How to get
BIG results
from rewards on
a small budget
Bonuses, rewards, benefits,
incentives... the list of things
that HR teams dream of
implementing often feel like a
Waitrose shopping list on a Lidl
budget. But is that really true?
If a business wants to recognise
excellence and reward team
achievements, a small budget
shouldn’t limit those intentions,
so long as there is thought,
strategy and a commitment
to the cause. We asked Iain
Thomson, Director of Incentive
& Recognition at Sodexo
Benefits and Rewards Services
for his secrets on champagne
results on a lemonade budget!
Don’t give it a guess,
do give it a go
Even in a business of just 15,
it’s impossible to know what
every employee wants from an
incentive scheme, and simply
guessing will limit its impact.
Before hitting ‘go’ on anything,
speak to as many people at
different levels and within
different teams as possible. Ask
what they want, enjoy or wish
they could do but don’t because
it’s too pricey. Do they want
recognition as a team? Or as an
individual? Find out, and then
adopt as much of that insight
as you can when developing the
strategy.
Be nifty
No two individuals are the
same, so no two employees
are the same. Wants, lifestyles
14 | www.incentiveandmotivation.com
and preferences cannot all be
individually addressed, but
rewards such as gift vouchers or
cinema tickets can be tailored
with ease. Offering just two or
three of these options can give
managers the variety they need
to cater for every member of
their team.
Be thrifty
There are different cost
structures available for reward
schemes, so once it’s clear what
will spur on the team, it’s a good
idea to shop around. Items like
vouchers can be bought in bulk
to save money, some schemes
are pay-per-employee, and
others offer a staggered fee, i.e.
with different costs for 10, 50 or
200 employees. Thinking about
how often these rewards will be
given and redeemed, as well as
how many employees there are,
will dictate the most suitable
option.
Go digital
These days, most employees
have a digital connection
to their workplace. Using
smartphones, laptops and
tablets to communicate about
incentives and to give rewards
will be far less expensive than
printing out reams of booklets
and handbooks. Digital comms
can also be easily tailored for
each individual. The impact
of personalised emails,
notifications, platforms and
even social posts is far greater
than a run of the mill alert.
Keep it coming
Once a scheme has been
rolled out, don’t shut up shop.
Repackaging an incentive
scheme for different seasons,
holidays and changes in the
business will keep the rewards
at the forefront of people’s
minds. Don’t be afraid to join in
the office chatter too. Recently,
savvy companies that realised
lunchtime gossip revolved
around ITV’s Love Island were
quick to order personalised
water bottles that replicated
those in the show. The idea
really hit the spot internally and
employees proactively took to
social media with a photo to
thank the company: win-win all
round.
Finally, be sure that managers
throughout the team have the
training they need to identify
when a reward should be
given and the tools they need
to actually do it. Limiting the
layers of bureaucracy can help
here, as well encouraging team
leaders to be transparent about
the rewards that people can
strive for.