QWE Practice Guideline: 140: Enhance productivity and wages through both monetary and non-monetary incentives

Target group: Any organization employing individuals with disabilities

Practice Description

Weekly, monthly, and annual activities to promote employee value, drive morale, and develop peer support.

Resources Needed

Subject matter experts/trainers

• HR staff to manage offerings

Equipment

• Collection equipment
• Space for events

Funding

• Start Up: Pop can collections
• Ongoing: Improved efficiencies in the workforce
• Other sources: donations

Implementation Process

Process

• Weekly meetings wherein employees can nominate colleagues for the Most Valuable Player of the week. The winner gets recognized and thanked for their efforts in a public employee meeting and has bragging rights for the next week.
• Contests that range from talent shows to designing contests (i.e., paper airplanes).
• Barbeques funded from pop can returns. 
• Employees are encouraged to offer suggestions and recognize public efforts, then report on the effectiveness.
• Employees are offered opportunities to share their life experiences, so others may benefit; not make the same mistakes, learn how to do things better/differently.
• Community items are raffled off, such as televisions, tables, desks, weight machines, batteries, work clothing, computers, company shirts, company mugs, company hats, and so on.
• Pizza parties are held based on meeting quality and productivity standards.

Documentation

• Policy regarding structure of offerings.

Outcomes/Results

• Individual: Improved morale, increased productivity, opportunity to understand and implement appropriate worker traits, self-reported sense of pride, facilitated stronger team relationships
• Organizational: Increased productivity, improved quality, more cohesive workforce, better able to prepare employees

NPA: Work Skills Corporation
Location: Brighton, MI
Date Submitted: 2013
Website: https://www.wskills.com/

Resources: Quality Work Environment Workbook