HR Zone looks at the strangest incentives offered to employees. Are we a nation obsessed with freebies?
Our theme for this article was inspired by a national survey that looked at how us brits are mad for anything we can get our hands on for free.
The crucial research emerged from the National Incentive Survey to publicise its forthcoming exhibition. While it may not say much for the remuneration strategies of UK business, the survey proved that business showed no lack of imagination when it came to showering their employees with desirable trinkets.
Among the most exciting offers reported were:
Other findings from the survey in contrast, some of the best incentive gifts included a flight on Concorde, a trip on the Orient-Express, jewellery, a car, a spa day, a day at Silverstone and shopping vouchers.
HR Zone would like to hear about your strangest incentives at work.
Go on, then. Surprise us. Show that your company can be even more off-the-wall. What are the weirdest goodies you’ve received at work – or would like to receive.
To get you inspired, the HR Zone team has devised its own incentive list. The following list was devised after a series of extensive surveys – in other words we asked the guys in the office:
Share your motivational experiences with the rest of the community! Do you believe a plastic frog motivates employee’s more than a £500 salary increase. Have your say by clicking on the “add comments” link at the foot of the article.
6 Responses
Unworkable Gifts!
One winter a firm with which I had done business graciously sent me a nice wooden thermometer which I proudly hung in my pergola.
Unfortunately, the thermometer, which was made in Germany (great engineering!), only went to 40 degrees Celsius whereas many of our days go well over. So now, when I see the needle peaked at 40, I don’t know whether it’s just 40, or 45 and I have to trust my instincts.
Not that knowing how hot it is relieves the heat, but it’s always nice to know whether the Bureau of Meteorology got it right.
gifts from agencies
I received in the post today, from a well known recruitment agency, some lucky dice – not too sure what i’m supposed to do with them!
Inexpensive yet memorable employee incentives
We offer the Employee of the Month the opportunity to pick one gift of their choice from the range of gifts that come with our stationery orders or that are ‘rewraps’ from christmas and birthday presents. So we’ve given away socks, washbags, photo albums – all sorts!
As an incentive though, having your caricature stuck on the office radio for a month trumps them all.
Freebies
I recently read in Personnel Today, an article saying that Danish IT company LL Media has offered its employees free subscriptions to internet pornography sites to boost productivity!!!
There are so many things wrong with that sentence that I just wouldn’t know where to start!!
Incentives
Irwell Valley Housing Associtaion’s “Gold Service” incentives for staff include indian head massage, singing lessons and saroc (dance) classes, but these are open to all employees as an organisation-wide incentive for working for IVHA
Incentives!!
In the dim and distant days of work – when my salary was £750 per year – the perk for the year was……………..a sack of potatoes !!! Very much appreciated at the time!