4 Not-So-Obvious Benefits of Non-Cash Incentive Programs

4 Not-So-Obvious Benefits of Non-Cash Incentive Programs

Organizations are used to offering cash incentives as a way to motivate employees and contractors. Motivating the sales team with cash bonuses is a classic example. We take a different approach at Motivation Excellence. We prefer non-cash incentive programs such as personalized rewards for employees or travel incentives. We believe they can ultimately accomplish more than their cash alternatives.

The sky is truly the limit when it comes to coming up with non-cash incentives. We are big fans of travel experiences. But non-cash incentive programs can also reward employees and contractors with event tickets, merchandise, and points that can be redeemed for a variety of experiences.

Does your organization offer any non-cash incentive programs? If not, we encourage you to take a second look at how you incentivize your team. Below are four not-so-obvious benefits of going the non-cash route.

1. Adding Value to the Incentive

We prefer non-cash incentives because we believe they boost loyalty and increase the emotional connection between team members and employers. We see this happening in multiple ways, beginning with the concept of adding value to an incentive program.

Cash is valuable to employees. That much is true. But employees do not tend to think of the value of cash from the employer’s perspective. Cash compensation is just expected. Therefore, it can be easily taken for granted.

Non-cash incentives are different. Employees tend to attach more value to them. For example, offer your team 4–5-star travel experiences and they will associate those experiences with a higher value – even if they actually cost less than offering team members cash bonuses. It is the highly personal nature of travel that leads to the higher perception of value.

2. Creating an Emotional Bond

Non-cash rewards, like personalized gifts and tickets to popular events, are considered more thoughtful. It takes a lot more thought and effort to procure event tickets than it does to throw a few hundred dollars into a team member’s paycheck. That extra time and effort tells employees that they matter.

When employees feel valued, they are more likely to develop a positive emotional bond with their employers. The more personal an incentive program feels, the more successful it will be in its ability to incentivize. But more importantly, it will foster a stronger emotional bond.

3. Creating Camaraderie Rather Than Competition

With all our experience in non-cash incentive programs, we have discovered something curious: non-cash incentives are more likely to inspire camaraderie among team members. Take travel experiences once again. An entire team sharing similar travel experiences – even if they do not travel at the same time – have something in common. They bond over the shared experience.

On the other hand, cash incentives tend to foster competition. This is not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. But sometimes, you want camaraderie rather than competition. Sometimes it is better for team members to want everyone to benefit from an incentive program rather than individuals competing for a single prize.

4. Better Alignment With Company Culture

Last but not least, non-cash incentive programs can be tailored to align with company culture. But that’s not all. Organizations can utilize non-cash benefits to change or enhance the company culture. This makes them a great tool for creating the kind of environment and culture an organization strives for.

Cash benefits do have a place at the table. But more often than not, non-cash incentive programs are where it’s at. They not only incentivize and inspire, but they also help increase loyalty and foster an emotional connection between team member and company. Non-cash incentive programs are definitely worth a solid look if your organization doesn’t currently use them. Contact us today to design your incentive and rewards program with us.

Get to Know ME with Lindsey Jarson

Meet Lindsey Jarson, our Get to Know ME spotlight this month! Lindsey joined us in 2023. She’s holding down the accounting fort at our Traverse City location, but her role extends to any supplier that needs to be paid. She’s camera-shy, so no video with her, but you can quickly read below about what brings her joy and satisfaction. Thanks, Lindsey, for sharing with us!

What’s your current title and how long have you been in the incentive industry?

I am an Accounts Payable Associate. It’s been a little under a year since I joined the industry.

What do you like about your job?

I love the fast-paced nature of the work we do at Motivation Excellence. It’s rewarding to ensure accurate financial data and make sure our vendors get paid on time!

What’s something you want to share about the people you work with at Motivation Excellence?

Everyone here is extremely hard-working and always willing to lend a hand. It’s a great atmosphere.

What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?

The sense of accomplishment in meeting deadlines and hitting my goals and the opportunity to contribute positively to the world keep me inspired and focused.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I enjoy reading thrillers, hiking with my pup, and traveling!

What’s a bucket list item you can’t wait to cross off?

I’d love to go to Europe (someday)!

Why Incentives Show Your People They Matter

Motivation Excellence, a channel incentives and sales incentives company, discusses why incentives show your employees that they matter.

Track Your Own Footprints to Improve Our Carbon Emissions

What exactly is a carbon footprint? According to the Nature Conservancy it’s the total amount of greenhouse gases that are generated by our actions. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, with carbon dioxide accounting for nearly 80% of global human-caused emissions. You can actually calculate your personal carbon footprint on a variety of websites. 

Listen to the Experts

Greenhouse gases are causing our planet’s temperature to rise, which is known as global warming. The gases we emit actually trap the heat from the sun inside our atmosphere. The root cause is from humans burning fossil fuels. These are some of the big ways we’ve caused the world to warm faster now than at any other point in history:

• Generating power
• Manufacturing goods
• Cutting down trees
• Producing food
• Consuming too much 
• Leaving behind too much waste

There are things each of us individually can do to help mitigate our own carbon footprint.

• Avoid transportation if you can – get on that bike, or take a walk instead
• Reduce your energy consumption – are solar panels an option?
• Reuse rather than buy new – find that trendy thrift store near you

Maybe We Can Help

David Jobes, the owner and CEO at Motivation Excellence, has long been eco-minded. When he purchased the company in 2018, he introduced a “no paper policy.” Of course, we all use some paper, but we now file things in the cloud rather than in the dozens of filing cabinets we ended up selling or donating. He also used many eco-conscious options when designing our new headquarters a few years ago, including carbon-neutral floors, LED motion-activated lights, and a living wall of moss to reduce humidity and produce oxygen. 

I decided to ask my colleagues what they do to reduce their carbon footprints. Maybe they’ll give you an idea or two!

Lilly, in our travel department, says she:

• Leaves reusable bags in her car so she doesn’t forget them when she shops
• Omits all animal products from her diet and lifestyle
• Loves the secondhand shops for furniture and clothing

Jillian works in our Traverse City office and collects bubble wrap from the building janitor to use for her own shipping. She also donates it to local thrift stores so they can wrap delicate treasures heading to a new home.  

Josee, our warehouse coordinator, likes to:

• Hit resale shops 
• Use reusable bags and water bottles
• Turn off the lights when she leaves a room 
• Consume the food she buys, rather than buy so much she has to throw some away

Michelle, our merchandise buyer, opts for conservation over convenience by:

• Having fabric napkins and reusable party-ware for entertaining
• Using a cooler-type bag for office lunches, and opting for fabric bags over plastic baggies
• Switching soap dispensers to refillable ones
• Composting year-round

Allison, our sales support assistant, offers that she:

• Uses products from LastObject that replace single-use items
• Switched to LED lighting, and uses timers 
• Is very mindful of fully using groceries and personal products to reduce waste

Rhonda, our VP of Sales, looks at ways to conserve energy, like:

• Driving a hybrid car
• Installing solar panels on her home
• Switching from jugs of laundry detergent to sheets that come in a recycled box

Personally, I have several things I do consistently, like:

• Waiting for multiple needs before doing an online order
• Having recycling receptacles in nearly every room
• Rinsing out glass and plastic food containers so they can be recycled rather than trashed

I’m also starting to cut up t-shirts to use in lieu of paper towels and napkins. I’m not great at using them consistently yet, but I’m working on it.

Take One Step at a Time

And that’s just it, right? We all need to work at being better stewards of our own space on Earth. Convenience is amazing, but it will never be better than healthy living in a world full of renewable resources, clean water and air, and green spaces to enjoy! So, adjust your shopping habits, switch to reusable containers, or dig your own garden this summer and watch your carbon footprint start to fade. Even if it’s just a little, you can feel good about it, and it will likely lead to more adjustments in the future. Good luck!

Launch Your Next Sales Drive With an Incentive Group Travel Experience

Motivation Excellence, an incentive and rewards company, discusses how to power your next sales drive with incentive group travel experience.

Get to Know ME with Claire Urness

Meet Claire Urness, from our Performance Management team! She hasn’t been with us a year quite yet, but she’s already found she feels right at home in our Schaumburg headquarters. A self-described “shy person,” we appreciate her willingness to sit down with us for this month’s Get to Know ME edition. Read on and watch our short video to learn more about Claire!

What’s your current title and how long have you been in the incentive industry?

My current title is Program Manager, and I’ve been involved in the incentive industry for a few years now.

What do you like about your job?

I enjoy the fast-paced environment of my role as a Program Manager and the constant growth it brings.

What’s something you want to share about the people you work with at Motivation Excellence?

I would emphasize the genuine sense of value and appreciation I feel working with everyone at Motivation Excellence. Everyone is so willing to share knowledge and help in any way they can, so it is hard to not feel like you are a part of a team here. 

What’s a specific moment in your history that always stands out as a defining moment, and why?

A pivotal moment in my life was when I moved to Tennessee a few years after college. At this point, my (now) husband and I were long-distance for two years while he finished graduate school, so taking the leap to move to a new state to close that distance was a very big step in our lives. 

What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?

I am always working on becoming a better version of myself both personally and professionally.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love spending time with my family and friends, as well as anything that gets me outdoors. 

One thing that always makes you laugh is?

My dog never fails to make me laugh with her goofy personality and constant need for attention.

What’s a bucket list item you can’t wait to cross off?

A bucket list item I’m eagerly anticipating crossing off is taking a cruise to Alaska to witness all the wildlife. 

This month, our theme for social media is Carbon Footprint Awareness. Is there anything you do to be more eco-conscious? 

We have recently started composting at our home and I’m excited to turn our food scraps into nourishment for our garden this year! 

Celebrating Herstory is a Win for Everyone!

In this blog, we will be highlighting some recent wins by women as well as shine a light on some women from the past you may not have heard about before. 

At Motivation Excellence we have a lot to celebrate when it comes to women. Nearly 75% of our entire team is female, including 83% of our salespeople and half of our top leadership positions. The latter is by design too.  

“When I bought the company in 2018, I made it a priority to make sure we had women in leadership roles after decades of having a vast majority male leadership team. Most of our staff has been women for a long time, they should be represented at the top levels too,” says Owner and President of Motivation Excellence, David Jobes. 

He adds, “The key to having a successful business is to have good representation of the industry you’re in. Adding diversity of thinking to your leadership team filters down through the organization. By developing a diverse team, it allows you to explore options and generate new ideas that differentiate you in the marketplace and create opportunities for everyone.”

Great for Business

Jobes is not alone in seeing positive results with women in leadership positions.

According to an article published by the American Psychological Association, there are decades of research that show women leaders improve productivity, collaboration and fairness. The Peterson Institute for Professional Economics published a study nearly ten years ago that women in corporate leadership roles can significantly increase profitability. 

Speaking of profitable women, let’s look at the blockbuster hit of last year. The “Barbie” movie was the highest grossing film of 2023 IN THE WORLD, and is the most successful domestic and global release by Warner Bros. ever. Greta Gerwig became the first solo woman director to hit the $1 billion dollar movie mark. And to really shine a light on Gerwig, she is the first director ever (male or female) to have her first three solo directorial films be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar (Lady Bird, Little Women, Barbie). 

Music to the Ears

While “Barbie” only won one Oscar this month, it was for best song, making Billie Eilish the youngest person ever to win two Oscars. She’s 22. She took over the record from another woman though. Luise Rainer had two Best Actress Oscars at the age of 28 back in 1938. 

Earlier this year, another female musician, Taylor Swift broke Elvis Presley’s record for most weeks spent at Number 1 on the Billboard album chart as a solo artist. The new length of time to beat is now 68 weeks! Fellow mega-popstar, Beyonce, holds the record for most Grammys won in a lifetime at 32 golden gramophones. Both women hold multiple other top achievements too. It’s estimated both singers have contributed $10 billion dollars to the US economy in 2023!

Sports Stars

Moving over to recent sports feats, Caitlin Clark has broken some long-held records by women and men in NCAA sports, fittingly during Women’s History Month. She now has set the Division 1 records for most 3-pointers in a season and most points scored in a college career. Both of which were previously held by men. Outside of NCAA history, another woman, Pearl Moore, still holds the most points scored record for college basketball. Although unlikely, Clark could claim that one too. Either way – go women!

Staying in the sports realm, Katie Ledecky now has more individual world swimming titles than Michael Phelps, who was the world record holder. Interestingly, in long-distance open water swimming, women tend to have a slight advantage over men. The nearly 20-mile Catalina Channel route is one of the most consistently popular marathon swims in the world. The first person to swim both ways in one jaunt was a woman, Greta Andersen, in 1958. The fastest one-way times are held by women. In 1976, Penny Lee Dean swam from the mainland to Catalina Island in 7 hours and 15 minutes. In 2012, Grace van der Byl set the record for the reverse swim at 7 hours and 27 minutes. 

Celebrate and Elevate

March may be Women’s History Month, but women make history every month of the year. Take a moment after you’ve read this blog, whether it’s March or not, and reach out to an important woman in your life and let her know you “see” her and how she’s impacted you. Be the person who lifts up women at work and in your personal life. As a woman, be an example for other women, no matter their age. When we consistently celebrate women’s successes, we pave the way for a brighter future for everyone!

Get to Know ME with Brittany Cerillos

Brittany Cerillos joined our Travel Department in the last year and made an impression instantly. She’s got a happy, can-do attitude and if you pass a bar with karaoke, you know she’s going to duck inside for a moment (or two). When you read below and watch her short video, you’ll be able to see her spark too! Thanks Brittany, for being our Get to Know ME subject this month!

What’s your current title and how long have you been in the incentive industry? 

I am a Travel Program Coordinator. I have been in the Travel and Incentive industry since 2018. 

What do you like about your job?

Everyday is different! I like a fast-paced environment that looks a bit different each day. I also have the opportunity to be creative in my role. I enjoy working with the attendees and making connections with our clients and supplier partners. Traveling, experiencing new cultures, and bringing once in a lifetime experience to our clients is extremely rewarding. 

What’s something you want to share about the people you work with at Motivation Excellence?

I have been with Motivation Excellence for less than a year and it truly feels like a little family. Everyone is always laughing while working together and there is never a dull moment in the office. Whenever anyone is at their capacity there is always someone willing to help or lend a hand! 

What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?

Amateur karaoke singer.

What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?

We only have one life – I want to make the best of it! Plus, I have to pay for all my travel expenses. Lol.  

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I love trying new restaurants, taking my dog Rio to patios in the summer / go on walks, hosting events for my friends and family, traveling and reading. 

One thing that always makes you laugh is?

My Corgi Rio!

What’s a bucket-list item you can’t wait to cross off?

I am really looking forward to taking a cooking class in Italy one day when I go there.  

This month, our theme for social media is Celebrating Women. Is there a female role model you had or have that made an impact on you?

My mom is definitely the most resilient person I know. She often reminds me “that’s life” and not to sweat the little stuff. 

Fencing Industry

Creating a must-attend event for top-performing customers and vendors helping boost average sales growth 230% over the first 12 years (and counting).

Business Issue

Our fencing industry client went through restructuring. They wanted to create a unified program to build stronger relationships with contractors and increase market share and loyalty with existing customers. As part of their vision, they also wanted to give their customers educational resources to strengthen their own businesses, as well as provide networking opportunities with other successful business owners and better access to company leadership.

Our Solution

We developed an interactive Buying Show weekend that incorporates a fun destination with top vendor partners in the fencing industry, in-attendance deals and financing specials on fencing products, learning and networking sessions, and world-class entertainment. Qualifying contractors’ incremental sales funds the event. We built a performance tracking website, created a robust engagement campaign and produced best practices webinars led by company leadership.

Outcome

The Buying Show has become a must-attend event for our client’s top customers, with many checking in through the last month of the qualification period to check their status. Competition for top contractor rewards is intense. Our client’s parent company is thrilled with how this solution drove a rapid change in business relationships and revenue. This program started in 2012 and continues today.

HVAC

BUSINESS ATMOSPHERE

Following the lethargic recovery from the Great Recession, a
nationally ranked and independently owned HVAC and plumbing
distributor wanted to drive incremental sales and gain market
share with an energetic and engaging self-funded travel incentive
for their loyal customers and preferred prospects.

Creating A Solution

Working with our client’s financial and marketing teams, we examined historic
sales, GP, and growth potential to develop a meticulous and reasonable goal-setting structure and tracking system. Participants received credit for meeting their personalized goals and earned more credit when they surpassed them.

Self-Funded Travel Reward

We created a travel incentive program for each customer and their respective sales representatives and managers. Customers who realized their pre-determined incremental sales growth earned the award. By doing this, the entire program was self-funded. Including the company representatives on the travel experience strengthened the business relationships immensely.

Support For Success

We worked with each company sales rep and manager to create presentations for their customers and prospects. An online performance tracking platform allowed company reps and customers to view daily progress to goal. This fostered engagement between the customers and the sales team. Customers, prospects, sales reps, and managers received monthly electronic reports and updates.

Rewarding Results

The revenue and profit growth for the enrolled participants outperformed non-enrolled participants from the inception of the travel incentive program. Over a time of five years, the quantity of travel award winners grew from 75 couples to 250 couples. By establishing an ongoing self-funded travel incentive program, our client has realized real growth and market share gain, a recognized increase in loyalty, and enhanced relationships with their customers and sales team members.