| Long – service has changed its meaning, as Emily Cubitt discovers.
In years gone by, working for the same company for a considerable length of time was something most employees were proud o, particularly as it usually meant they had risen through the ranks to a position of seniority.
Nowadays, however, working for the same firm  for years and years is often frowned upon, with many employees fearing it will somehow harm their CV, rather than enhance it.
Mobility is expensive
Yet companies need employees to stay in their jobs longer – for a start, with many employees keen to move on after a few years, companies all too often find that all the time and money invested in them goes to waste.
One way to really motivate employees and to encourage them to stay is to reward people for long service more frequently and to make staying with the same employer something to be proud of and aspired to, rather than something to be avoided at all costs.
Many employers have started to change their long service reward schemes. Where once long service meant 25 years, now for many firms, employees are eligible after five year’s service.
“It is important to make each reward appropriate in value as they provide regular reminders as to how much an employee’s contribution is appreciated”, argues Justine Clement, managing director of incentive and prize specialists Unmissable. “They may start with a small gift such as dinner for two, then an overnight stay at a luxury spa for two, working up to a weekend in Paris or even a full holiday”.
It is essential for companies to profile their staff, in order to offer them suitable rewards some experts argue. Clement expands: “A mobile phone call centre which may be biased towards 18-30 years –olds will probably be interested in young, fun things to do, the latest gadgets or tickets to football matches, for example”.
Travel has always been a key motivational tool and is particularly desirable in the current exonomic climate, believes Clement: “The great thing about holidays, experiences and luxury goods when used as motivational incentives is that the memory will always last longer than cash and they also have a great ‘brag value’ attached to them”.
Rewarding employees appropriately for long service doesn’t have to mean waiting until they have been there for more than two decades. The business environment has changed dramatically in recent years, with most employees becoming increasingly fickle. Companies need to ensure their reward schemes keep abreast of changes in the business environment and the wider world, in order to retain their edge.
- ENDS -
|
