Workplace Incentives
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- ian11
You could let them go home to their families?
- SigDesign3
Does anybody actually like incentives?
I feel like most designers want to do good work, and also want to be able to have a life outside of work.
It's all time and money... you can give people time, or you can give them more money, but everything else is a meaningless gesture.
- cbass990
I walked into work today with someone making eggs, bacon, toast for everyone....
- bogue1
I think we're all speaking the same language about what kind of culture that we want at our office. And I certainly don't disagree that if we offered straight up cash over some bullshit incentive that people would choose cash every time. Everybody is compensated well here and bonus structures are in place so I don't think a small amount more is going to be the kind of thing that leaves a lasting impression. I just wanted to know if anybody here had ever received some type of work place bonus / incentive etc.. that was out of the ordinary, that stood out and felt meaningful to them.
For example we're in the middle of setting up our new office space. Currently adding things to our library and vinyl collection. So I'm thinking that monthly allowances for everybody to go out and get whatever they want to contribute to those two things would be a fun way to let people be a part of building our office culture and share their own taste and interests with each other.
It doesn't necessarily have to be a gift that people get to keep.. but different ideas on how to get people involved in ways that don't make them feel forced into an extra curricular they have no interest int.
- organicgrid2
"Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine."
- David Ogilvy
- dirtydesign0
I always enjoyed summer hours.
Basically half day Fridays. Some places do every other Friday off.
- fourth1
free snacks is great
ping pong - my current workplace has a table and I started playing here. If/when I move on from this place I will look to see if my new job has a ping pong table before salary, vacation, benefits, etc
vacation time. offering more than the standard two weeks. For holidays don't expect me to work between christmas and NYE. Honestly most people don't even use their vacation so it couldn't hurt to offer more.
flexible hours- my current job just wants 8 hours a day. Doesn't matter when you show up or leave. Very nice to avoid traffic or tailor your schedule to your liking. I'm limited because i have a 9am stand up but it's still very nice.
open forum - at my last gig (agency) they told me on my first day that I can question anything. If I had a problem with their process, someone else, if I had a better way, if I didn't like anything they were open to hear it from anyone. Never really had to use it but it was nice.
- ernexbcn1
hookers and blow
- Works, too. Ideally, you should get those when you win a Lion for the agency.Continuity
- kona0
I don't know if this will help, but here's a few things I do for my team and some things I've received in the past.
Bi-Weekly design challenges: This can be anything, but mostly something fun not related to work. Once I had them design their own hardhats however they wanted. Then I bought the team OMI:DIY kits. Basically anything to help keep them from being bored with work and full of creativity.
Work from home once a week: To me this is a must for most creatives. As creatives we sometimes need a change in our environment to stay creative. Working from the park, from a coffee shop, from home, the library... wherever, it doesn't matter. My teams enjoy this the most I'd say.
I bought an old Nintendo for the office and we'll play games over lunch every so often.
Free food Fridays. I'll let the team choose what food they want delivered or, I'll take the team out to eat. It's great team building.
- others -
Free coffee/redbull
Dart Board (the real one, not the plastic ones with the plastic darts). They typically aren't as loud as a ping pong or foosball table.
Great office chairs. It really makes a difference.
- Peter0
^ Not entirely meaningless imho.
I'm a strong advocate of one of those "obvious categories" we aren't to speak of: fitness & health. I believe a healthy body gives you a clearer mind. Which benefits everyone. Plus a nicer posture for us desk hunchbacks.
Granted, with a decent pay everyone can go get their own gym-card but not everyone's that determined on the get-go. However should a company provide you with the time/access to a gym it may be encouraging some to take it up. Win.
- CincodeMayo0
Best perks (besides health insurance and vacation days) that I've ever gotten with a company were:
1. Free weekly massages (they brought in a chair masseuse)
2. Free healthy drinks/snacks (for days stuck at a desk)
3. Breakfast on Friday's brought in by a different employeeAll pretty small things but they made a big difference.
- God I hate that "breakfast brought in by someone else", 99% of the time it's crap I don't want or someone gets stuck buying crap they don't wantformed
- Continuity0
Big monies and human working hours would be enough for me.
- Big monies to compensate for: clients from hell, account minders who think they're CDs, political bullshit, impossible deadlines and boring projectsContinuity
- Irafis1
A f*** good chair.
- transmission0
i'm constantly looking for ideas likes this and some research i read suggested that bonuses, raises or more money doesn't make them happy over the long-term.
i think people want is ownership and creative freedom to experiment and explore. Fuzziest mentioned allotting 10-20% of their time to create anything. That;s how post-it notes was invented. All the major innovative companies do this including Adobe. Look into their kickbox project.
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3042…- Letting your team own their work, and not bogging them down with middle management is something I value pretty highly myself.jtb26
- freedom0
Any time I see photos of "creative" offices like Facebook or something like that with video game areas and ping pong, I wonder if anyone actually does work there.
- i worked in an office like that. it rarely got used we were so busy.bklyndroobeki
- omg1
However, I think it would be helpful to know who the people in your company is, in order to drive ideas that would pertain to your culture. Otherwise you'll just drive general ideas that any company should have such as a lunchroom.
However catering to specific employee needs based on their work would probably constitute that "a bit more unusual" suggestion I think you might be looking for because only the people in that particular group may find appreciative compared to the other. Are they creative, salesmen, accountants, programmers, etc...
- freedom1
I've had jobs that didn't always pay on time or I hated my boss.
To have a nice friendly place to work with fitness & health money as a bonus might be enough to some people.
Have a good office culture and good clients and people will give you loyalty.
- pinkfloyd0
doggy treats
- monNom0
Give employees ownership and empower them to lead their projects. Set aside time for learning and experimentation. Encourage your employees to become the best they can be, even if that might make them attractive to poach or go on to new things. Make sure the bills get paid and back up your team when they need it.
Oh, and nice chairs.
- ownership != equity, though that's a good perk too.monNom