Workplace Safety Incentives Since 1991
The age-old argument in the safety incentive industry boils down to this: What "reward" works best. What will both provide the most positive reinforcement while genuinely motivating the workers to succeed? There's just one problem as far as getting a straight answer.
Those screaming loudest and longest arguing for "Prizes" as rewards -- usually in the form of a product redemption catalog -- are those very safety incentive companies which make their money by requiring the client to purchase such prize/products through them, all at a significant mark-up! They not just want, but need to win this argument or their legitimacy as a safety incentive provider drops precipitously.
At Santa Monica Seafood, the company where Safety Pays was originally developed, such a prize catalog was actually utilized. They'd bought into all the arguments that product as prizes had "trophy value" and are therefore better then money pay-outs. It certainly sounded good at the time.
There was just one problem. One after another, our workers kept saying to us -- especially when they couldn't find anything in the catalog they really liked -- "Why don't you just give us the money instead?" Well, in the fish business, there's an old saying: You bait the hook to suit the fish. So, they changed over to a cash alternative and employee interest literally DOUBLED! Moreover, working with money gave us much greater flexibility. It also saved a ton of headaches.
Another problem with prizes and products is, well... stuff breaks. There's nothing like having a ticked-off employee who rather than feeling rewarded, ends up thinking he's somehow been screwed. Guess what most companies end up doing to fix the problem? Provide a cash replacement instead! It's the only way to ensure the employee walks away happy.
Make no mistake: there's any number of different safety incentive formulas available in the marketplace. But, just like everything else in life, some are better than others. When it comes to the best type of reward, take it from the program provider who makes ZERO money off of selling you the reward component of a safety incentive program: Cash is king!
