EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION OR YEARS OF SERVICE

Online Awards Program Addresses Key Employee Issues
Client: Regional Retail Chain

Situation:

A regional retail chain with approximately eight thousand full and part-time employees had been conducting an on-going employee recognition and rewards program. Store managers were supplied with quantities of Certificates in various Award Point denominations, which they were encouraged to present to employees whom they considered demonstrated exceptional performance - especially in the area of Customer Service. Employees could accumulate certificates and redeem them for selections from an exclusive merchandise catalog.

Challenge:

Store managers were not given specific instructions and guidelines regarding the extent of value of perceived performances. The requirements and award levels therefore differed from store to store.

Since awards were frequently made on the spur of the moment, record keeping was often haphazard or incomplete. Extensive time and paperwork was required to maintain and/or update records of Points Available, Points Issued, Points Redeemed and Points-in-Hand.

Employees who lost or misplaced Certificates were routinely unable to verify or reconstruct current Point holdings.

Budget control was virtually nonexistent.

Solution:

INmarketing Group produced a more efficient program that addressed crucial employee related issues of reduced turnover, recruitment, increased training, personal performance and customer service.

To acquire an in-depth understanding of the past and current situations, INmarketing participated in the client's district focus groups attempting to prioritize objectives.

Drawing on focus group results, INmarketing developed an online application that provides the client with a flexible medium to communicate program parameters and procedures to store managers and their employees.

Award Point values are assigned to each performance category and replace the cumbersome and limited scope paper Certificates. Excessive paperwork is eliminated by providing Store Managers with online award point issuance, recording and reporting capabilities.

The client is installing computer kiosks in every store allowing employees to enroll, learn and act upon the program requirements and procedures, track their personal performance and point earnings.

An extensive online awards catalog provides employees with easy and rapid point redemption facilities.

Drawing on the focus group results, INmarketing assisted in developing a comprehensive survey to gather employee input and program evaluations. To encourage survey participation, contributing employees are given an initial quantity of new Award Points.

Results:

The announcement of the new procedure was received well by the participants. While we are still awaiting the long term results the feedback through a variety of focus groups has been very positive. One of the most important aspects of the program was to stay within budgetary guidelines. Since the program enhancements were implemented the budgets have been on target.