Resource Library

The cost of employee disengagement to U.S. companies in terms of lost productivity, accidents, theft, and turnover is estimated to be as much as $350 billion per year. Disengaged workers are often absent (even when they are at work), disconnected, and often pessimistic about change and new ideas. They have high rates of absenteeism and tend to negatively influence those around them. Engaged workers, on the other hand, are significantly more productive, interact more positively with other employees and new hires, and are much more likely when they interact with customers to create relationships that generate loyalty and increased business. This white paper looks at the best measures available for building engagement among employees along with looking at the ROI for investing in those measures as a way for managers to demonstrate the economics of engagement to top executives.... [ read more ]

In today's economic environment, employers are struggling to find every advantage possible to thrive, grow or simply to stay in business. For most US based organizations payroll represents the largest expense. Advantages therefore, come first and foremost through better talent management.... [ read more ]

Most leaders and organizations know the difference between a fully engaged worker and one that is marginally engaged or disengaged. The former brim with enthusiasm, they contribute ideas, are optimistic about the company and its future, are seldom absent from work, they typically stay with the organization longer and are among the organization’s most valuable ambassadors. Disengaged workers, on the other hand, are often absent (even when they are at work). They are disconnected and often pessimistic about change and new ideas. They have high rates of absenteeism and tend to negatively influence those around them, including potential customers and new hires. And the cost of disengagement to U.S. employers is estimated to be as much as $350 billion per year.... [ read more ]

Are there differences in how a computer manufacturer plans and implements an incentive program versus how a pharmaceutical company or new car dealer does? What about a commercial banking operation, insurance agency or a telecommunications company? Are there processes, types of incentives used, or other nuances that are unique to these markets? Which industries are more likely to develop their programs in-house, as opposed to securing an outside vendor? The Vertical Market Study attempts to answer these and other questions. It provides a full report on how the six specific industries planned and implemented incentive travel, motivational meetings and special events.... [ read more ]

This study, conducted by Frank Mulhern on behalf of the Promotion Marketing Association with the support of the Forum, identified key challenges facing organizations attempting to fully integrate external and internal marketing.... [ read more ]

Owning a new pet can be an overwhelming experience for any consumer. Young families, in particular, often have many conflicting responsibilities and little time to spare. Purina focused on simplifying these responsibilities for the new pet owner by offering them a complete starter kit that contained everything they needed to care for their pet.... [ read more ]

This white paper highlights four key areas that impact organizational adoption of integrated marketing and motivate employees to think about and cooperate with integrated marketing efforts beyond their functional silos.... [ read more ]

This paper looks at the types and applications of gift cards and gift certificates and reviews the research that points to the efficacy of gift certificates and cards in achieving business results. Gift certificates and cards have been shown to increase sales, improve employee performance and build loyalty, foster teamwork, and create new markets, among others.... [ read more ]

Despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent annually by organizations to engage employees and customers, numerous independent research studies find that neither employee nor customer engagement have improved appreciably in more than a decade. ... [ read more ]

A plush promotional mailing is used to gain media attention to support a consumer marketing effort.... [ read more ]

Conceived in the 1990s, the concept of Total Rewards represented a revolution in thinking related to compensation that to this day has not been fulfilled at many organizations, that is: a strategic, holistic approach to compensation that considers every aspect of the employee experience and his or her capabilities and potential contributions to the organization. ... [ read more ]

Each year in the United States, organizations spend tens of billions of dollars on cash and non-cash rewards for consumer, distributor, sales and employee incentive programs –merchandise, gift cards, group and individual travel programs, time off, cash, etc. But few organizations invest the necessary time to understand which rewards should be used for which people to encourage what outcomes... [ read more ]

The morning newspaper and a cup of steaming coffee are natural partners. When six new coffee shops opened in downtown Traverse City within twelve months, the Traverse City Record-Eagle decided to take advantage of this "morning" momentum. Working with Nouveautes USA, the paper offered gourmet coffee to new and old subscribers who signed up for twelve months of Record-Eagle home delivery using automatic bill payment. The "Whole Latte News" consumer offer targeted well-educated, business professionals with an annual household income of $50,000 or more. The choice of incentive, gourmet Gevalia® coffee (distributed exclusively by NouveautesUSA™), helped drive home the core selling point of the campaign – the price and duration of the E-Z Pay subscription. For $12.00 per month for 12 months, new customers received 12 packs of Gevalia® coffee. ... [ read more ]

Historically, incentive programs, unlike other sales and marketing strategies, have endured economic downturns. In fact, according to a review of past Incentive Federation and industry studies, the incentive industry managed to grow following the recessions that occurred in the late 1980s, after September 11, 2001, and during the downturn of the late 1990s, following the dot-com collapse. In fact, there is no evidence that the industry suffered serious declines following the recession in the late 1970s/early 1980s, and the industry continued to prosper even during the Great Depression when the industry’s trade magazine at the time, Premium Practice, was filled with advertising pages.... [ read more ]

World Alliance for Retail an international alliance of at-retail companies committed to delivering exceptional sales, marketing and service support to manufacturers and retailers.... [ read more ]

You've Got the Power was the third in a series of Lowe's employee initiatives designed to build credit card application growth and promote customer loyalty. The promotion successfully combined the power of merchandise incentives and cash to motivate a diverse workforce.... [ read more ]

In spite of Mountain Dew's strong market position, Pepsi-Cola wanted to build the brand's loyalty, attract new customers, and keep the growth rate above the industry average. To achieve those goals, the company developed the "Extreme Network" promotion, which offered a beeper in exchange for 10 Mountain Dew proofs of purchase, $29.99, and $5 for shipping and handling. The numeric pagers came with six months of free service. Total value: $125. ... [ read more ]

Over the last few years, the recognition field has seen a significant shift from traditional length-of-service awards to programs that focus on supporting critical organizational goals -- quality service to internal or external customers, participation in volunteer initiatives, a willingness to go the extra mile, etc. ... [ read more ]

There's no reason to wait for engagement standards from ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, to profit from engagement. While ISO recently approved the creation of formal standards for engagement, the organization has already created Quality Management Principles and standards for engaging employees in quality management practices... [ read more ]

Ask anyone involved with technology implementation, and they'll tell you that the most frequent cause of failure is to strategically and consistently address the people issue. ... [ read more ]

In the old days, when no one could measure the economic benefits of engagement, it was a "nice to have." Now it’s essential. It's a critical competitive edge. With sales growth slowing and competition continuing to grow in many industries, market share goes to those organizations that "wow" not only their ... [ read more ]

The good news is that most organizations don't need to create new budgets to engage people, but rather spend their dollars more wisely on what they already do to engage people, which includes:... [ read more ]

This is the first installment of a three-part series on the creation of engagement standards, their evolution, research supporting them and potential implications.... [ read more ]

The decision in 2015 by the stewards of ISO 9001 to create Quality Management Principles that include engagement is supported by both researchers and workplace observers who have observed ISO standard compliance in action. A study of ISO compliance... [ read more ]

So what will happen should ISO go beyond the issuance of its Quality Management Principles and eventually approves formal standards for engagement? The opportunity could be significant, says Lee S. Webster, Secretary for ISO TAG 260, which has oversight over the engagement standards.... [ read more ]