WORKPLACE Boosting morale during hard times

Tough times are the best times to reward employees, bank official says.
WASHINGTON POST
Today's economy: layoffs, cutbacks, budget tightening.
Today's economy, take two: incentives, benefits, a fun corporate culture.
Yes, they're one and the same. Despite the tough economy, there are many companies and managers out there that realize treating the employee well can only help the bottom line.
For Allen Blevins, senior vice president of recognition and rewards (yes, really) at Bank of America, rewards and recognition are an important part of the business, even during these often painful times.
"We're investing more today than we were investing three years ago in our employees," he said. "We really do believe that there's a direct correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction and profit."
The incentive and reward program at Bank of America started about three years ago, after Blevins and others surveyed employees, managers and executives to find out how to recognize employees. They also researched other companies they considered to be "world-class."
Program structure
From that came today's reward package, which works on a sort of three-tier level. The first consists of simple thank-you notes. Employees use the company's intranet to send "spirit of celebration" cards, with copies going to the recipient's supervisor. Cards are sent for anything from picking up garbage to helping out a co-worker with a project during lunch. Even though not all workplaces warm up to such touchy-feely practices, Blevins says many cards are written by Bank of America employees every day.
The next level involves prizes. Managers reward employees with points for reaching specific goals. The employees can use the points to shop from an online catalog. One man told Blevins that he and his wife furnished their entire kitchen this way, from the dishwasher to the blender.
"What we found is, if you just give cash rewards ... [employees] go out and spend it on groceries. Six months later, they may remember a little bit about it but can't remember what they got for it," Blevins said. "But now you can get a stainless-steel gas grill." He said the company feels this incentive gives employees more choice and control.
The next level of rewards is one that goes to only about 10 percent of the company's employees each year. The Spirit Celebration medallion is awarded to employees who "demonstrate our core values." No cash reward, but lots of applause and a great morale boost.
Bank of America is no different from most companies now, Blevins said, because it has had to make some tough decisions, including layoffs. "And I think it's even more critical in the environment, when you have to make those tough decisions, that you pay attention" to the employees.
Maintaining office culture
Some companies have tried desperately to hang on to a culture they created during the 1990s boom so employees will still feel wanted, needed and comfortable -- and therefore ready to hold up the bottom line. The best thing Digital River Inc. of Eden Prairie, Minn., did was keep up with its very "communicative" culture, said Joel A. Ronning, founder, chief executive and "chief cultural officer."
"Some may say we're a company that communicates too much. But there's always the 'delete' button," Ronning said.
The company holds a charity barbecue, where employees pay $3 to attend, and the proceeds go to a charity the employees have agreed on. The first Thursday of every month, employees can take their dogs to work. And yes, there is the requisite beer party on Fridays, something that seemed to have gone the way of IPOs. "It encourages a lot of conversation," Ronning said.
The company also provides rewards. Any director who brings in an idea that increases revenue or customer satisfaction can win something called the Kissing Cup. The winner receives $2,500 in cash, a trophy and a big smooch from Ronning, to much applause.
"If you look at a lot of things we've done here, there is almost no cost," he said. "Most of it has to do with grass-roots empowerment and improvement."