[postlink]http://newbestmotivator.blogspot.com/2009/06/you-are-winner.html[/postlink]
Contest are one of the best ways to get people exited and involved. In their best form, they also have a purpose. For example, you might ask people to submit their ideas for improvements, or for a conference theme, or to name the company newsletter. Whatever the purpose, be sure that the more involved a person gets, the more chances he or she has to win. It's pay for performances wrapped in fun. Each entry earns another ticket into the seep stakes, and at a certain point in time (it could be a one-time contest or a recurring one, such as quarterly or monthly) all entries are closed and a winner or winners are dawn.
As in any such effort, the manner in which the winner is selected and announced is as important as the contest itself. Be sure to make it an event (maybe a lunch or at some other all-employee gathering); if that's not possible, at least show chase the winner (s) in some very fun, visible way. You want nonparticipants to feel that they have missed out on something in order to increase the likelihood of their participation in future contest.
The key objectives are employee involvement and enthusiasm. Another advantage to contests is that they can be kept fresh with-out a lot of effort. You can change the theme or thrust as often as you like, which keeps the contests (and your employees) from becoming stale. It could be a reward for cross-selling, upselling, referral of business or recruits, safety records, attendance records, product knowledge, or anything of high importance that is worth emphasizing at the moment.
You can also change the reward. In fact, you should. The more variety in the rewards, the more relevant to individuals and the more desirable they become. Ideally, winners should be able to choose their own award (see "Get the Point [s]"). In any event, if there is a single type of award, be sure that it has universal appeal (like time off, money, etc.)
Contest are one of the best ways to get people exited and involved. In their best form, they also have a purpose. For example, you might ask people to submit their ideas for improvements, or for a conference theme, or to name the company newsletter. Whatever the purpose, be sure that the more involved a person gets, the more chances he or she has to win. It's pay for performances wrapped in fun. Each entry earns another ticket into the seep stakes, and at a certain point in time (it could be a one-time contest or a recurring one, such as quarterly or monthly) all entries are closed and a winner or winners are dawn.
As in any such effort, the manner in which the winner is selected and announced is as important as the contest itself. Be sure to make it an event (maybe a lunch or at some other all-employee gathering); if that's not possible, at least show chase the winner (s) in some very fun, visible way. You want nonparticipants to feel that they have missed out on something in order to increase the likelihood of their participation in future contest.
The key objectives are employee involvement and enthusiasm. Another advantage to contests is that they can be kept fresh with-out a lot of effort. You can change the theme or thrust as often as you like, which keeps the contests (and your employees) from becoming stale. It could be a reward for cross-selling, upselling, referral of business or recruits, safety records, attendance records, product knowledge, or anything of high importance that is worth emphasizing at the moment.
You can also change the reward. In fact, you should. The more variety in the rewards, the more relevant to individuals and the more desirable they become. Ideally, winners should be able to choose their own award (see "Get the Point [s]"). In any event, if there is a single type of award, be sure that it has universal appeal (like time off, money, etc.)