Incentives – How Best to Engage Your Team

February 18, 2019by Lisa Philp

For decades, motivating teams was focused on promotions, raises and bonuses. With the changing demographics, today’s workforce teams are looking for a greater reason to stay engaged and committed to their place of work. Teams are searching for workplaces that give an emotional impact more so than a financial one.

Here are some ways to start to review and develop an incentive program that will inspire greater levels of team engagement.

  1. Start with Leadership Styles

It takes more than incentives to inspire teams long-term. Sustainable engagement happens when the practice builds the culture of trust, personal ownership and performance management.

  1. Recognition, recognition, recognition

Define incentives that will encourage teams to do something over and over again. High performing teams are given four positive pieces of recognition for every one negative.

  1. Find out what your team wants

The type of incentive makes a difference to your team. Find out what they desire to ensure you are offering relevant incentives. Your team will appreciate the investment in their overall well-being.

  1. Make it measurable

To work effectively, incentives need to be clear and directly attached to something measurable so they don’t become entitlements.

  1. Incentives need to connect to Personal Motivations

Incentives are true incentives when they align with personal motivations:  professional development, greater levels of autonomy/decision making or the ability to create an impact they care about.

  1. Understand Shared Values to Create the Most Effective Incentives

Understanding the shared values across your practice and hiring people who also share those values will help ensure the incentive program you have established will connect with your team and strength your culture.

For more information attend our upcoming Human Resources Fundamentals Workshop, information here

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Lisa Philp