Three Not-So-Obvious Ways to Keep Employees Happy

By Marty Nemko

InfoWorld's Steve Alexander offers these innovative ways to keep employees motivated without breaking the bank:

1. Instead of hiring consultants to train employees, cater lunch once a month and rotate employees teaching co-workers what they know best.
2. Do the employees hate tough customers? Shunt them all to one volunteer employee who gets special recognition or combat pay. Matt Weinstein, CEO of PlayFair, tells of a bank manager who awards a magnum of wine to the teller who, that week, served the most difficult customer. As a result, instead of trying to avoid difficult customers, most tellers actually look forward to them.
3. Give employees a frequent chance to earn small rewards combined with public recognition: sports tickets, free meals, or on-the-spot cash. But Lynn Halpin, CEO of Detroit Edison, warns that this better be part of a comprehensive plan. "If you work for Attila the Hun, someone handing you $50 is like rubbing salt in a wound."

What can you do today?
If you're the boss, consider asking your staff if they'd like to try one of the above. If you're the worker bee, consider proposing one of the above to your boss.