How to reward staff for a job well done

1. Quotable quote

"It is the practice of many organisations to reward their sales performers with incentives, bonuses or other inducements for sales achievements. Unfortunately these rewards are usually made on an individual basis to the 'star' who excels. Now there is nothing wrong with this; however, in my experience what this usually produces is an 'every man for himself' outcome. This 'me first' incentive creates unhealthy competition, even division and disharmony, as disputes over territory and the spoils mount.

This is the antithesis of real team harmony, the spirit of mutual support, and the business principle of co-operation.

And what about the back-room people who produce the product, provide the service, maintain the facilities, send out the accounts and bank the money? Don't they deserve to share in the rewards that success and profit bring?…

So share the glory and use incentives, not to promote individual (and potentially self-serving) achievements, but to build real team spirit and team esteem."

2. Viewpoint

"The reward for a job well done is to have done it."

3. Here's an idea

As a recognition-and-reward strategy, staff performance contests can present problems. When contests award expensive prizes (holidays, cars, trips), some employees will cheat, lie, even sabotage each other’s performance, to win. Such contests motivate winners and alienate losers. …