Corporate event      06/23/2023

Competitions in the sales department as a way to motivate staff. Internal competitions in the company Original ideas for creative competitions among employees

Internal competitions - what are they: one of the methods of motivation, part of corporate culture or a tribute to fashion? If the former, can they truly motivate employees to complete their tasks? How justified is it to hold such competitions in a particular company? What is the best way to organize and implement such events? Readers will find answers to these questions in this article.

If properly organized, competitions can become an indispensable multifunctional tool for solving a very wide range of professional and personnel problems. Traditionally, when organizing internal competitions, the following goals are set:

  • stimulating employees to achieve optimal results;
  • development of competencies necessary for the company;
  • transmission of corporate values.

The results of internal competitions create a “background for the future” for HR: they provide material for the formation of a high-quality personnel reserve. By becoming part of the corporate culture, they influence the increase in the level of employee loyalty to the company.

There are several types of competitions, depending on the purpose of their holding:

  • motivational;
  • corporate;
  • targeted.

Motivational competitions

The desire to receive recognition of one's true merits from others is one of the fundamental properties of human nature. In this case, the actual incentive can be not only monetary remuneration, but also well-organized “gambling” labor competition.

Motivational competitions for the title “Best in the Profession” are held in order to encourage employees to achieve high performance in their professional activities. Rewardable performance results in a company's profit growth; as a rule, they can be expressed in specific numbers. Such events are especially popular (because they are effective!) in trade. For example, the titles “Best Sales Employee” or “Salesperson of the Year” are awarded for achieving specific indicators recorded in the sales plan.

Important note: this method of stimulating staff should be used in a timely manner. Motivational competitions are effective at a certain stage of company development - the stage of stability, when the organization has already gone through a period of formation and rapid growth, and a positive corporate culture has developed in it. Otherwise, elements of competitiveness often lead to unhealthy competition, accompanied by negative emotions - envy and aggression. By generating conflicts between employees, such a “motivation program” can cause demotivation and, as a result, a decrease in work efficiency.

Example. The leaders of a leading trading company in its market segment established a “Competition for the title of the best sales representative” at a time when the stage of rapid growth had already ended. Sales figures were falling, so it was necessary to stimulate the activity of the “selling” divisions.

Each of the employees of the main division worked in the company for at least two years; there was a friendly and at the same time businesslike atmosphere in the team. Since this organization had well-established internal communications, a developed corporate culture, and an effective evaluation system based on key performance indicators (KPI), the competition became exactly the motivator - just as the HR director intended it.

The conditions of the competition were developed:

  • the upper bar of indicators has been set - the maximum sales volume per person;
  • the frequency of assessing the productivity indicators of each employee was recorded - they were analyzed quarterly and at the end of the year;
  • nominations have been determined - “Sales Leader”, “Best Sales Representative of the Year”;
  • criteria and procedure for selecting winners have been established;
  • the conditions for the award are specified.

At the end of the year, the finalists were determined - those who won the quarterly competition the greatest number of times (once three candidates reached the finals at once, and each of them received a cash prize).

Corporate competitions

These events are held to strengthen and develop corporate culture, unite the team, and revitalize the working atmosphere. Many companies organize team building training for their employees, but with the right preparation and creative approach, corporate competitions can be an effective substitute for expensive team building events. In addition, in contrast to one-time “purchased” training, competitions help create a tradition in the team of holding joint events, which helps create a friendly atmosphere in the company and strengthen human relationships.

Corporate competitions can be divided into 1) thematic and 2) team competitions.

Carrying out thematic competitions are timed to coincide with certain events or holidays: the anniversary of the founding of the company, a professional holiday, traditional holidays - March 8, New Year, etc. In some companies, HR approaches the organization of these celebrations very creatively, not limiting themselves to the usual holiday feast: they involve the employees themselves in organizing a bright, memorable show. People literally create it with their own hands: they make decorations and prizes, write scripts, poems, songs... The friendly atmosphere that arises during the preparation of the competition and during its holding helps employees to open up (sometimes from a side completely unexpected for their colleagues), the entire team “ charged with positivity." This is a great way to “spice up” your workday!

Comic competitions, where winners are determined in various categories, will harmoniously complement the corporate New Year celebration scenario. They are organized precisely in order to cause a surge of positive emotions, which is why tact should be used when choosing nominations: the titles of the winners should be harmless.

For events related to a professional holiday or anniversary of an organization, competitions that reflect the scope of the company’s activities are perfect. In this case, they can have not only an entertaining, but also an educational format. Such competitions are especially useful for newcomers: the game form will help them quickly adapt to the corporate culture, meet colleagues from other departments and company products, learn about new areas of work, and see prospects for career growth and professional development.

Example 1. One of the domestic media agencies (the average age of employees is 25–28 years) regularly holds the “Best Guardian Angel” competition, dedicated to St. Valentine’s Day. Valentina. On the eve of the holiday, the office manager writes down the names and surnames of all company employees on pieces of paper and places these pieces of paper in different boxes (separately with male and female names). Each employee draws a “forfeit” with the name of a colleague of the opposite sex, for whom on a holiday he becomes a “guardian angel”: his task is to secretly give gifts to his ward throughout the day, show signs of attention, and present surprises. (Sometimes one person may have several “angels” at once if the “gender balance” in the company cannot be maintained.)

In the evening, at the festive table, the “angels” “take off their masks” - they reveal their names. The most original congratulation or gift/surprise is determined by voting. By general vote, two “guardian angels of the year” are also chosen - a guy and a girl, who are entrusted with a responsible mission: until the next holiday, maintain a friendly atmosphere in the team. After such a competition, which allows employees to show their talents and care for their colleagues, a great mood and a charge of vigor are felt in the organization for many weeks.

Example 2. In a small (about 50 people) construction company in the capital, a fun New Year's competition has been successfully held for several years in a row. The names of comic nominations (from 10 to 15) are updated annually: they are announced a month before the date of the New Year's corporate holiday, and all office employees take part in voting. Since they all know each other quite well, there are no difficulties in determining the winners. Among the nominations there are: “Office Hairpin” (the biggest fashionista), “Berezka” (the slenderest employee), “Metrosexual of Metropolis” (a young man who takes care of himself), etc. At the New Year’s party, the winners are presented with original gifts that correspond to the spirit of the nomination . (“The High Heel of the Year,” for example, received a souvenir glass slipper, “Metrosexual” was awarded a mirror and a catalog of fashionable clothes, and “Berezka” was presented with a basket of sweets.)

Example 3. Once a year, a chain of cafes in one of the Ukrainian cities holds a competition for the most unusual dish - all establishments represent them. The event takes place in several stages, with five applicants admitted to the final stage. The jury members are chefs and administrators delegated from each cafe. Prizes are awarded in three categories: “The Most Original Recipe”, “The Most Tasty Dish” and “Audience Choice Dish” (the most worthy is determined by colleagues by voting). The winners of the competition receive prizes - dinner for two at one of the chain's establishments, a birthday celebration at the company's expense (with a certain number of guests) and the main prize - inclusion of the winning dish (with the name of the chef) in the cafe menu.

Team competitions involve group competition; they can be timed to coincide with an event in the life of the company or held “on occasion” (the best team in bowling or billiards, the winning team in a laser show, a shooting tournament, a football/volleyball match, etc.) . What makes such competitions especially unique is the participation of employees of different ages and ranks in one team.

The informal atmosphere of such competitions raises team spirit, helps to unite the team and energize people much better than a traditional feast (with an ending that is not always predictable).

Targeted competitions

These competitions are held in order to solve a specific problem or current problem facing the company. The following types of targeted competitions can be distinguished:

  • innovative;
  • informational;
  • personnel;
  • "disciplinary".

Innovative The competition is held in order to encourage employees to propose new ideas or find a non-standard approach to solving a complex problem. It will also help identify proactive people and innovators: realizing their potential can bring great benefits to the company in the future. For talented workers who, due to various circumstances, are “in the shadows,” this is an excellent opportunity to prove themselves.

Task informational competition - to inform all employees about changes taking place in the company or to draw their attention to an important event (standard means of communication are not always effective). Opening a corporate portal, the first release of your own printed publication, launching a new brand, changing the motivation or evaluation system - the help of employees is very important in the development of these and many other organizational innovations. In addition, such a competition will help involve more people in the changes, give them the opportunity to feel involved in what is happening and, as a result, perceive the changes calmly and balancedly.

Personnel the competition is held by the personnel management service in order to select employees for open vacancies or (less often) to form a personnel reserve. The mechanism for carrying it out in different companies may differ, but the approximate scheme is as follows:

1. Requirements for the vacancy are determined, and Regulations on the competition are developed (if the competition is held for the first time).

2. A few weeks before the competition, HR specialists notify employees (using a corporate newsletter or other means of internal communications) about the open vacancy and the conditions of the competition. Depending on the requirements for the vacancy, information is received either by all employees or by target groups (only a certain profession, working in a specific department or region, etc.).

3. Everyone who wants/has the right to take part in the competition sends an application to the HR department; HR analyze the documents sent and select those who are allowed to participate in the competitive procedures.

4. The competition, as a rule, consists of several stages: completing a practical task, defending it before a special commission and an interview.

Depending on the level of the vacant position, the procedure is simplified or complicated, but its main task is to ensure that the candidate who showed the best results will successfully cope with the work in the new workplace.

Thanks to the well-functioning mechanism of such competitions, the company, on the one hand, reduces the cost of recruiting specialists, and on the other, increases the motivation of employees interested in career growth.

Tasks "disciplinary" competition - to change undesirable behavior patterns of employees and eliminate minor violations in work. Regular lateness, frequent absences of people from the workplace for a “smoke break”, an increased number of “sick days”, going home before the end of the working day, neglect of official duties - violations of this kind create a non-working atmosphere and reduce the level of productivity of the company as a whole. Improving disciplinary performance through internal competitions can be much more effective than using penalties.

Example. A small distribution company with a country-club culture was experiencing recurring discipline problems that were detrimental to the organization's profitability. Employees were regularly late for work (from 15 minutes to an hour), while leaving home minute by minute at the end of the working day. The irresponsibility of the staff went so far that customers and suppliers began to complain that it was difficult to find workers on site and it was impossible to get a timely response by phone. The company was in danger of losing customers.

In order to increase the discipline of subordinates and at the same time not destroy the atmosphere of mutual understanding, the manager made a decision: to establish a competition “Working time + workplace”. Employees who were never late for work or left the workplace early during the month could take one-day paid leave the following month; those who did not receive a single disciplinary sanction within three months were awarded valuable prizes. The competition lasted about six months; During this time, all employees became accustomed to coming to work on time, and the results of a responsible attitude to business were reflected in the growth of sales figures and the absence of complaints.

Target

Motivational

"Best in the profession"

Encourage people to achieve high performance at work

Corporate

Thematic

Strengthen trust in the team.

Organize an interesting holiday together

Command

Team building

Target

Innovative

Generate new ideas and solve pressing problems

Informational

Draw attention to the problem, identify an initiative group

Personnel

Fill a vacancy as efficiently as possible.

Create opportunities for employee career growth

Disciplinary

Improve labor discipline

As can be seen from tables, the type and format of internal competitions depend, first of all, on the goal of the organizers. Each event should be carefully prepared, all stages of its implementation should be thought through to the smallest detail. Thoughtlessly copying the experience of other companies, without reference to business needs and taking into account the peculiarities of the corporate culture of this particular organization, is unacceptable. The result can be disappointment and demotivation of employees, and even aggression towards the organization’s management. All this will not have the best effect on the production process.

Let's consider the key points in organizing internal competitions, on which the effectiveness of this tool (and the duration of the effect) directly depends:

1) evaluation criteria;

2) competition participants;

3) nominations;

4) award procedure;

5) awards.

1. Evaluation criteria.

Main factors when developing evaluation criteria:

  • clarity of formulation;
  • accessibility for participants to understand;
  • stability;
  • transparency of the procedure.

    Criteria must be defined and communicated to all participants before the start of the competition And don't change in the process of its implementation, conditions of participation - transparent And equal for all applicants.

    It is desirable that the evaluation criteria can be expressed in quantitative terms. For a number of positions, a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators may be optimal. For example, the main evaluation parameter for sales department employees is the volume of product sales for a specified period. But for internal recruiters, the number of filled vacancies is not the only factor in assessing their performance. It is necessary to compare data such as the percentage of employees who have completed the probationary period, the percentage of those who have worked in the organization for less than a year, reviews from the heads of departments in which newcomers work, etc.

    We offer the main assessment options depending on the format of the competition: “cumulative”, “examination”, “combined” or “subjective”.

    "Cumulative". The most appropriate for determining the winners of motivational competitions: “The best in the profession” is identified in the company regularly, competitions are held over a certain period, and after the specified period, the leader who has achieved the maximum values ​​of the established indicators automatically becomes a finalist. The standard must be fixed, the assessment is carried out according to a number of criteria, the same for each group of positions.

    Example. The trading company constantly holds a competition among employees of a key department, the purpose of which is to stimulate sales growth. The mechanism of the competition is simple: individual indicators are calculated monthly for each employee, on the basis of which the “Employee of the Month” is selected. The current system is transparent: each person's daily results are displayed on a graph that is posted on a stand. Everyone can monitor changes in their ratings and compare their performance with the results of their colleagues. At the end of the month, the head of the unit congratulates the winner in a solemn atmosphere; A corresponding announcement appears on the stand. The “best employee of the month” receives a challenge pennant, which remains at his workplace as long as he maintains leadership in performance. At the end of the year, the person who has received the title “Employee of the Month” the most number of times automatically becomes “Best Sales Representative of the Year” and is awarded a certificate and valuable prizes.

    The competition has been operating in the company for almost five years, and during this time the accumulative point system was slightly adjusted only once, when introducing a new brand to the market.

    "Exam" The format of the competition provides for the assessment of individual competencies according to developed criteria: either one-time (test, exam, interview), or multi-stage, with several rounds of testing (selection test, assessment of the level of professional knowledge, testing of practical skills, etc.). Preliminary selection of employees, in turn, can also consist of several stages (filling out characteristics questionnaires, analyzing the success of activities over the past period, etc.).

    Example. A large FMCG company annually holds competitions for five categories of employees. At the end of the year, based on a number of criteria, department heads independently select from 8 to 15 people in each category. Next, based on the data from characterization letters about each employee, members of the examination committee select five people by voting to participate in the face-to-face stage of the competition. Thus, the competition is held in three stages:

  • qualifying round (within a week);
  • knowledge test: test (one day for each category);
  • assessment of practical skills: questions on cases, defense of solutions (a special task for two categories of employees - presentation of a project on a current topic, taking into account the specifics of the company’s activities).

    Committee members select two winners in each category; these people receive valuable prizes and are included in the company's personnel reserve.

    "Combined". This option involves monitoring the performance of employees during the evaluation period, based on the results of which the most successful are allowed to participate in the competition. A similar evaluation method is also applicable in the case of a “cumulative” type competition, if, based on the results of the evaluation period, several people become finalists instead of the intended one. In this case, it is recommended to conduct an examination assessment, where the applicants will be offered equal conditions of competition - then the victory will be fully deserved, and the losers will not doubt the objectivity of the jury.

    "Subjective". Here the only evaluation criterion is the personal opinion of the evaluators; Depending on the plan of the organizers, the role of experts is 1) employees of the department in which the nominees work or 2) all employees of the company. The winners are determined by anonymous voting. To conduct such competitions, it is necessary to develop clear evaluation criteria to achieve maximum objectivity during voting, otherwise 1) there is a high probability of obtaining unreliable results based on personal likes and dislikes, and 2) manifestations of hostility are possible in the team.

    This evaluation option is optimal for corporate competitions.

    Example. In the team of a company engaged in servicing commercial equipment, several informal groups have formed. There was unhealthy competition between departments. Wanting to reward the most effective employees during the corporate New Year, the head of the company, shortly before the holiday, instructed the HR department to hold a competition to determine the best employees of the year in five categories: “Best Engineer”, “Best Line Manager”, “Best Operator”, “Best Receptionist” ", "Best picker". Since there was very little time left before the event, it was decided to choose the winners “quickly” - by universal voting.

    As a result, the bonus went to employees who were popular among members of their group, and not to those who had consistently high performance indicators. For example, the manager who had the largest number of employees under his command won the “Best Line Manager” category (they voted for him). A visually attractive girl became the “Best Operator” (the young people who voted for her did not think that the results of her work were completely inconsistent with this title). Thus, the goal of the competition was not achieved, and relations in the team worsened.

    2. Participants of competitions.

    So, the goals of the competition and its format have been determined. The next step is to outline the circle of potential participants. It is quite logical that only employees of this category will take part in the competition for the title of “Best Salesman”, and when choosing the “Best Manager”, only employees holding managerial positions will be nominated. At the same time, it is extremely important to create for all participants equal starting conditions. For example, it is not recommended to hold a competition for the title “Best Employee” among employees who have different functional responsibilities. Theoretically, in a small company (up to 50 people) this option is possible - here everyone’s professional successes are visible to everyone. The evaluation criteria can be outstanding achievements (successfully completed project, successful new idea, consistently high performance indicators), and the winner is determined by the head of the organization. But even in this case, to maintain balance in relations between employees, it is recommended to establish additional nominations.

    It is advisable to hold competitions for employees in all areas of the company's activities (or at least alternate them quarterly or annually). “Discrimination” of a certain type of activity (profession) by level of importance can negatively affect the efficiency of the organization as a whole, causing dissatisfaction among employees who are deprived of the opportunity to receive recognition for their merits.

    Example. The diversified trading company held an annual competition for the titles “Best Wholesaler” and “Best Retailer” for four years. The winners were awarded personally by the director: during a corporate holiday in a solemn atmosphere, he presented valuable prizes to distinguished employees, noting in a congratulatory speech the importance of their merits for the business and setting their labor achievements as an example to colleagues. Two years after the establishment of the competition, employees of support services began to openly express dissatisfaction, accusing colleagues from the sales department of “arrogance” and “privileges” (in fairness, we note that the “sales people”, when communicating with colleagues from other departments, actually showed disdain for their work) .

    It was necessary to change relationships in the team. The company's management decided to hold competitions in all divisions. Although this required additional resources, the goal was achieved: after the first message about the new conditions for the “Best Employee” competition with expanded nominations, relations in the team improved, and after summing up the situation completely stabilized.

    3. Nominations.

    The number and names of nominations are chosen taking into account the purpose of the competition, the number of staff and the budget. If the goal is to encourage employees to achieve established production indicators, the most effective would be competitions to determine the “Best in the Profession” (preferably in each department). If it is necessary to develop and consolidate specific competencies or skills among employees, then attention to them is emphasized by introducing appropriate nominations. For example: “Best negotiator”, “Best communicator with clients”, etc. If the competition is held as part of a corporate holiday and is intended to entertain employees, comic “titles” for the winners are appropriate.

    Example. At a regional advertising agency, an initiative group preparing for the New Year celebrations announced a competition for the largest number of non-standard nominations and prizes for the winners. The employees really liked the idea: within the first week, the organizers were literally bombarded with proposals! The winner was determined jointly with the company's management, and the most active creator of comic nominations received an award - “Magician's Set” in the nomination “Best Inventor”, which he himself invented. Thanks to the active participation of employees, the corporate event was much more interesting and fun than in previous years.

    4. Award procedure

    It is no secret that any public assessment of a person’s actions - both censure and praise - has a significant impact on his further behavior. When rewarding competition winners, it is important to use this effect: recognition by the manager of the winner’s merits among colleagues can increase the value of the victory and enhance the motivational effect.

    Depending on the type of competition, the award ceremony can take place in either a formal or informal setting. As a rule, summing up the results of the competition and honoring the winners is timed to coincide with the holidays and is woven into the outline of the script. In some cases, the very procedure of summing up (announcing) the results of the competition becomes a reason for celebration.

    One of the employees or a guest presenter can announce the names of the “Best”, but it is recommended to present awards, especially for outstanding professional achievements, to the head of the company or immediate supervisor in order to emphasize the importance of the moment and consolidate the success of the recipient in the eyes of colleagues.

    5. Awards

    The choice of gifts for the winners, regardless of their positions, should be treated very carefully, guided by the following principles.

    Budget. The cost of gifts is determined based on the company's budget. The prize fund must be adequate to the merits of those who receive the award. Imagine a situation where an employee attracted the maximum number of clients (as a result of which the company received significant profits) and became the winner in the “Best Manager of the Year” category. Will he be happy to receive just a certificate of honor? Hardly. Moreover, not only he, but also his colleagues will be demotivated.

    It is also desirable that the gifts for the winners in different categories do not differ too much in cost. The same rule should be followed when organizing multi-year competitions: if employees received valuable gifts this year, then gifts to the winners of the next competition cycle should not differ significantly in value.

    In many companies, it is customary to present a cash bonus based on the results of work for the year. In this case, the best option may be to charge a bonus in the form of a fixed percentage of the salary of the rewarded employee. It is recommended to separate bonuses that are given to all employees as a New Year's bonus (13th salary) from bonuses received as a result of a competition for outstanding services: the latter should be larger, and it is also advisable to support them with memorable gifts. According to experts, it is desirable that the amount of the cash bonus does not exceed 100% of the monthly salary (although, of course, each company has the right to set its own bonus calculations based on the results of the competition).

    If the budget is limited, the solution to the situation will be either a valuable prize or a cash prize - this will be much better than “squeezing” both components within the limits of the amount allocated for prizes. Rewards for winning comic competitions can be inexpensive, but must be original (a nondescript thing “without a soul” is unlikely to brighten up the holiday).

    Addressability. When choosing prizes, it is certainly difficult to take into account the tastes and interests of each of the recipients. The best option is to give the winners the same type of gifts in one price category. For example, in a capital advertising agency, at the end of the year, the best male employees received expensive watches engraved on behalf of the manager, and women received gift certificates for the purchase of jewelry.

    If the gifts to the winners differ significantly in price (one employee was given a soccer ball, and another an exercise bike), the competition will become a demotivating factor. We should not forget that a valuable gift, but absolutely useless for an employee, also causes negative emotions. For example, an “iron lady” who does not wear any jewelry is unlikely to be pleased with a certificate for the purchase of gold rings, and a pre-retirement manager is unlikely to be pleased with the latest stereo system with color music and karaoke, which allows you to listen to music files of various formats.

    Example. Heads of a large domestic corporation, on the eve of its anniversary, when choosing gifts in the category “Honored Employee” (people who have worked in the company for at least 10 years), instructed HR to conduct a survey of employees. This information helped to select for each nominee the “gift of his dreams” (tourist package, expensive audio-video equipment, wristwatches of famous brands, tuition fees for expensive language courses, etc.).

    Memory. It is desirable that the gift symbolizes the organization’s gratitude to the employee for his contribution to the growth of well-being. A memorable prize in the form of a cup, an originally designed certificate, or a souvenir with corporate symbols will serve as a worthy decoration for the employee’s workplace, reminding him of his achievements. Engraving on a wristwatch, corporate colors in jewelry, stylish writing instruments with the company logo - these elements will allow a person to retain a good memory of the organization where his professional skills were appreciated.

  • Previously, showing off on the honor roll was the ultimate dream of every Soviet worker. A beautiful photo from which the hero smiled proudly, having exceeded the plan - such a prospect was tantamount to a modern-day appearance on the cover of Forbes magazine. In this way, they made it clear that the person worked for a reason, his work was noted, praised and they were ready to honor the hero of the editorial until his result overthrew the new factory Hercules. There were also “black” boards - pictures of shame, wall newspapers, where rowdies, truants, and drunkards were hung for educational purposes, and of course, they tried to capture them on these photographs in the most obscene form.

    Today, for some reason, the most popular method of non-material motivation has become an obsessive corporate culture. Colleagues are gathered for trainings, forced to celebrate memorable dates together, and mass cultural outings are organized. All this is good, but when an eternally oppressive atmosphere reigns in the organization itself, rare corporate parties, even with cheerful songs by the invited favorite (boss) group, will not save you. But you need to keep an eye on the mood and motivation of employees!

    Despite the fact that today the best motivation for employees is traditionally a generous bonus and corporate culture, managers, not lacking in imagination, manage to come up with new budget-friendly ways to motivate employees. After all, happiness is not always hidden at the bottom of an envelope with money; many owners of highly paid professions suffer, for example, because they were underestimated somewhere, misunderstood, or not assigned an interesting task. Yes, even under the mask of a careerist there can be a subtle spiritual organization that simply craves praise, attention or an extraordinary vacation.

    Plunging into the world of “high” managers, you can find many interesting examples of finding new ways to make their employees happy. For example, the thoughts of the father of modern animation Walt Disney (Walt Disney) were busy not only with colorful cartoons. His imagination was also enough to come up with new ways to motivate his company’s employees. He perfectly understood the needs and requirements of workers and knew perfectly well that people, regardless of the conditions of remuneration, are always happy to leave a job where it is not prestigious to work. Therefore, he personally turned non-prestigious jobs into prestigious ones. Thus, laundry services at Disney amusement park hotels, which were unpopular among workers, were renamed textile services, which made them equal in importance to marketing or customer service. At the same time, getting a job in the textile service was much easier.

    Philip Rosedale ( Philip Rosedale), the founder of the most famous three-dimensional social network Second Life, came up with the idea of ​​introducing an internal software platform into the company - a kind of unit for collecting employee feedback about their colleagues. In this program, everyone could send each other notes of appreciation and encouragement. All messages are posted in the public domain, so this system for collecting information about employee performance has become a good tool for management in the job evaluation system.

    Here's a marketing company Hime & Co, in turn, gladly supports the spiritual impulses of its employees. For example, management freely allows employees to take time off for half the working day, but only if there is a good reason for it. By the way, these include visiting seasonal sales. Of course, purchasing stylish new clothes for the new fashion season is a sacred thing; you don’t even have to go to work. And if your partner suddenly leaves you (husband, boyfriend - it doesn’t matter), then you will be given a day off for the whole day to heal your mental wound: have a good cry and come to your senses.

    Perhaps every large company has special ideas on how to make employees happy.

    Here are 10 employee motivation ideas that you can try to implement in your company:


    1. Publicly reward the merits of a distinguished employee.

    2. Unexpected gifts, pleasant presents for employees, just in honor of the day of good mood.

    3. If you can’t afford to pay a bonus, find a more budget-friendly way to reward merit. For example, give an employee an unscheduled day off.

    4. You can set free work schedules for valuable employees from time to time.

    5. Instead of a cash bonus, let employees choose their own prize.: say, dinner at a restaurant, a membership to a fitness club, some kind of gift certificate.

    6. Organize a corporate sports retreat. This is not just relaxation, but the desire for sports victories and achievements. Today, corporate karting, yachting and football are especially in fashion. You can hold dance competitions.

    7. Bonuses for those who take care of their health. For example, many Western companies pay employees annual bonuses for not being sick for a year and regularly visiting doctors.

    8. Some companies not only reward the best, but also playfully punish the worst. For example, companies introduce the title “Turtle forever” or the “Get a Skunk” award.

    9. Caring for the employee’s family. This could include vouchers for children to a health summer camp, preferential health insurance for an employee’s family. Tickets for concerts, performances...

    10. Motivation through entertainment. Look at the offices of world-famous corporations, they are all equipped not just stylishly, but so that employees can work and relax as comfortably as possible, so that they want to come to work and do not want to leave. Such offices must have play areas, relaxation and entertainment rooms. 8 working hours would not be so effective if employees were not able to relax in time, relieve tension and simply change the environment to a more pleasant and informal one.

    Yes, of course, it is unlikely that any non-material awards and incentives will be able to compete with Her Majesty’s salary in the power of motivation. But a manager should always remember that people usually come to work for money and a career, and leave because of routine and poor management. Therefore, creating an adequate system of non-material motivation is an important, even basic thing for creating an effective corporate Dream Team.

    And if you yourself want to please your boss, watch the instructions for wrapping a gift for your boss in our video:

    Internal competitions are an excellent tool for solving many personnel and professional problems. With their help, you can encourage employees to achieve the best results, develop the competencies necessary for the company, and transmit corporate values. In this article we will describe in detail the main types of internal competitions, talk about the purposes of their holding and methods of organization.

    So, depending on the purpose of holding, internal competitions can be divided into several types and can be motivational, targeted and corporate. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

    Motivational competitions

    This type of competition is based on one of the basic psychological needs of a person - to receive recognition of his merits from others. Competitions for the title “Best in the Profession” encourage staff to achieve higher performance in their work activities, which in the future directly affects the growth of the organization’s profits and is expressed in specific figures. The most popular such events are in the field of trade, where the title “Best Employee” is awarded to employees who have achieved specific financial indicators in their individual sales plan.

    However, it is important to note that motivational competitions should be held at a certain stage of the company’s development, when it has already gone through a period of rapid growth and achieved a certain stability. By the time motivational competitions are held, the company must have established internal communications and created a favorable corporate culture. Otherwise, the competitive elements present in such competitions can lead to conflicts and unhealthy competition between employees, which ultimately reduces their performance.

    Targeted competitions

    Competitions of this type are held with the aim of solving specific tasks or current problems facing the company. Targeted competitions can be innovative, personnel, informational and disciplinary.

    Innovative competitions stimulate employees to generate new ideas or search for non-standard approaches to solving complex problems. With their help, the company's management identifies innovators and proactive employees, the realization of whose potential can bring great benefits to the company in the future. Innovative competitions provide an excellent opportunity for talented people to express themselves, especially if, due to some circumstances, they are forced to be “in the shadows.”

    Personnel competitions , as a rule, they are carried out by the HR service in order to select candidates for newly opened vacancies in the company. Sometimes they are organized to form a personnel reserve. The approximate scheme of personnel competitions is as follows:

    1. It is necessary to determine the requirements for the vacant position and develop Regulations on the competition (if it is held for the first time).
    2. About a month before the start of the competition, HR employees must inform staff about the new vacancy and notify employees about the conditions of the competition. Depending on the requirements for candidates, information about the vacancy is sent either to all employees or to target groups, which may include people only in a certain profession, working in a specific department, etc.
    3. All interested candidates who meet the established requirements contact the HR service with an application for participation. HR staff analyze the data received and select people who will be allowed to participate in the competition.
    4. Personnel competitions can be held in several stages: completing a practical task, defending it before a specially created commission and a final interview.

    Competitive procedures can be simplified or complicated depending on the level of the vacant position. But their main task remains to prove that the candidate with the best results will successfully cope with the work in the new position.

    Companies that have established a mechanism for personnel competitions significantly reduce recruitment costs and increase the motivation of employees seeking career growth.

    Information competitions are used in cases where all personnel need to be informed about changes occurring in the organization. With their help, you can attract the attention of employees to an important event. Whether a corporate portal is opened, a new brand is launched, or the evaluation or motivation system is changed - the help and participation of employees is extremely important in the development of such innovations. Information competitions help to involve more people in the process of change; they enable employees to feel their importance and involvement in what is happening, as a result of which organizational changes are perceived more calmly and are more constructive.

    Disciplinary competitions are designed to change undesirable employee behavior patterns and eliminate minor operational irregularities. Regular late arrivals of employees, too frequent “smoke breaks”, a noticeably increased number of “sick days”, premature departure from work, neglect of functional responsibilities - such violations contribute to the creation of a non-working atmosphere and reduce the overall level of productivity. As practice has shown, internal competitions are much more effective than penalties in matters of improving discipline.

    Corporate competitions

    Events of this type are held with the aim of developing and strengthening corporate culture; they enliven the working atmosphere and contribute to the unity of the workforce. With proper organization and a creative approach, such competitions become an excellent alternative to expensive team building trainings, which are often ordered by company managers for their employees. In addition, unlike one-time “purchased” trainings, corporate competitions form a tradition in the company of holding joint events that create a friendly atmosphere in the team and strengthen relationships between people.

    Corporate competitions can be team or thematic.

    Team competitions are based on group competition; they can be timed to coincide with some significant event in the life of the organization or carried out “from time to time” (the best bowling team, the winning team in a volleyball / football match, etc.). Participation in one team of people of different ages, having different positions and ranks, gives such competitions a special originality and significance. The informal atmosphere present at such events perfectly raises team spirit, promotes team unity, and energizes employees much more than the usual feast, the end of which is not always predictable.

    Thematic competitions, as a rule, are timed to coincide with certain holidays or events. The reason for holding such events can be a professional holiday, the founding day of a company, traditional holidays - New Year, March 8, Navruz, etc.

    Some HR managers approach organizing holiday events very creatively. To prevent the celebration from being reduced to a traditional feast, they try to create a bright, memorable holiday, involving all employees in the participation. People do it “with their own hands” - they write scripts, prepare poems and songs, come up with prizes, and make jewelry. The easy, friendly atmosphere that arises both during preparation and during thematic competitions helps employees reveal themselves, sometimes from the most unexpected side. The whole team is charged with positivity, and everyday work literally “comes to life.”

    Organization of internal competitions

    The process of organizing competitions includes several key points. Before they begin, evaluation criteria should be developed, participants should be identified, nominations should be determined, the award procedure should be considered, and awards should be selected.

    1. Evaluation criteria. The determining factors in their development are clarity of formulation and ease of understanding. The evaluation criteria must be communicated to all participants before the start of the competition. During the process, the criteria should not change, and the conditions for participation in the competition should remain equal and transparent for all employees.

    2. Participants of competitions. After determining the goals of the competition and its format, outline the circle of possible participants. For example, a competition for the title “Best Employee” is recommended to be held among employees who have the same functional responsibilities. It is also desirable that employees from all departments of the company be involved in various competitions - this will give each employee the opportunity to receive recognition of their merits.

    3. Nominations. The number of nominations and their names should be selected taking into account the goals of the competition, the total number of employees and the available budget. If the goal is to develop and consolidate specific skills among employees, focus attention on them by choosing appropriate nominations.

    4. Award procedure. Public praise has a significant impact on a person’s further behavior, and recognition by the manager of the employee’s merits and successes increases the value of the victory and enhances the motivational effect.

    The award ceremony based on the results of the competition can be held in both a formal and informal setting. Usually, honoring the winners and summing up the results of the competition is timed to coincide with some holiday and is included in the scenario for its holding. The announcement of the names of the winners can be entrusted to one of the employees or a guest presenter. But the award procedure, especially for outstanding professional achievements, should be left to management. This will emphasize the importance of the moment and cement the winner’s success in the eyes of his colleagues.

    Awards. The choice of gifts for the winners must be very careful, regardless of their positions. It is desirable that the prizes for different categories do not differ too much from each other in value. When determining the prize fund, it is important to take into account the merits of the recipients. The budget allocated for the awards must be adequate to their contribution to the development of the company.

    In conclusion, I would like to note that the organization of internal competitions should be treated with great seriousness and responsibility. Only with a clearly defined goal, careful preparation for implementation and compliance with business ethics will these events lead to positive changes in the company and turn out to be a truly effective and useful means of increasing staff motivation.

    Compliance of the type of competition with the purposes of its holding

    Type of competition View Target
    Motivational "Best in the profession" Encourage people to achieve high performance at work
    Target Innovative Generate new ideas and solve pressing problems
    Informational Draw attention to the problem, identify an initiative group
    Personnel Fill a vacancy as efficiently as possible.
    Create opportunities for employee career growth
    Disciplinary Improve labor discipline
    Corporate Command Team building
    Thematic Strengthen trust in the team.
    Organize an interesting holiday together

    Prepared by specialists of the UzJobs project based on materials from Internet media


    Instructions

    First, decide on the timing of this promotion. If you need to sell out the goods quickly, you will only need to allow a week. If you hope to increase sales in general, such incentive events can be held seasonally. But in order for your proposal to be responded to, you will need to prepare a really serious prize. Play the trip for two people. If you don’t need extra expenses, offer the winner to collect goods for a certain amount.

    In addition to valuable prizes, purchase (order or do it yourself) and fill out diplomas in advance. Such a memory will remain with people, as they say, for centuries.

    When you announce the terms of the competition, it is necessary that all employees be present. Announce the terms of the promotion at a general meeting or corporate event. Present the information clearly and try to ensure that your speech does not raise questions. Everything should be clear and understandable.

    Don't forget to indicate the duration of the promotion and the rules by which the performance of each seller will be calculated. Most likely, this responsibility will fall on the accounting staff. To avoid any questions from the “Accounts Chamber”, discuss the terms of the competition with them in advance. Otherwise, a showdown cannot be avoided.

    A huge number of various competitions for the best in the profession are held all over the world. The most relevant and popular of them are competitions for the best seller. As a rule, such competitions are held to raise the prestige of a given profession, increase the level of professional skills, and also to improve customer service. It is very important to properly organize and conduct such a competition. We will tell you how to do this.

    Instructions

    Create a competition organizing committee and appoint its chairman. Develop Regulations for holding this competition. Usually this issue is dealt with by the public relations center. Determine the composition of the commission that will evaluate the skills of the competitors. Decide on the number of sellers participating in the competition.

    Consider awarding the winners. Awards can be cash prizes, various diplomas and certificates issued to the “best seller of the year”, “charming seller”, or “the most polite seller”, as well as badges, photographs on the board and much, much more.

    Each of the participants wants to be a winner. The main thing is that the competition becomes a holiday and takes place in a friendly atmosphere. Such competitions provide an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism, qualifications and can become a stepping stone to career growth. Good luck with the competition if you are its organizer, and victory if you are its participant!

    The organizers of any creative competition always take on the noble mission of discovering new talents. Winning such a competition can greatly help a novice artist and give him self-confidence. So the competition is a useful thing, no matter how you look at it.

    Instructions

    Think over the concept of your competition. Those. state its essence in a short text. Who will compete with whom and in what. For example, you want to swipe for the best photo. Then choose a topic. For example, a portrait of my mother. Such a competition can be held in advance. State in the text that all participants must provide up to 7 one photograph of their mother. If you want, you can formulate several additional requirements for the work. Everything in this topic is quite simple and no additions are required. But, for example, if you are doing a film competition, you can stipulate that the film should not contain scenes of violence, propaganda of national intolerance, drugs, etc.

    Assemble a jury team. The jury of the competition for the best photograph of a mother can include a variety of people. The main thing is that they are more or less known in the city. And one of them must be a real pro. You can appoint him as chairman. You can vary the number of jury depending on the number of expected participants. Together with the jury members, develop rough evaluation criteria. The photograph must be original, must be of artistic value, convey feelings towards the mother, etc.

    Prepare a prize fund. It is important that the prizes are somehow related to the theme of the competition. For example, if you are holding a mom portrait competition. You can prepare two types of gifts. For example, a digital camera for the participant himself and some useful kitchen appliance for his mother. If you don't have a lot of money for prizes, don't worry. You can make two movie tickets your main prize. Then the contestant will be able to go to a good movie with his mother. The prize could also be publication of the photograph in a well-known magazine. This must be agreed upon with the magazine in advance.

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    note

    Any event, be it a rally on the occasion of Victory Day or a party on the occasion of the end of the school year, must be well thought out. Only in this case will it pass quickly and without stress. You can hold an interesting competition during any celebration, although the tasks will, of course, be different.

    The topic of the competition depends on what the event itself is dedicated to. But even during socio-political holidays, you can include in the program not only traditional competitions of children's drawings, photography, essays or songs, but also something not entirely traditional. For example, nothing prevents you from organizing a “face art” competition on Russia Day. Children will certainly love the Russian symbols on their cheeks. Such a competition can be held at almost any event. Face painting must be prepared in advance or the participants must be informed that they must take it with them.

    When preparing for a children's party or youth party, look at what competitions have already been invented. There are a great many of them. Residents of the United States of America especially love all kinds of competitions. But it should be kept in mind that the competition must be safe. It is better to refrain from extreme competitions. Not everyone likes trying to determine who will eat more or spit further. At the same time, no one should feel humiliated. First, try adding something unusual to the terms of a traditional competition. For example, instead of a regular drawing competition, invite children to create a mosaic pattern. Geometric shapes cut out of cardboard or colored bottle caps are suitable as mosaic elements. Come up with some kind of limitation. For example, perform a waltz without going beyond the chalk square.

    All kinds of literary competitions are always fun. You can even do them at the table. For example, come up with the beginning of a story and invite participants to continue, and then read out what everyone came up with and choose the best story. Invite participants to make heroes of their work. The characters can be natural materials or even balloons, onto which the necessary elements made of paper or colored tape are glued.

    A variety of items can be used for competitions. For example, if you have a lot of ribbons or laces on hand, invite participants to tie the most beautiful bow. The youth group will probably like the proposal to come up with an unusual way to lace up sneakers. If there are a lot of people with hair in the company, you can organize a competition for the best braid. Is the celebration taking place outdoors? Offer to weave wreaths and determine the best one.

    The most difficult thing is to stir up a group of older, respectable people. But you can arrange something interesting for them too. Try to find out in advance what the future participants of the event are interested in. For gardeners, you can organize a competition for the best salad or the most delicious jam, the most original pumpkin and the largest potato.

    Don't forget that the winner should receive a prize. It will be very good if all participants receive some small souvenir, even if for participation they are awarded a paper medal with a comic inscription, a paper flower or a balloon.

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