In an article by Norma Jean Knollenberg titled “Incentive Programs Work” Knollenberg correlates a relationship between incentive programs and safety. She talks about how employees that go the extra mile to help maintain a safe workplace will continue to do so if he or she knows that upper management will recognize and rewards those efforts.
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Research from the Incentive Federation and Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement has shown that incentive programs work well during challenging economic times, like the present. The results of various surveys show that firms that continue to invest in perks regardless of economic conditions tend to outperform competitors. Knollenberg then elaborates on how companies that cut their incentive programs run the risk of losing their top talent when economic conditions improve.

I think incentive programs can be valuable to a company’s safety program because it gives employees a little push to try that much harder. Employees are in turn are more loyal and hard working. Happy employees then treat customers better and it creates a better work atmosphere altogether. Knollenberg talks about how measuring the benefits (such as X number of safe workdays in a plant every quarter) will help employers decide if the program is beneficial.

Knollenberg, Norma. “Incentive Programs Work.” Occupational Health & Safety June 2009: S2.

Filed under: Workplace Tips by Beth Faraci