When you think about incentive, what comes to mind? A cash reward for a job well done? An early promotion or a raise?
If your answer is any of those three things, you’re probably not alone. Incentives are a common way to encourage employees to perform their jobs well and help businesses grow. But they can also be complicated and expensive.
For example, offering an employee an incentive to work hard can mean giving them cash or maybe even letting them keep their job longer if they meet certain goals. But it also means the company will have to pay for the extra time off that employee needs for training or other personal reasons. However, the returns of investing in an incentive program can be so significant that the resources used will not be a big deal.
Here are five benefits of incentivizing your employees:
1. Increased brand recognition
Incentive programs can help you develop a stronger brand image, which in turn helps improve your company’s reputation and sales. This is because it creates a positive association with the company name and encourages customers to do business with you. By offering incentives, you can also attract new clients who are looking for new brands to buy from, which means that your incentive program will help expand your customer base.
2. Encourage productivity
Well-designed incentive programs can encourage productivity and improve employee engagement. When people feel like they’re getting rewarded for working hard, they’re more likely to stay motivated at work and put forth their best efforts on the job. A well-designed incentive program will have clear goals that motivate both managers and employees alike. For example, you might set up goals such as increasing sales by 10% by March 31st or achieving a certain number of billable hours per month in order to meet quarterly goals for revenue and profits. The key here is ensuring that all participants understand how their performance will affect their bonus and other rewards. If they don’t understand what’s going on, they may become frustrated or disgruntled from not having time to take advantage of opportunities offered by the company.
3. Encourage loyalty
An incentive program can help your business build customer loyalty. As a company grows in size over time, it becomes increasingly important to retain top talent as well as attract new employees who are committed to your organization’s mission and values. This is especially true when it comes to high-profile projects such as new products or services, which require special attention from your entire team. Effective incentive programs not only help in building customer loyalty, it can also help retain key employees who are vital to your company’s success and attract new employees who share these same values.
4. Decrease turnover
Companies that implement incentive programs regularly see a decrease in turnover rates over time. This is because employees who feel like they’re being recognized for their work tend to stay with the company longer than those who don’t get any recognition for their efforts at all! An effective incentive program will include regular employee recognition events where you can recognize staff members for their achievements throughout the year, something that isn’t always easy when your business is booming.
5. Increased sales
Incentive plans can be used to increase sales in many ways. For example, you could offer a discount on a new product introduction, or give away coupons for future purchases of that same product at a discounted price. You could also give away a free sample and then send out another coupon after they receive it with instructions on how to redeem it.
