SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS  | |
O.C. Tanner's Appreciation Approach
July 10, 2008
By Nathan Adkisson
O.C. Tanner spent a year analyzing their own company to find the greatest motivation method. The results are like recognition 2.0, or, as they call it, "Appreciateology"
After a year of internal research, Salt Lake City-based O.C. Tanner company has unveiled "Appreciateology," their new comprehensive incentive service. Company officers believe this is the solution to problems like employee retention and creating work-life balance.
David Sturt, vice president of marketing and business development for the company, believes that employees have "discretionary input," which is the additional effort they may or may not contribute to a task depending on their motivation to do that activity.
"Most people have this dormant talent that isn't awakened until you engage them," he says. "We've identified what drives people, and we're calling that out. That's Appreciateology."
According to Sturt, appreciation is like recognition, but at a deeper, more long-term level.
"We asked ourselves, 'What is the endgame?'" he says. "The number-one reason people quit is because they don't feel like they are making a difference. They don't say, 'I didn't get recognized' or 'I didn't get an incentive.' They say, 'I didn't feel appreciated.'"
With this in mind, O.C. Tanner is marketing both products and programs to companies who want to show appreciation for their employees. The appreciateology philosophy holds that appreciation should be a constant presence in a workplace, and the company's services reflect this.
"It's more of a holistic approach," Sturt says. "We're doing onboarding to stem the tide of employees who leave in six months because they don’t feel connected to the company. Too many managers say, 'We'll catch them at the end of the year and give them a bigger bonus.' Instead, we like to do appreciation training for managers starting on day one and then reinforcement at 30, 60, and 90 days."
Companies like Pepsi and the Hudson Group have implemented appreciation programs with the help of O.C. Tanner.
"A great place to work is one where ideas flow freely, progress comes easily, and people wake up exited to come to work every morning," says Joseph DiDomizio, COO for the Hudson Group transportation company. "You don't create such a culture with salaries, benefits, and bonuses alone—you do it by noticing and rewarding people who achieve."
Pepsi recently used O.C. Tanner to create a comprehensive appreciation program including personalized messages of congratulations, choices of awards, and presentation coaching for managers.
"Our goal is to create a culture of heath, wellness, and appreciation," says John Berisford, chief personnel officer of Pepsi Bottling Group. "It's important to recognize not only the outcomes but also the effort that people put forth every day."
As for physical incentives, O.C. Tanner attempts to help companies find something unique to give their employees.
"If you give someone a gift card, what do they say six months later?" Sturt asks. "They won't remember it had no impact. If you really want to send a message, give something original that you can’t get anywhere else, not just a card that says, 'Go buy some stuff.'"
Appreciateology was an intriguing presence at the 2008 SHRM conference, which was held in Chicago on June 22-25. More than 3,500 people visited the O.C. Tanner booth to inquire about the new program, Sturt says.
"It's the science and art of appreciation," he says. "We want to teach people why appreciating great work generates great power and what goes missing when that appreciation’s not there."
|
|
| SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT | MOST POPULAR | RSS | |
|
|
RSS