Incentive Takes Two-Pronged Approach to Saving Employee Motivation

Incentive defends the motivation industry from recent proposed legislation seeking to severely restrict employee incentive and loyalty programs by launching this week saveemployeemotivation.org and revising its existing Motivation Masters award program.



Through Saveemployeemotivation.org, Incentive with the help of the motivation industry seeks to disabuse the U.S. Congress, media and public from perceiving incentives as irresponsible in a down economy. The site offers the facts on how incentive and motivation programs boost employee performance and provide a substantial return on investment.



Industry professionals are encouraged to sign the petition online. While there, visitors also will find it easy to write their Congressmen; spread the word to colleagues, local newspapers and national magazines; find white papers and research from industry associations on the effectiveness of incentives; reference incentive guidelines for merchandise and meetings; to download the logo and banner ads; and read the latest news. Associations and suppliers are encouraged to show their support by sending 72 dpi jpeg company logos along with a URL to robert.kuwada@nielsen.com. Logos will appear in “Our Partners” section of the Website.



For its second approach to saving employee motivation, Incentive has waived entry fees to its Motivation Masters awards and extended the submission deadline to May 15 so that as many companies can share proof of their successful incentive programs. Motivation Masters celebrates the best, most effective and most creative incentive and employee loyalty programs. Sales incentives, dealer channel programs and non-sales initiatives, as well as employee loyalty, engagement, peer recognition and wellness programs will all be considered. Programs of any size and budget that used merchandise, travel and/or gift cards as awards are eligible.



A select panel of leading buyers and suppliers will choose finalists after a rigorous evaluation process based on the following criteria: effectiveness in achieving program goals (ROI will be an important component); creativity and originality of the program design, marketing and awards. (Judges will take the size of the budget and the number of participants into account.); tactics employed; and ability to respond to changing circumstances. The judges' emphasis will be on how the program objectives were developed and the results were measured



The judges favorites from the finalists will be announced as Motivation Masters of the Year and one company will walk away with the Grand Prize. Incentive will dedicate October and December coverage to this special awards program, broadcasting the value of incentives, through the industry's inspiring case studies, to its readers and the public.



Applications are being accepted at www.incentivemag.com/motivationmasters.com until May 15.



“This is the most important issue facing the incentive industry,” says Vince Alonzo, Incentive’s editor in chief. “We need to band together and speak with one voice. Save Employee Motivation is a grass roots effort that will allow us to combat the impression that our industry is based on excess. Motivation Masters encourages the industry to openly celebrate and share the proof of its success. It's our chance to show America the necessity of employee motivation. The meeting's industry is also under siege. I encourage incentive travel professionals to Keep America Meeting by signing the petition at www.keepamericameeting.org.”