

07/22/2011

Among the 120,000 employees at Sodexho USA are a handful of “Heroes of Everyday Life.” That’s what the food and facilities management services company calls its employees who work to fight hunger in their local communities.

The great 8: Smart tips from the ‘best places to work’

06/16/2011

Is your organization a “great place” to work? Every year, the employers that are bestowed that title seem to consistently include companies that provide creative HR practices in areas such as perks, benefits and worker management. Some of the leading ideas:

Mich. firm holds employee banquet for 21st straight year

05/31/2011

At HHA Services in St. Clair Shores, Mich., managers go all-out to reward high-performing employees with a fancy banquet at a local country club. In fact, they’ve never missed the chance to say thanks in 21 years, even during the recession.