Reading is so 2010. Listening is all the rage now with kids. You need to jump on board.
Over on TLNT.com today is a 26 minute podcast I did with Lance Haun (@theLance.) We cover the incentive industry, why HR is more interested in rewards today - why engagement is key to success and how that has affected how incentives and rewards are positioned. We hit on the "AIG Effect" - patriotism versus mercanaries - cash vs. non-cash - all the biggies.
Basically, it's a bar conversation without the bar (insert sad face here.)
Pop over - spend a few minutes and let us know what you think.
Been a tough weekend and I don't have anything original to add here today. But don't despaire... you can still get Incentive Intelligence goodness in two, two, two outlets today!
First... Fistful Of Talent
Do you practice "Moral HR?" Do you know what that is? It's doing what's right when you don't have to. Check the post on Fistful Of Talent today and weigh in. Do you think you practice moral HR - or do we really live in a Gordan Gekko world? Your call...
Second... USA Today on Incentive Trips
Had the pleasure of chatting with Charisse Jones from USA Today the other day on incentive travel awards in today's economy. Her article (along with Roger Yu) was posted yesterday online. Yeah... we get a bit of a nod in the article. Not sure if it made the print version (if someone saw it let me know in the comments.)
If you're at all interested in what is going on in the industry and what other incentive companies are experiencing it's a good snap shot of today's incentive travel world.
So there ya go... two nuggest from Incentive Intelligence... No go tell your friends all about it.
And - take some time today and reach out to a person you know on social media and talk to them phone-2-phone or face-2-face. It might just make a difference.
They (researchers) found that hating your job may run in the family (let's see an incentive program handle that.)
But why not just click over to our "Compendium" and read them yourself?
The compendium is a collection of the things we've seen in and around the web that we found interesting and noteworthy in the incentive world and we think you might like it too. You don't need to do the work - we're already doing it so just piggy-back on our stuff. We don't mind. Really, we don't.
See ya soon with another compendium...
BTW - can you believe it is September already! Wow.
Compendium Sources
FYI - we are always looking for new sources of information so feel free to let me know if you have blog or a site that you think we would find interesting. If so - we'll subscribe and see if there is stuff that should be included in the next go-round.
Be warned - if your feed is set up to only push out a teaser paragraph or an excerpt it gets bounced. We won't spend the time to click out and give you link juice when you could be thinking about your readers and provide the full feed. And FYI - most people who subscribe in a reader feel the same way. Open up the feed kids - information wants to be free!
A somewhat new service is available in beta called "Scoop.it."
Scoop.it allows you to create a "newspaper" of sorts from things you find interesting on the web. I'm experimenting with the service and of course I thought of you, gentle reader.
I asked myself - "what would help my readers in their day-to-day life and business." And I answered - "a grouping of articles that someone else took the time to read and evaluate so that they can see what's hot and what's not in the incentive industry with little or no effort on their part."
That, is what Scoop.it facilitates. And that is what I'm offering to you. So, for the first (and possibly the last - but probably not) time I give you the...
I subscribe to over 350 different blogs, sites, what-have-yous on a variety of subjects from science and pyschology to how to build steam-punk watches. In addition, I monitor my twitter stream where I'm following 2,000+ people. I also get a lot via email. I have a lot of info coming in.
It's from all those input streams that I find ideas for posts on this blog, posts on the FistfulofTalent blog and posts for clients and friends. It's how I keep up with the industry and business in general.
And now you can have a subset of that firehouse, vetted and consolidated for your reading pleasure.
Many of the feeds I get are from incentive and reward companies. Some of their blogs have some interesting stuff you should be aware of. In fact - if you want to be sure you're at least included in the first pass shoot me a note and let me know where your site is and I'll take a look and add it to my reader list.
CAVEAT: If you have your feed set up to only show a "summary" or an excerpt so that I have to click through to the site - forget it. Don't bother sending me the site info. Feeds that only show a summary are simply padding their web page stats trading clicks for readers. I don't click through. I ignore the content ... period. No exceptions. A feed reader is for me to get info WITHOUT clicking out to your site. So don't suggest your site if it only offers a summary feed. (btw - none of your readers appeciate it either - it's a pain in the ass and it shows that the site is about you not them - they will remember that. Just sayin'.)
Hope you find it interesting and helpful. Let me know what you think in the comments. Continue or cut? Your call.
Full transparency – ILR and I have collaborated in the past (and hopefully will in the future) on some thought leadership stuff. They’ve done a good job of looking at the recognition space and asking different questions that lead to better solutions. And you know I’m all about better solutions.
I’ve never used ILR for any fulfillment so this isn’t an endorsement per se – but they do challenge the status quo and I do like that.
And – I’m a judge (more on this below).
But on to the point of the post...
You Should Apply
Here’s why...
You just might be chosen and be one of only 50 companies in the US (or Canada – there are two weight classes) who can claim to be “Most Engaged” – that’s not a bad thing when it comes to recruitment and retention right?
If you don’t qualify, or aren’t chosen, just reviewing the criteria will give you an outline of what the best practices/principles of engaged companies are. The simple act of reviewing your company against the standards established by this effort provides you with a starting point for your organization to develop the tools and practices that ultimately could land you in this rarified air of “most engaged.”
There’s a party. It’s nice to nominated but we all know the real deal is the PARTY. And there’s one for the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces as well. One in the US on October 26 and one in Canada on November 15st.
You want to be there. You need to be there.
But...Do you have the right stuff? Does your company “engage” you? Do you want to be part of a gala event and be recognized? Sure you do...
Here's the skinny...
Background
ILR is sponsoring the 2nd annual 50 Most Engaged Workplaces and in their infinite wisdom, they have asked me, along with Dr. Bob Nelson author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees (now in its 55th printing), Stacia Sherman from Bersin & Associates, Debbie McGrath from HR.Com and Razor Suleman – Founder/CEO of ILR – to be the judges for this award. (plain bills, small denominations, leave behind the dumpster at 4th and Elm.. kidding... KIDDDING!)
What It Is...
To steal blatantly from the site...
Entering their second year, the purpose of the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ Awards is to inspire enhancements to the workplace by highlighting and championing the growth of employee-centric organizations worldwide.
Employee engagement is how each individual employee connects with your company and with your customers. An engaged employee is fully involved in and enthusiastic about his or her work. Engaged employees are committed, passionate and inspired – and they inspire others by example. They care about the future of the company and are willing to invest the discretionary effort to see that the organization succeeds. This year, the 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ Awards will double in size and award 50 U.S.-based companies as well as 50 Canadian companies.
The Criteria
The Judges (me) will be looking at the various submissions to the award with these criteria in mind:
Leadership
Communication
Culture
Rewards and Recognition
Professional and Personal Growth
Accountability and Performance
Vision and Values
Corporate Responsibility
Who Won Last Year... Here's a sample from the list...
1-800-GOT-JUNK? American Express Bayer Century 21 ConAgra Foods Dayforce Delta Hotels and Resorts Empathica Kootenay Credit Savings Union Mercedes Benz USA
Molson Coors Canada Netsuite Inc Sirius Satellite Radio Synovate Varicent Workopolis XO Communications Young and Rubicam Zappos.com
You wanna see your name on that list dontcha? Yeah... I know.
So ... go to the site... fill out the submission form – go buy that “little black dress” or that tuxedo t-shirt – and plan on being part of the elite 50 who know what it means to engage their employees.
I might even be giving away I2I Bobble heads – logo and all!
I haven't done this in while but this post is really about directing you to another post. We have a post up on Fistful of Talent today on company culture. Called "Like Water for Culture" it's about how important culture is when considering who to hire.
I know - there are many of you who hear the words company culture and you throw up in your mouth a little. I get it - you don't like to talk about the soft and squishy stuff. Culture Smulture you say... it's not about culture it's about hitting the time clock and collecting the Benjamins. Unfortunately, as rational as that seems it is totally 100% false.
Culture is the environment in which we spend about 40% of our time in order to get the Benjamins. Culture is the air we breathe while we do the rational stuff that pays the mortgage and get's us that big 65" LED flat screen with 3D technology and built in neck massager and popcorn maker.
While we can't always put our finger on culture it permeates our work life - and when you think about it - our personal life as well.
You can get paid a ton to do what you're good at but if the environment you work in is toxic and it doesn't match up to your values - and your boss is always kicking you around the office - you will come home and kick the cat or the dog or tease the fish. Your working life affects your personal life. #FACT.
As every host on Family Feud has said more than once - "And the survey says" - work meaning, recognition and feeling connected at work are the key drivers satisfaction and engagement. Collecting Benjamins is always (I'll emphasize) ALWAYS further down the list of what people really want at work.
And when the academics do their studies to find out what really impacts performance - money and other "transactional" benefits of the task always fare worse than the squishy stuff like recognition and validation - and - culture.
So, pop over to Fistful of Talent - read the post and tell me if you think culture is important or not.
Designing effective incentives, rewards, recognition and influence programs is 1/3rd Art, 2/3rds science and 1/3rd luck.
Unfortunately, many in the incentive industry believe they can pull the wool over the eyes of potential buyers by “standing next to Einstein” and hoping the buyer can’t tell the difference between them and a real thought leader. Or in the case of this post on Incentive Magazine - standing next to B.F. Skinner.
"We need to adjust our thinking about how we compensate and motivate our workforces. In short, we need to inspire our people in ways that are both effective and affordable.
A good way to start is to think less about rewarding results and more about reinforcement of positive behaviors required to produce the results. This is a simple and effective methodology that, when deployed properly, can create a positive and enthusiastic work environment."
I am in 100% agreement with those two paragraphs. Focus on behavior and look at ways to make the environment positive.
Then the author goes insane.
I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!
The article jumps from a good intro to a discussion on the concepts of operant conditioning.
Specifically, the various reinforcement schedules studied by B.F. Skinner in the late 1930’s and further refined through the 50’s and into the 70’s. If you have spent any time reviewing Skinner’s work you know this... Skinner really did not believe in free will.
Watch the first minute of this video on conditioning featuring an interview with Skinner. Pay attention to the comments made 26 seconds into the video... (email/rss readers will have to click through to the post to see video.)
Here's the important piece of information...
“So the pigeon isn’t acting independently. It’s behavior is shaped by it’s environment.”
The extension of this line of thinking is: the best program design for engagement is a program where your employees aren't thinking independently.
Let me ask this simple question? Do you really think applying operant conditioning to employees is the best way to get employees “inspired” and create a “positive and enthusiastic environment”?
Standing Next To, Isn’t Being
This article is simply a trick to make you think that because an incentive supplier quotes a famous scientist about behavior, they know what they are talking about. Standing next to Skinner doesn’t make you right.
I quote a lot of studies and scientific stuff, and in most cases, I will admit if I’m not sure they apply to program design. I’m always looking for ways to help companies increase the odds of influencing behavior ethically and in a way that benefits both the employee, the channel audience AND the company. So, I bring up ideas and thoughts based on those studies. I don't think I've ever recommended that you condition employees (can you say “A Clockwork Orange?”) I'll be the first one to tell you that the studies are directional - not dictatorial.
Studies and theories are simply jumping off points to help you determine how to best align your goals and your employees.
If you buy the idea that the best way to engage employees is through rote behavioral conditioning than you deserve the program you get – and you deserve the long-term employee problems you will experience.
Engagement Isn’t Conditioning
This article is not only demeaning to employees, it’s demeaning to buyers of incentive programs and frankly – continues to position those in the industry as snake oil sales people that will do anything to sell a toaster or a trip.
Quality influence programs signal the behaviors your company values. Quality programs reward and recognize behaviors that reinforce your company values, mission and culture. Properly designed incentive programs communicate direction and allow employees to choose to play and be rewarded.
Operant conditioning can and will drive a behavior. And that’s great if you want the dog to stay in the yard or get your employees to turn off their computers. However, if you want thinking, engaged, challenging, happy, innovative and ethical employees - this ain't the right path.
Forget the “conditioning” and worry about the “conditions”
Spend time finding out what is needed to get employees to WANT to contribute versus listening to this garbage about conditioning your employees like pigeons and rats. The last thing most companies need is a bunch of drones – pecking away at a dot in order to get a morsel of food or another crystal vase.
I don’t believe operant condition – no matter if it is effective or not – is a strategy you should NEVER consider. And frankly – I don’t think it will work anyway. We have free will, we have the ability to understand context and we can tell (usually) when we’re being manipulated. And when we smell manipulation – we start looking for a way out of that rat’s maze.
Don’t assume because someone is standing next to Einstein they are as smart as him.
Just approach employees ethically and honestly. That’s what they really want.
If we didn't have HR making rules for us - would be happier or more miserable. Before you answer - check out the post on FOT.
Rules Are Important
As with incentive programs, rules are critical to ensure the results you want are the results you get. Too few - and you chaos. Too many - you get paralysis. HR - like good program design - finds a balance between those two ends to create a space where people can exercise creativity and personal control.
Similar in that they are both focused on “influence.” Different in that one focuses on you personally being more influential, the other on how the programs you design can be more influential. Serendipitously, one helps the other and vice versa.
So that you have it straight from the sources themselves…
Here is Paul Hebert describing his session:
“My session will be about the various subtle, yet effective ways an HR Professional can use social psychology, motivation and behavioral economics to increase the effectiveness of the many programs HR is responsible for. From ‘recognition’ programs, to simply getting more folks signed up for benefits or 401K programs.
There are many tactics and techniques that have been proven to increase the number of people who will respond to a request. These tactics are critical if HR wants to have real impact in an organization. Based on the responses I got on my recent poll on my site - it looks like I’ll walk through a few of the techniques and then take some “problems” from the crowd and show how these tactics can be used in real-life situations to increase participation and compliance to HR requests.”
So that’s Paul H’s “influence” session.
The cool thing is that the same techniques that help HR Pros design company initiatives to be more effective are the same techniques that can be applied on a personal level to increase your own influence.
And that’s where Paul Smith comes in....
“My session is based on the closing session at last year’s HREvolution in which Laurie Ruettimann made the comment that everyone in this room should be in high-ranking HR positions making $200,000 a year. As much I was in total agreement with this, especially the money part, I think the gist behind her comment was each of us needs to be in positions of influence in our organizations or our communities. I think this was a great takeaway for the end of HREvolution 2010. But I was left with some questions.
How do I become an influencer? What does it mean to be an influencer? What is influence?
There is no one size fits all for success in being an influence. Each person has to find that within themselves and the life they lead. However there is one constant: after HREvolution 2011 comes to close, there are hugs and good-byes; there are hotel check-outs and airplane rides back home. And Monday morning will come and we will step back into our jobs. The attendees will feel changed. No one else around them will. Everyone needs their own call to action….but what is it? What is the recipe for success? How do we evolve and become more empowered?
Alongside my dynamic co-facilitator, China Gorman, we will explore how anyone at any level can be more influential. “
So here’s the pitch to all you HRevolution attendees... we think the two sessions:
One focused on how HR can design better programs within their company by upping the “influence” quotient…
and...
…the other on how YOU personally can be more influential…
...dovetail nicely for a complete “influence” package.
But...Houston - we have a problem.
Our sessions are at the same time. So unless you’ve figured out how to bend the space-time continuum, you can’t do both. But we really think you should.
So...we’re working to see if we can get the Big Kahunas at HRevolution to move some of the sessions around without pissing anyone off so you can attend both. We’ll let you know when we think we’ve got this worked out.
If the schedule doesn’t change, you’ll have to decide which session will influence you the most…
May serendipity be with you. Yours in the revolution...
I just checked – this is post 753 for our little blog. Averaging 500 words that’s 376,500 words (including this post) about incentive, rewards, recognition, influence and behavior. While that can’t compete with War and Peace (560,000 english words) or Gone With The Wind (423,575) it does double the count in the Bible (New Testament - 180,552.) That’s a lot of words.
I can't comment on the quality of my words – especially in the context of those other tomes. But I can say this with complete certainty – 99% of the words on this blog were not about selling our services.
They were about helping you understand how you can better influence your audience.
The document (a lot less words than on this blog) is a summary discussion of the input from a Delphi Panel of industry experts and research sources focused on the “evolving body of knowledge regarding the use of incentives and recognition programs to motivate today’s workforce.”
I bring this to your attention for two big reasons...
I was on the Delphi Panel and provided some input into the process (quoted on page 15 of the study by the way.)
They arrived at the same place this firm started three years ago.
And that place is...from the paper, under Conclusions...
"There is little doubt that incentive program design and implementation, including measurement and ROI, is critically important in today’s workplace environment. And while the incentive plan designer must consider the overall context, including the type of worker or team they are attempting to motivate, it is far from agreed that in designing an effective rewards program ─ even for knowledge workers ─ that one or the other of intrinsic or extrinsic, contingent rewards must be used. We are seeing the evolution of an effective blend of both, or a more inclusive approach of any appropriate reinforcer that is contingent, valued, and top of mind.
What is clear from our research, including the opinions of the great majority of our experts, is that incentive, reward and recognition programs must be more tailored today than in the past. Careful design must make allowance for the many different ways in which workers are motivated."
(emphasis mine.)
To net that down for those of you in Rio Linda – design is the key element of program success. Not the toaster, not the trip, not the gift card, not the logo-identified whizzy-whig.
The design.
And design is what we do – without regard for the award (if there is a need for one at all.)
.
Go For The Green
Therefore, to honor St. Patrick – I’m promoting our services – going for the green so to speak.
We analyze and design incentive, reward and influence programs with your goals, objectives and outcomes in mind. We do it via an unbiased approach. We don’t worry about what kind of award (again, if any) is attached to the design outcome. Pure design.
If you want the same thinking we provided the Delphi Panel applied to your organization – call, write, stop by. We’d love to help.
And by the way – overall the document is a well-researched and good summary of what you need to consider when designing an incentive/reward strategy. It gives equal time to incentives – and equal time to Dan Pink/Alfie Koh/Deci et.al. – folks that may not always agree with me. So you got that going for you.
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