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Free Coaching Resources - Book Reviews
"1001 Ways To Reward Employees: Money Isn't Everything - Low Cost Ideas, Proven Strategies"By Bob NelsonReviewed by Fred L. FriendIn the foreword to this book, Ken Blanchard writes, "If there's one thing I've learned in my life, it's the fact that everyone wants to be appreciated." "For that reason, this book is a godsend to every well-intentioned manager or frustrated employee." Indeed it is a very valuable resource for everyone who is looking for creative ways to let their employees - and peers - know they are appreciated. The range of suggestions, makes this book valuable to someone who has just begun to explore recognition ideas and to the experienced managers who is looking for ways to "freshen up" their recognition efforts. In explaining why he has put this book together, Bob Nelson, a management specialist and author, writes, "Managers have fewer ways to influence employees and shape their behavior. Coercion is no longer an option; managers increasingly must serve as coaches to indirectly influence rather than demand desired behavior." "In thinking about this paradox, I concluded that a primary reason why most managers do not more frequently reward and recognize employees is that they lack the time and creativity to come up with ways to do it. A book of ways to recognize employees would thus be a fun and useful resource." One of the best features of the book is that all the ideas presented come from real life applications of successful companies. These companies range from the very large (Federal Express, IBM, Hewlett Packard, Wal-Mart, Dupont, Walt Disney, et al) the smaller, private, companies (Kollmorgen Corp., A-P-A Transport, Mid-Michigan Regional Medial Center, KXKT-FM, et al). The ideas cover almost any category of recognition event from service awards, suggestion awards, sales awards, customer compliments, peer compliments, management compliments, individual and team performance goals, department performance goals, and for dozens of "just plain thank- you" reasons. They range from the traditional to the very creative and tailored recognition; from simple one-liners to short Case Studies. The book is organized into five major parts:
In the Introduction, we are given guidelines on how to effectively reward and recognize employees (1. Match the reward to the person; 2. Match the reward to the achievement; 3. Be timely and specific) and 6 guidelines for setting up a recognition program (see page xvii). Throughout the book, we get additional nuggets and guidelines such as:
Part I, Informal Rewards, is a discussion of day-to-day No-Cost and Low-Cost recognition ideas and discuss the effectiveness of informal rewards. Not only are they among the biggest impactors in motivation according to employees, they are usually less expensive. According toe the "People, Performance and Pay" study by the American Productivity Center in Houston and the American Compensation Association, it takes 5 to 8 percent of an employee's salary to change behavior if the reward is cash and approximately 4 percent of the employee's salary if the reward is non-cash. Part II, Awards for Specific Achievements and Activities, explores ideas that range from the traditional to the near-exotic (a Microsoft project team, code name "Cairo", had a team picture taken with a camel). Or check the Case Study in Improved Performance where Lou Gerstner of American Express developed a Great Performers program to encourage more entrepreneurship. Part III, Formal Rewards, covers the more general nature "bonus" type programs that are out there to inspire the employee to reach for the brass ring. This part starts with 7 guidelines for managing these programs to make sure they are valued along with criteria for selecting prizes for rewarding employees. This part makes more use of Case Studies to describe what has proven successful for other companies. For me, the most impressive piece of work in this valuable book, is the Appendices. It includes over 400 resources for getting merchandise, unusual rewards, travel, motivational events, etc. It list vendor names, specialties, addresses, phone numbers, etc. organized into 5 appendices:
This resource alone is worth the $9.95 the book cost if you are looking for the creative and unusual. "1001 Ways to Reward Employees" is published by Workman Publishing, New York. Coming Soon: "The Monster Under The Bed" by Davis & Botkin. If you are a manager, business trainer, or public educator you should hear the author's views on the revolution which they feel has begun in the area of education and learning. They see economic enterprises (business) taking over more responsibility for the educational efforts needed to keep our society competitive; while government (public schools) struggle with a bureaucracy build on 19th century needs. |
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