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Ask Christi: Build a Culture of Innovation
July 16, 2008
Incentive problems on your mind? Incentive online columnist and recognition expert Christi L. Gibson has the answers.
By Christi L. Gibson
Hi Christi,
I just read your article in Incentive Magazine and thought it was great. As we've recently restructured our company in a major cultural way, I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to find exceptional talent and, more importantly, keep those team members excited about coming in to work each and every day. Courtesy, respect and day-to-day recognition are indeed paramount in our planning—so are things like flex hours and learning lunch sessions.
I was wondering if you had any other specific ideas for building a culture of innovation. We're seeing great results thus far, but I would like to get your advice as an expert.
—Jacquelyn, Toronto, ON
Hi Jacquelyn,
You are on the right track to building a great culture. To attain a culture of innovation, learning lunch sessions are an excellent opportunity to provide training and connect with your employees. Offering continuing education opportunities help to keep employees motivated. A culture charged with new ideas and methods needs a company mantra. One I’ve adopted over the years is "there has to be a better way." Empower your employees to freely examine existing systems, products, and procedures and give them a means to offer their ideas without fear of being "shot-down."
Here's an example:
Learning Lunch
Meeting Focus: Product X
Room specifications: U-shaped seating. At the opening of the U are two easels.
• First easel's title: Product X Challenges
• Second easel's title: Product X Positives
Choose a skillful facilitator and supply him or her with lots of colored markers. The facilitator should take the group through the first 25 minutes very quickly focusing on Product X's challenges and what doesn't work. Allow all to be brutally honest. Take the next 25 minutes to center on Product X's positive attributes and what you love about it. The last 10 minutes is a quick recap.
This can be an extremely productive hour. Collect, organize and distribute all the information gathered right away. Management must then act on this vital information to improve Product X. Because your employees were instrumental in the development of the needed changes, you now have employee buy-in. This exercise can be a win/win for all involved. Good Luck.
Dear Christi,
My call center is filled with very overweight and some obese reps. Although not sanctioned by our health plan or the corporate office, I was going to propose a group diet or even using some of my holiday party money to assist any who might want to buy a pre-packaged diet plan. I am concerned though that the weight loss could be distracting to their excellent call center skills. Should I just MYOB since I'm apparently the only one who is concerned? Thoughts?
—Courtney, Ann Arbor, MI
Dear Courtney,
A group wellness program is an excellent method for organizations to decrease sick time, stress and depression, and increase job satisfaction. To help you get management buy in, give them the article by Susie Lyons I refer to below. For now, here are some background and ideas:
Susie Lyons, Manager of Employee Programs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a member of Recognition Professionals International Executive Board of Directors, shared a compilation of information compiled by members of Vanderbilt University Health and Wellness Programs that speaks directly to your question. Vanderbilt University Medical Center implemented a program you may be interested in called "Go for the Gold." "Go for the Gold" has had a significant impact in motivating participants to start or maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors.
"Go for the Gold" was rolled out to Vanderbilt University faculty and staff in 2003 to reward employees for healthy lifestyle behaviors, identifying health risk, increasing activities to maintain or reduce health risks and promoting early detection of disease. The program has enabled Vanderbilt employees to become savvy health care consumers in addition to helping to control rising health care costs. The program was phased in over four years with greater monetary rewards available each year as program components were added.
The greatest behavior change was seen in people exercising one or more times per week. Although the proportion of Americans who are overweight continues to rise, there was a decrease in the proportion of overweight individuals among the "Go for the Gold" participants between 2003 and 2004. This number rebounded slightly in 2005 but remained well below the national average. The "Go for the Gold" program also demonstrated decreases in sick time, smoking, stress and depression, and showed an increase in job satisfaction. Vanderbilt's marketing strategies are one key reason for their success in participation. Multiple messages, multiple times, in multiple formats is the key to success.
The success of the Vanderbilt program is directly tied to the planning of the development team. They carefully and thoughtfully considered strategy, implementation, review and assessment in the initial stages of the program. The Vanderbilt team leading the development of this creative and unique incentive program receives input from faculty and staff regularly and is continually benchmarking and staying up to date on the latest research in the health promotion and recognition/incentive fields.
All organizations must stay up to date on the latest research addressing wellness and disease management in 2008. Sky rocketing healthcare costs, an aging workforce and the impending workforce shortage make it imperative organizations implement effective recognition programs. Companies are now considering the implications of these issues and making changes to recognition and reward practices to ensure employee engagement remains high.
Go to www.recognition.org to learn more about Vanderbilt’s wellness program and email me to request a copy of her article, "Go For the Gold," by Susie Lyons. Implementing a wellness program should be done with respect for the employees and the company. So be prepared, pitch it to the top tier, and properly present to your team because a healthy call center is a happy call center!
INCENTIVE online columnist Christi L. Gibson, the Executive Director of Recognition Professionals International formerly known as National Association for Employee Recognition (NAER) has been with RPI since 2001. She has been published in numerous periodicals, newspapers and has been interviewed on both ABC and FOX News. Write to Ask Christi at christi@recognition.org.
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