Page 55 - Occupational Health & Safety, April 2017

ward?” The first of these two questions is actually the topic of some very recent research. In any meeting about an incentive program, somebody in the room will bring up the fact that they have “asked their people” and their people overwhelmingly agree they “just want cash.” In fact, as it turns out, the issue is how you ask the question. If you ask a participant what she wants, she will usually say cash by default. The IMA’s 2015 “Participant Study” conducted by the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) showed that when presented with a choice of options including cash and equivalently valuable non-cash rewards (merchandise, gift cards, and travel items), more than two-thirds of the people asked chose the non-cash rewards. Cash is very problematic when it comes to the impact on an employee and income tax considerations. Mer- chandise, gift cards, and travel are all very valuable tools and can be used in different ways and for different reasons, so it is imperative that you consider which non-cash gift is right for a program.
How the employees will earn the reward is often an equally daunting question involving many considerations. Program struc- ture is a huge one. A drawing for a big gift can be very budget friendly but can also result in having participants who lose and get nothing. A points-for-performance program requires mainte- nance, customer support, point tracking, and order management.
The rules of a program will determine how effective the pro- gram is at promoting a safe culture within the organization. The
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platform you use to deliver the program also has costs and benefits. For instance, online programs are very popular and almost univer- sally easy to access, but they often come with a restrictive price tag for a small program. Consider what will work for your employees, your budget, and your goals. Ultimately, your ROI hinges on this.
Trainer and author Dale Carnegie once said, “People work for money but go the extra mile for recognition, praise, and rewards.” In a business world where the importance of employees and their level of engagement are at the forefront, it is important to consider how to better engage people in safety. A properly designed safety incentive program uses recognition, praise, and rewards to get people to go that extra mile and actively participate in a culture of safety.The cornerstone of that statement is that the program must be properly designed. By taking the time to make these very care- ful considerations before you dive headlong into your new safety incentive program, you can turn the program into a successful and long-lasting asset.
David Roark (der@promopros.net), MA, CPIM, is a Communication & Sales Specialist with PromoPros/IncentPros, Inc. in Spring, Texas.
REFERENCES
1. http://www.incentivemarketing.org/search/custom.asp?id=1347
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APRIL 2017 | Occupational Health & Safety 49
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