There are two things that most workers have in common: they enjoy positive recognition and they love rewards. While it is often common practice to reward sales teams with incentives for increased sales, other areas of the labor force can be overlooked. Spending time, effort and resources on how to motivate non-sales employees is a proven way to boost company morale and your bottom line.

It’s important for managers to understand that good work behind the scenes is just as vital to success as making a large sale. A company can’t function without people answering the phone, ordering equipment, producing product and getting out payroll. The more efficiently these tasks are performed the more smoothly the company operates. A disgruntled back office will surely infect the people dealing directly with your clients, which will hurt your bottom line.

Best Practices in Employee Recognition

A well-thought out incentive program can have a ripple effect throughout your entire company. A thank you is often appreciated, but doesn’t stop there. Take it to the next step and offer quality rewards like gift cards and merchandise from well-known brands. The hallmarks of good incentive programs for non-sales employees include these traits:

• A targeted approach to a particular set of employees or department
• A list of goals you hope to achieve
• A focus on rewards that have value
• A concentration on recognition that is meaningful
• A method to receive feedback on the program

It’s also crucial not to roll out a rewards program that is clumsy and inconsistent. Having boring merchandise (do your employees really need another coffee mug?) or something covered with company logos can look lazy or cheap. Offering outdated merchandise may look more like an attempt to clean out the stock room than a sincere effort to reward employees.

Industries To Employ an Incentive Program

No matter what business your company is in, a targeted incentive program can work wonders motivating non-sales employees. Numerous incentive program case studies show employee recognition programs working in a variety of fields, including the following:

• Manufacturing
• Retail
• Marketing
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• Pharmaceutical

The more innovative your program, the more likely employees are to embrace it. A little imagination goes a long way, especially if you can spark some fun on the work floor. Many employees are looking for a work culture that includes laughter, social events and friendship. No matter the industry, employees who find this are likely to be more engaged and committed to high performance.

Examples From Successful Rewards Programs

An international telecom company was looking to improve the productivity of workers in several areas. Its existing rewards program was inconsistent and unfocused. With the help of Rymax, a customized program of reward points was established. The program laid out specific goals and instructions and was communicated clearly to all managers. It promoted core company values and desirable behaviors. In less than half a year, the telecom company saw major improvements in employee satisfaction and company messaging.

A leading hospitality company had just acquired a number of new hotels and was looking to engage both new and established employees in all areas of the workforce. The goals of the program were to motivate employees and to create a consistent company culture. The centerpiece of the program designed by Rymax was the awarding of points that could be redeemed for brand-name merchandise specifically attractive to hospitality employees. Points were awarded for such things as work education, sales incentives, training programs and peer-to-peer recognition. This successful program lifted employee satisfaction and engagement and increased savings for the company.

Both these programs were successful because they followed the best practices listed above. Leadership clearly communicated program instructions to managers and employees, has specific goals and offered high-quality merchandise as part of their incentive programs.

Programs that Motivate and Engage Employees

While it’s true you might not always completely understand all of your employees, it’s no secret that incentives work. They offer an opportunity to enhance the company culture and they often provide a solid return on investment. This return on investment of incentive programs can be a monetary measurement covering such factors as savings, increased sales and higher employee retention. It can also be something more subjective, such as employee happiness and satisfaction and the general atmosphere of the workplace.