| A group of employees from a not-for-profit | | | | solo or group experiences as employee gifts have |
| organization in Port Moody, BC recently found | | | | recently started to emerge; a typical company will |
| themselves suspended 30 metres above a | | | | offer more than 300 activities. This industry has seen |
| whitewater river between Blackcomb and Whistler | | | | considerable growth throughout North America in the |
| mountains. They performed aerobatics, turned upside | | | | past two years. |
| down, and flew along at speed of up to 80 kilometres | | | | It is clear that giving employees free opportunities for |
| per hour on a wire. Their employer had not set up the | | | | excitement and outdoor adventure can have many |
| experience as a team-building exercise or a | | | | positive benefits, both at an individual and growth level. |
| morale-boosting event. Instead, it was a way to say: | | | | Such experiences not only provide valuable exercise, |
| "thank you." | | | | fresh air, and a chance for self-discovery and personal |
| Today, when developing employee incentive programs, | | | | growth, but they can build morale, boost company |
| more employers are choosing healthy, outdoor | | | | loyalty, and reduce stress. |
| adventures as experiential rewards, rather than cash. | | | | Non-cash incentives boost performance more than |
| These can range from a day of whitewater rafting or | | | | cash, says study |
| skiing to solo indoor mountain climbing or a kayak | | | | Yet proponents of cash rewards still argue that such |
| canoe excursion. | | | | programs are easy to administer, recipients can |
| Do employees appreciate such a healthy gift instead | | | | choose what to do with the money, and, according to |
| of cash? One who participated in the above event | | | | almost every study of employee attitudes towards |
| commented: "We had a perfect day. [It was] a great | | | | incentive programs, employees invariably say they |
| bonding experience for the staff and the weather was | | | | want it. No one can deny that cash makes a highly |
| fantastic." The activity itself cost less than $100 per | | | | effective form of compensation: people want payment |
| employee. | | | | for doing their job. But when it comes to rewarding |
| Employee involvement in healthful, activity-based | | | | hard-working employees for going above and beyond, |
| incentives produces long memories of strong, positive | | | | a wise organization needs to show some creativity in |
| feelings, according to a 2004 study by the Maritz | | | | how it demonstrates its appreciation. |
| Travel Company in the U.S. The study revealed that | | | | Recent research conducted by the University of |
| this proves doubly true when employees have the | | | | Chicago argued that what employees say they want |
| opportunity to share their reward with family, friends or | | | | and what they actually work hardest to receive do not |
| colleagues. | | | | always match. In fact, the study showed that while |
| Sales team seeks rewards it truly wants | | | | participants working towards a cash incentive boosted |
| Locally, a North Vancouver recruitment company was | | | | their performance by 14.6 per cent, those who worked |
| searching for a way to increase the pre-sales activity | | | | towards a non-cash incentive of the same value |
| of its sales teams. For years, it has rewarded | | | | improved performance by 38.6 per cent. |
| employees with cash bonuses for completed sales; | | | | From a company's perspective, this has potentially |
| however, it found that once targets had been reached, | | | | serious longer-term implications when considering |
| additional sales calls fell off, resulting in a loss of | | | | morale and employee retention. The 2004 Maritz |
| potential sales. | | | | Travel Company study reported that cash, when given |
| The organization needed a way to give employees an | | | | as a reward bonus is often forgotten and, if not |
| incentive to make extra calls and follow more tenuous | | | | considered large enough by the recipient, might actually |
| leads. It decided on a program that allowed all sales | | | | have a negative impact. |
| team employees to work towards rewards that they | | | | In contrast, experiential employee rewards can create |
| truly wanted. This involved activities that they might not | | | | lifelong memories and positive feelings. Therefore, as |
| have done otherwise done, such as driving a | | | | companies continue to fight to attract and retain quality |
| NASCAR race car, taking a flying lesson or getting | | | | employees, incentives that go beyond the ordinary will |
| first-night tickets to the theatre. | | | | likely grow more attractive. After all, what better way |
| Traditionally, companies that specialize in products and | | | | to say "thank you" a key employee or department for |
| merchandise have looked after rewards and | | | | a job well done than to give them their own special |
| incentives, while event companies oversee | | | | day to remember? |
| team-building events. However, companies that offer | | | | |