In many businesses, teams receive job incentives for completing a project ahead of schedule or doing a fantastic job. Those task-based incentives can be an excellent way to motivate your team. Many human resource departments encourage and develop incentive programs like this because they work. Yet, there are other opportunities to consider as well. As an HR department, it may be a good idea to consider putting in place an incentive program designed to reward good leadership within the company, too.
Why It Works
There are plenty of studies out there that indicate having a recognition and rewards program in place in a company can help to encourage good behavior by employees and encourage achievement of the goals set forth by management. In other words, people respond to these types of opportunities and will work towards achieving them. Yet, there is more to it than just that. You need to have more than just employee tasks rewarded through such programs. What about the leaders that got your team to that point in the first place? Though they may be a part of that incentive pool, that may not be enough to offer.
Good Leadership Rewarded
By incentivizing leadership behavior, it is possible to encourage the new manager or the old vet that’s set in stone to do a good job. In other words, you are showing that it is not just the team’s efforts that you are approving of and encouraging, but also that your leaders are appreciated as well. The human resource department can easily overlook management job skills that lead to the successes of the team as a whole. Yet, this could cost you.
How to Put an Incentive Program in Place
To ensure the best outcome happens, put in place an incentive program that focuses on the job skills of leaders. This may include things like recognizing the steps the leadership is taking to improve the difference of the group. Are your new managers working to achieve goals? Are they putting enough time into learning the proper leadership behaviors? Then reward them for doing so!
The key to any good human resource department’s incentive program is to make it something people want. That does not have to be monetary, but it should be something that is worth their time. Putting in place this type of program for the team leader not just the team member can help encourage people to grow and develop in a company that respects them.
