Recognition & Rewards

Bonus for exempt workers: What’s the best way?

11/25/2010

Q. Everyone has been working extra hard this year, especially our exempt salaried employees. We want to reward them with extra pay. Can we pay them overtime if they put in more than, say, 50 hours in a week? Or is it better to offer a one-time bonus? I don’t want to affect their exempt status.

5 mistakes to avoid when recognizing employees

11/18/2010

If a star employee has ever surprised you during an exit interview by saying she had been dissatisfied with her job for a long time, you’re not alone. It’s common to find a vast divergence between employee satisfaction and management’s take on the situation. Managers frequently make five big mistakes that can send your valued employees packing. Luckily, they’re easy to fix.

Drivers get personal thank-yous from CEO

11/12/2010

Drivers who work for Fort Smith, Ark.-based ABF got personal thank-you notes from the CEO during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in September. “Each of ABF’s employees contributes to the success of our company by working together as a team, and it doesn’t go unnoticed,” says CEO Wes Kemp.

4 steps for implementing a variable pay program

10/26/2010

Making variable pay work requires lots of interaction throughout the organization before, during and after implementation. As the business unit most likely in charge of implementation, it’s up to HR to make sure that happens. Here’s how to do it.

The 4 key factors to keep ’em happy & in their seats

10/14/2010

The “at least I have a job” feeling is starting to wear off among employed Americans. After years of taking on new duties at their old pay, many are feeling overworked, underpaid and underpromoted. Two in five of them are seeking new jobs. Here are four key things your employees will look for elsewhere if you’re not providing it:

Airline employees compete for awards in ‘Customer Cup’ contest

10/05/2010

One way for American Airlines employees to get the bosses’ attention is to compete for it. The airline created its “Customer Cup” contest to spur competition among employee teams at different airports in an effort to improve processes and products and upgrade customer service, said Mark Mitchell, managing director of customer experience.

Address trust, training to keep top performers

09/17/2010

Employees feel overworked and underpromoted, and two in five of them are looking for new jobs. A new study is the latest to reveal that employees who plan to leave their companies say they feel a lack of communication from management. Here are four things your employees might think they’ll find more of elsewhere:

5 steps for starting a pay-for-performance system

08/24/2010

Most organizations believe they do pay for performance. They don’t. If you’re committed to starting a true pay-for-performance system, you’ll want to ease into it with lots of crystal-clear communication. Here are five ways to get started.

Creative thinkers awarded with $2,500 plus a sabbatical

08/12/2010

Managers at public relations and marketing agency CRT/tanaka want employees to have a “what can be” spirit, so they reward three who do that with $2,500 and a sabbatical each year. The agency’s annual “whatcanbe award” winners have helped create “a bigger, brighter, better future” for the agency, its clients and the community at large, notes company spokesman Jeff Wilson.

Day care centers boost modest pay with big bonus

06/15/2010

For teachers who earn just $12 to $25 an hour, a chance to win a $10,000 bonus is a big deal. That’s how much CCLC Child Care Centers hands out yearly to each five teachers who win its “Educator Award.” The awards are a way for the Portland, Ore.-based organization to thank and encourage the modestly paid faculty of its 112 centers.