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Ever since the work world emerged from the COVID pandemic, much attention has been given to strategies for effectively engaging millennial and Gen Z employees. While it’s true that workers aged 30 and under are gaining a larger foothold in both professional and blue-collar environments, it would be misguided for companies to neglect motivational strategies for older members of their teams.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the labor force will increase by 8.9 million people (5.5%) from 2020 to 2030. The number of people between 16 and 24 is projected to shrink by 7.5% during that period, while the number of people aged 75 and older in the work force is expected to increase by 96.5%.
“These societal shifts have given rise to the multigenerational workforce. Now and in the future, we will have four to five generations in the workforce at any given time,” Harvard Business Review reports. “This unprecedented diversity brings an exciting array of skills and expertise, perspectives and life experience that can enhance an organization’s innovation, productivity and overall performance.”
Choice and Memorability
Cultivating a culture of recognition is critical to keeping a multigenerational workforce engaged. The human desire to be praised for one’s achievements doesn’t dissipate simply because someone has more years on the job.
What gets trickier, however, is finding ways to recognize different generations in a manner that is meaningful to them. Recognition that isn’t memorable isn’t worth doing.
Marriott GiftCards incorporate two elements of recognition that are proven to be essential to satisfying the needs of today’s multigenerational workforce: freedom of choice and memorable experiences. Let’s look more closely at both.
- Freedom of choice – By enabling recognition and reward recipients to select experiences that suit their tastes, the rewards are far more likely to be meaningful. Marriott GiftCards can be redeemed for hotel stays at more than 30 brands within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio and 10,000 destinations offering options that meet the diverse needs of the multigenerational workforce. In addition to hotel stays, they may be redeemed for a day at the spa, a culinary experience, a round of golf and much more.
- Memorability – The most effective recognition strategies create lasting memories and motivate workers to repeat the performance that earned them the reward so they can have another memorable experience. Unlike some forms of recognition, the memories made through redemption of a Marriott GiftCard don’t get lost on a shelf, tossed in a drawer or, worse yet, discarded within days of receiving it.
Budget-Friendly and Easy to Administer
Success is the result of small efforts repeated daily. It’s important to recognize workers not only for grand achievements, but also for the steps that lead to accomplishing them. The flexibility of placing any value from $25 up to $2,000 on Marriott GiftCards makes them ideal for this purpose.
Open a world of opportunity for your reward recipients to discover with a Marriott GiftCard that can be presented in person with a physical gift card or an e-gift card that is sent when you choose. Allowing your recipients to choose where they travel, when they travel, and with whom makes your reward more relevant and meaningful to them.
To learn more about using Marriott GiftCards in your incentive and recognition campaigns contact Sharon Conley at sharon.conley@marriott.com.
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