Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has released its Business Value of Meetings study, which identifies key benchmarks, including: percentage of businesses that measure; barriers to implementation; crucial programming elements for organizational success; and key skills needed for personal success. After interviewing 261 corporations in 27 countries, researchers found that less than 10% of meetings are currently measured for business value. The deciding factor of whether to measure or not is whether the business goals for the meeting focus on specific return on investment (ROI). When faced with meetings or events that don't have clear financial objectives, meetings are often dismissed as immeasurable, when in fact this study found business value of meetings can be measured whether relying upon ROI or not. More info at www.mpiweb.org/bvom
We all know that employee perceptions of reward fairness are strongly related to employee attitudes, behaviors and performance. But it's less clear what impact reward practices have on these perceptions. In other words, do certain types of reward programs or policies more closely align with perceptions of fairness than other programs or policies? To survive (and thrive), organizations need tgo ensure that reward programs are rooted in principles of fairness in order to motivate and engage employees from different backgrounds and experiences. The challenges of creating a fair reward system become even more pronounced as organizations develop a global presence and attempt to integrate reward strategies across countries with different legislative requirements, traditions and cultures and accepted business and norms. A new study by Hay Group and World@Work examines how management defines what constitutes fair rewards and the tools reward professionals use to create reward programs, policies and structures that are perceived as fair. Read more at www.haygroup.com/ww/downloads/details.aspx?id=30978
The Incentive Research Foundation recently released the results of a trends study that revealed the biggest challenge for planners is creating meaningful experiences despite recession-generated cuts. Survey respondents said they're maintaining effective programs by carefully reviewing and either selecting or eliminating specific elements. In both 2010 and 2011, the most popular cuts included: 1) room gifts; 2) having fewer managers attend; and 3) cutting the number of qualifiers. And these changes seem to have worked: just about half of those surveyed said attendees were grateful to be awarded an incentive trip, and roughly 40% said attendees were just as positive as in years past about going on such trips. Also, less than 10% noted dissatisfaction with the destination, service or property. For more information, go to www.TheIRF.org
G.J. Hart, President and CEO of Texas Roadhouse, will be The 2011 Motivation Show's Keynote Luncheon speaker beginning at noon, Tuesday, October 4. In his presentation, Standing by His Convictions: How One CEO Put His People First in the Face of Negative Public Opinion, Mr. Hartunapologetically explains why his company hosted a 5-day incentive event in 2009 for 1,100 employees and guests at the Ritz-Carlton in the midst of the "AIG Effect." Hear how he stood up for his simple philosophy that "Happy Employees Make Happy Guests" and reduced employee turnover, garnered numerous awards and retained a loyal guest base that provides nearly two-thirds of his company's revenue. For more information on The Motivation Show, go to www.motivationshow.com
How is technology shaping the modern travel consumer? Well, 75% of leisure travelers look to the Internet for travel information – but do they find too much information or not enough to make an informed decision? A recent Travelport study, The Well Connected Traveller, reveals rapid changes in consumer behavior. Want to find out what 62% of travelers are doing now that they probably weren't doing at all five years ago? Travelport engaged The Futures Company to conduct global research into the end-to-end travel process consumers undertake, from inspiration to shopping to booking to post-trip evaluation. Some highlights:
For more information, go to www.travelport.com/customer_community.aspx
The June/July issue of Engagement Strategies Magazine is out! Here's a look at what you'll find inside:
Author and engagement guru Richard Axelrod talks about the collaborative effort that's essential in creating an enduring engagement culture. To make sure you get your copy of Engagement Strategies Magazine, go to www.enterpriseengagement.org/account/login/ and update your subscription today!
Amazon may be gone, but its legacy is still around in the form of higher expectations and increased automation. Here's how the industry is filling the gap. Read more in the current issue of Engagement Strategies Magazine.
Here's how Mountain States Health Alliance transformed itself into an organization that not only provides quality patient care, but is also considered a great place to work.
A new White Paper, How Social Media is Changing Corporate Performance, discusses how lessons learned from Social Media are helping corporate employee-engagement experts capitalize on the momentum in self-motivated, peer-driven participation. Corporate recognition, rewards and incentive programs for employees are actually the unsung pioneers of the kind of 'social points' activity like we see in Social Media games like Farmville and others. By leveraging the power of online systems, corporations can provide a familiar social environment similar to those in which people have already chosen to engage during their own time. You can bring the power of Social Behaviors to your employees by offering intrinsic/extrinsic motivation rewards and recognition programs. Peer-to-Peer awards let people recognize each other. Team-based activities allow for relationship-building and trust. Wellness programs show that you care about employees' health challenges and that you want to help through education and online tools. Open 'suggestion programs' accelerate innovation by creating a meritocracy. To view the full report, go to www.dittmanincentives.com
Does your organization have a transactional website to handle bulk sales of merchandise to qualified buyers or points programs for incentive companies? The incentive industry is one of the few areas of business that doesn't have a true transactional model to support its end-users and incentive companies. The Corporate Rewards Exchange is a cooperative effort of leading brands, incentive fulfillment firms and incentive companies to build a new distribution channel for sale of gifts to corporations, incentive companies and marketing services firms. The CRE enables brands to tap into a large ad hoc market for bulk gifts and rewards in a way they can carefully control, providing a powerful means for incentive companies to more effectively use their products in reward programs via a highly automated billing, redemption, tracking and customer service system. It's designed to support all of the current players in the incentive marketplace by providing a more efficient means of offering rewards to end-users and incentive companies, at a very low cost. For more information, please contact us for a demo.
Selling Communications, Inc. is a fully integrated, target marketing, media and technology agency that improves results for clients by focusing on the people who matter most. We can help your business grow and save you money by targeting key prospects, getting their permission and strategically integrating your marketing and sales communications with the specific audiences most likely to affect your business performance.
Take advantage of these SCI services to improve your business development:
For more information on Selling Communications, its products and services, contact Jim Kilmetis at 914-591-7600, ext. 229 or send an e-mail to jkilmetis@sellingcommunications.com.
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