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BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
Introduction
Organizations spend more than $46 billion per year on employee
rewards and recognition programs.1 Traditionally, these programs
are managed under the umbrella of “total rewards” within the HR
organization; they are also used by functional leaders in sales and
customer service to incent high levels of performance in customer-
facing roles.
In this research bulletin, we discuss some of the limitations of the
traditional approach to rewards and recognition – as well as one of
the pioneering new solution providers in this marketplace, Achievers
(formerly I Love Rewards).
The Role of Rewards Programs in Business Today
Employee rewards and recognition programs are widely used in
organizations around the world. Traditional programs include:
• Serviceandtenureawards(e.g.,the20-yearanniversarywatch);
• Achievementawards(e.g.,bonuses,prizesandgiftsformeeting
business targets);
• Behaviorandculturalrecognition(e.g.,qualityawardsand
process improvement awards); and,
• Awiderangeofspecialprogramswhichcompaniesusetodrive
strategic behaviors and leadership.
1 Source: Incentive Marketing Association, http://www.incentivemarketing.org/.
September 8, 2011 Volume 6, Issue 44
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions: The Achievers Offering
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC180 GRAND AVENUE
SUITE 320OAKLAND, CA 94612
(510) [email protected]
About the Authors
Josh Bersin,Principal Analyst
Stacia Sherman Garr,Senior Analyst
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 2
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
These programs have grown up under the theory that all people,
regardless of level and role, want to be recognized and thanked for the
work they do. By clearly recognizing achievement (whether it be tenure,
performance, behavior or leadership), organizations not only improve
the engagement of the reward “earner,” but they also reinforce the
values that matter most to the company.
Today, the need to recognize and reinforce achievement is greater
than ever. Organizations are highly geographically dispersed, with
many employees now working from multiple office, home or remote
locations. As a result, many people do not have ongoing direct, face-
to-face recognition from their managers. Nearly 35 percent of the U.S.
workforce now operates on a contingent basis (working part-time or
on contract) and most rewards programs do not reach this audience.
Much research has shown that younger workers (the Gen-Y2 age group)
grew up in “recognition-rich” families and feel a need for continuous
feedback more than ever.3
Our research in the areas of performance management, training
and leadership development further reinforces the value of regular
feedback and recognition. Our new research on High-Impact
Performance Management4 shows a very strong correlation between
employee coaching and business results. Organizations, whose
managers are highly effective at coaching and providing feedback,
outperform their peers by a two-to-one ratio in business results, such as
productivity, retention and financial performance.5
2 “Generation-Y” (also known as “Millennials”) are those individuals who were born between 1981 and 2000, and are culturally thought to be confident, impatient, socially conscious, family-centric (or “tribal-oriented”) and technology-savvy.
3 “Gen Y Wants More Feedback and Access to Managers,”Compensation & Benefits Review, March / April 2007. This article provides the key finding of a report by Hudson about the needs of U.S. workers from their bosses. The research found that 24 percent of the Generation-X and -Y workers prefer to have feedback from their boss at least once a week, while only one-fifth of baby boomers and 11 percent of traditionalists favor a quarterlyfeedback.ThestudyalsoshowsthatGeneration-Yemployeeslikemorefrequentsocial interaction with their managers, as compared with their older counterparts.
4 For more information, High-Impact Performance Management: Part 1 – Designing a Strategy for Effectiveness, Bersin & Associates / Stacia Sherman Garr, August 2011. Available to research members at www.bersin.com/library or for purchase at www.bersin.com/hipm.
5 The 2011 High-Impact Performance Management research is being published as five topic-specific industry studies, starting in August 2011 and continuing into 2012.
Our new research
on High-Impact
Performance
Management
shows
organizations,
whose managers
are highly effective
at coaching
and providing
feedback,
outperform their
peers by a two-
to-one ratio in
measures, like
productivity,
retention
and financial
performance.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 3
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
Psychological research from the Journal of Compensation and Benefits6
points out that individuals at all levels are driven by three basic needs:
1. The need to achieve;
2. The need for power over their jobs; and,
3. The desire for influence.
When done right, recognition programs send a loud and clear
message to employees that they are valued, by giving them a sense of
achievement and thanks.
Research shows that a well-designed recognition system can have
tremendous impact on employee engagement7 which, in turns,
drives results. Gallup’s research on employee engagement shows that
organizations with highly engaged teams outperform their competitors
by 26 percent in gross margin and 85 percent in sales growth.8
The Limitations of Traditional Rewards Programs
Despite the strong understanding that “people thrive on recognition,”
traditional rewards programs, many of which were designed before the
advent of social technologies and highly networked organizations, fall
short in many ways.
First, they do not reach enough people. Most reward systems are
packaged and budgeted into a “total rewards” program, and are
designed in a top-down approach which only reaches 10 percent to 15
percent of all employees. Typically rationed, they are administered by
managers and they often do not reward the contributions of front-line
workers, who truly need recognition on a regular basis.
6 Source: “High Value, Low Cost and Often Forgotten: Why Recognition Deserves a Fresh Look,”Journal of Compensation and Benefits / Rachel O’Connor, Joe Schmidt, Tracy Bosch, Mark Royal, September/October 2010.
7 “Employee engagement” refers to an employee’s job satisfaction, loyalty and inclination to expend discretionary effort toward organizational goals. Companies typically measure engagement through an annual employee survey.
8 Source: www.gallup.com.
Most reward
systems are
packaged and
budgeted into a
“total rewards”
program, and
designed in a top-
down approach
which only reaches
10 percent to
15 percent of all
employees.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 4
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
The Hay Group, a leading consultancy in global compensation9 found
that top-down, high-performer10 rewards programs (the predominant
model) are often viewed as limited and typically “… enable employees
to carry on and suffer in silence.” They simply do not reach enough
people in a consistent fashion.
Because these programs are rationed, they are viewed as a “contest.”
Employees who work hard and deliver results, but may not be politically
or socially engaged enough to receive recognition, feel like “losers” when
they do not receive an award for their personal level of commitment.
Second, they are not flexible enough. The reward structures and prizes
available are often generic and do not truly motivate people. The
catalogofprizesisoftenlimited;employeesfrequentlyfeelthatthe
rewards they receive are not things they want or need in their lives
(i.e., mugs, t-shirts, pens, paperweights, and various other (prizes).
The result is that the company spends money on products that have
little or no impact on employee engagement. According to research
by the Hay Group, these top-down programs are missing a process for
“employee enablement” – which allows the reward system to be highly
personalized to “… empower employees to engage and improve their
own careers.” As one HR executive from the Netherlands stated,
“A one-size-fits-all rewards program simply does not
work in today’s workforce. The trend is to go ‘one
size fits me.’”
Third, rewards and recognition are often poorly targeted and may
not reinforce important business priorities. While all companies
wanttodrivesalesperformance,customerserviceandquality,most
rewards programs cannot be tailored to meet the needs of a particular
workgroup. Suppose one business unit wants to reward its employees
for innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, while another wants to
reward its people for cost-reduction and efficiency. Can the generic
HR-driven rewards program flex enough to let these different business-
unit leaders drive these behaviors? In some cases, spot bonus programs
and adaptable rewards programs enable such flexibility – but these
9 Source: The Changing Face of Rewards, Hay Group, 2010.
10 A “high performer” is an employee who is a key contributor, demonstrates high performance,iscapableofalateralmove,maybequalifiedforabroaderrolewithinthesame profession; and, has reached the potential to move “upward” in a management capacity.
Reward structures
and prizes available
are often generic
and do not truly
motivate people.
KEY POINT
While all
companies want
to drive sales
performance,
customer service
andquality,most
rewards programs
cannot be tailored
to meet the needs
of a particular
workgroup.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 5
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
programsrequiremanagerstobeparticularlycreativeandmanyleaders
will fail to take advantage of these options.
Fourth, many programs limit employee-to-employee recognition.
Nearly all traditional rewards programs are ultimately administered
by supervisors and managers. While this model reinforces the role of
leaders as coaches, it fails to recognize that today’s organizations are
highly empowered and teams operate more independently than ever.
Our research on High-Impact Learning Culture11 shows clearly that high-
performing organizations drive decision-making down to operational
levels, empowering line workers and supervisors to make important
decisions at the workgroup level. Recognition and reward should
similarly be distributed, so that anyone in the organization can publicly
thank anyone for a job well done.
Finally, they lack transparency. Most top-down rewards programs are
slightly mysterious in nature. When an individual is recognized for his /
her achievements and results, people naturally want to know what that
person did to achieve that result and how they can strive to reach that
level of performance. Without a clear understanding of why and how
a reward or recognition was given, much of the value of the rewards
program is lost.
Case in Point: By Josh Bersin
Sales organizations are widely known for recognizing top sales
leaders in public at sales recognition events. I personally was a
part of this culture at IBM in the 1980s.
While the culture of recognition for results at IBM was strong,
the transparency and linkage to values was often weak. So
every month when an individual was given a reward for closing
a big deal or achieving a major financial result, people in the
office would comment that “he / she was lucky” or “why does
that person always seem to win all the awards.” Rather than
motivate people to mirror the behavior of that individual and
11 For more information, High-Impact Learning Culture: The 40 Best Practices for Creating an Empowered Enterprise, Bersin & Associates / David Mallon, June 2010. Available to research members at www.bersin.com/library or for purchase at www.bersin.com/hilc.
Nearly all
traditional
rewards programs
are ultimately
administered by
supervisors and
managers – which
fails to recognize
that today’s
organizations are
highly empowered
and teams
operate more
independently
than ever.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 6
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
create positive motivation for others, the program focused on
rewarding achievement without creating an open, transparent
process to socialize the company’s values and desired behaviors.
It is no wonder that the Journal of Compensation and Benefits
found in its research in 2010 that fewer than 40 percent of HR
managers believe their rewards drive measurable impact on
engagement. This research also found that the old-fashioned
total rewards program is often viewed as a “program” or a
“task,” and not as part of a program to build and transform
organizational culture. e
The Rewards Marketplace
The rewards and recognition marketplace is very large, with an
overwhelming number and variety of solution providers. Companies
typically fall into one of three categories.
1. Traditional Rewards Providers – Are companies which provide
various awards services, including retailers, custom awards
manufacturers, product companies and reward network companies.
Many of these providers are product and catalog companies which
sell customized merchandise, but have little or no expertise in
program design, or with helping organizations link rewards to
company strategies and initiatives.
2. Incentive12 Award Consultants – Are companies that provide
incentive consulting, incentive management systems and
compensation benchmarking. This includes the large HR consulting
firms, like Hay, Mercer and AonHewitt, as well as hundreds of
niche consultants.
12 “Incentives” refers to compensation and rewards which are specifically tied to specific measurableobjectives,suchassalesquotaattainment.
Case in Point: By Josh Bersin (cont’d)
Fewer than 40
percent of HR
managers believe
their rewards drive
measurable impact
on engagement.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 7
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
3. Next-Generation Rewards Companies – Are companies like
Achievers (previously I Love Rewards) which provide technology-
enabled rewards solutions based on SaaS13 platforms and social
networking technologies. This new breed of solution provider offers
a peer-to-peer rewards platform, relationships with many product
and service providers, and some expertise in this growing market.
Achievers: Delivering the New, Modern Approach to Recognition and Rewards
Achievers is one of the fastest-growing solution providers within the
category of next-generation rewards companies. Pioneered through
the use of Internet-based systems and social networking technology,
Achievers delivers a peer-to-peer, points-based recognition system that
uses SaaS technology to enable an organization to rapidly deploy a
next-generation rewards solution.
The Achievers solution relies on many of the features of modern social
networking systems, as follows.
• Everyone Is Involved – Employees typically receive an allocation of
points each week, and are empowered to distribute these points to
peers, subordinates or leaders, based on the company’s cultural or
competency-based categories. Any employee can reward any other
employee and the points are regularly distributed to people at
all levels.
• The Process Is Totally Transparent – Recognition is freely
communicated and available to see – both in a newsfeed, and by
viewing recognition by category, employee, organization and other
dimensions. This creates a “free market” of recognition and enables
companies to identify high performers through the “wisdom
of crowds.”
13 “Software as a Service” (or SaaS) refers to the business of selling software over the Internet as a web service. In this business model, the software vendor charges an annual “rental” fee and can predict recurring revenues far more reliably than with the licensed software model. As SaaS becomes proven and the delivery strategies more refined, most analysts agree that more and more enterprise software will be sold in this way.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 8
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
• The Process Is Fun – The system embodies gaming features, such
as leader boards and award levels, which enable employees to
celebrate the leaders and create a highly engaging experience.
Organizations like Eli Lilly14 and Deloitte Canada15 tell us that the
system creates widespread adoption (up to 90 percent of employees
use the system) within the first few months.
• People Give Different Levels of Recognition – Similar to Facebook
or other websites, employees can recognize each other at different
levels, depending on the significance of the activity that was
performed. A small task done well might deserve a public thank you
on a colleague’s profile, while a substantial task may result in the
awarding of a large number of points redeemable for a reward.
• Recipients Can Choose Whatever Rewards They Wish – Achievers
has a broad distribution of awards partners, enabling employees
to redeem their points for a wide variety of gifts, services and
experiences (e.g., a trip or a donation to charity) that reflect their
preferences. Further, these rewards are from well-known brands and
also include merchants within an employee’s community, regardless
of location around the world.
• The Platform Is Accessible and Relevant Everywhere – Achievers
is a global solution that can be accessed anywhere in the world.
Meaningful and locally fulfilled rewards are provided globally, and
transcend cultural likes and dislikes.
• HR Knows Where the Rewards Are Going and Can Assess Impact –
Achievers has a complete reporting engine that provides real-
time analytics to make better data-based decisions, with access
to information which proves ROI (i.e., an HR manager can look
at patterns of recognition and easily correlate highly recognized
employees to their business performance).
14 For more information, Recognizing Employees: Lilly Canada Increases Employee Engagement with a Dynamic Rewards Program, Bersin & Associates / Katherine Jones, July 2011. Available to research members at www.bersin.com/library.
15 For more information, Creating a Recognition Culture: Deloitte Canada “Stands up” to Support Its Talent Management Initiative with a Reward and Recognition Program, Bersin & Associates / Katherine Jones, August 2011. Available to research members at www.bersin.com/library.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 9
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
• The Entire Organization Is Supported – Achievers offers a
multilingual support organization, available 24 / seven, to enable
employees to go directly to Achievers instead of involving HR.
The company also offers a client success manager who can help
HR understand best practices, as well as gain access to tips and
resources for effective engagement and recognition.
Case in Point: Deloitte Canada’s Experience – An Explosion in Growth16
Deloitte Canada, a 9,000-plus employee accounting and
consulting organization, had a traditional top-down
compensation plan in place. In 2009, the company experienced
a high degree of employee disengagement. The economic
slowdown, coupled with the long working hours of many of the
company’s staff, created an environment in which employees
felt overworked and under-recognized. The rewards system in
place was poorly understood and not widely used.
To address this issue, the company embarked on a companywide
talent management review. The decision was made to centralize
the recognition system and create a series of branded,
companywide recognition programs using the Achievers
Internet-based solution. Three reward types were created:
• Stand up – A mechanism to recognize anyone, anytime
through a simple, electronic thank you note;
• Take a Bow – Which allows anyone to recognize above-
and-beyond contributions via a point-based system
through which people can collect and redeem points to buy
something special from an online catalogue; and,
16 For more information, Creating a Recognition Culture: Deloitte Canada “Stands up” to Support Its Talent Management Initiative with a Reward and Recognition Program, Bersin & Associates / Katherine Jones, August 2011.
At Deloitte Canada,
50 percent of
the employees
signed up for the
new recognition
program within the
first day.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 10
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
• Green Dot Awards – Which is only available to partners
and associate partners, and enables significant recognition
among higher-level contributors.
The program was adopted and sponsored by the CEO; in late
2010, the complete Stand up program was rolled out, along
with significant training for all managers. The company hoped
for 50 percent adoption within the first month.
The results have been overwhelming. Fifty percent of the
employees signed up within the first day, demonstrating the
tremendous pent-up demand for recognition and feedback
within the organization. Clearly, this type of program taps into
the enormous reservoir of goodwill and “thank you” energy in
the organization. Today, the program is regularly used by more
than 70 percent of the employees and the program has already
identified hundreds of high performers who were previously
unrewarded within the organization. e
Case in Point: ConAgra Drives Employee Engagement
Such peer-to-peer recognition programs greatly improve
employee engagement. ConAgra Foods is a FORTUNE 500
company with 2010 revenue of more than $12 billion and
more than 24,000 employees. The company had a traditional
recognition program which was considered ineffective by 75
percent of its employees. The leadership team redesigned the
program with four goals:
• Createacultureofrecognition;
• Meettheneedsofadiverseworkforcewhichismotivated
by different types of rewards and recognition;
• CustomizetheprogramtoalignwithConAgra’soperating
principles; and,
Case in Point: Deloitte Canada’s Experience – An Explosion in Growth (cont’d)
One year after
implementing the
new program,
ConAgra saw an
88 percent increase
in employee
engagement
scores and found
that 82 percent
of employees
now believed the
recognition system
directly aligned
with the company’s
business objectives.
KEY POINT
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 11
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• Maketheprogramveryeasytouseandmanage.
Like Deloitte, ConAgra implemented a points-based system
using the Achievers tool. After the first year, the company
saw an 88 percent increase in employee engagement scores
and found that 82 percent of employees now believed the
recognition system directly aligned with the company’s
business objectives. e
The Achievers Solution
Achievers (formerly I Love Rewards), founded in 2002, is one of the
fastest-growing companies in this market. The company directly
competes with several well-established vendors, such as Globoforce,
Incentive Logic, Maritz, O.C. Tanner and Rideau. While it is not the
biggest vendor in this market, Achievers is growing very rapidly (with
more than 100 percent year-to-year revenue growth in 2010) and has
a 99 percent customer retention rate. The provider works on a pay-for-
Case in Point: ConAgra Drives Employee Engagement (cont’d)
Figure 1: ConAgra Recognition Portal
Source: ConAgra Foods and Achievers, 2011.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 12
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
performance business model and solely makes money through points
awarded to a client’s employees. Included in the purchase of points are
all of the rewards, a custom-branded recognition portal, and 24 / seven
support for employees and HR.
The Achievers solution includes not only its proprietary social network-
enabled platform that empowers employees to easily thank each
other, but also supports a variety of methods for distributing points.
Employees may receive regular points (the amount of which can vary
based on position level within the company) every week to give away,
budgets may be managed by supervisors, and there can be various levels
of approvals based on size, role and other factors. The system is highly
configurable, depending on the organization’s desired “openness”
with rewards.
This provider also works with a wide variety of reward partners
around the world that offer well-known branded products, trips and
experiences (e.g., dinner or skydiving), as well as opportunities to
give money to charity. Importantly, the system is built on a mobile
platform, which eliminates awkward applications (apps) or portals for
those accessing the system through a mobile device – making it easier
for remote and field employees to participate more easily. This also
means that the Achievers system can be more readily integrated into a
company’s existing internal portal. Further, Achievers provides advisory
services to help organizations implement a modern peer-to-peer
rewards system.
Final Thoughts
Though the marketplace is highly competitive, Achievers has deep
pockets (it has received more than $38 million in private equity
investments) and is considered one of the leaders in this fast-growing
market. Bersin & Associates sees rewards and recognition programs
as a vital tool for delivering timely recognition for achievement and
peer-to-peer feedback. When linked to the company’s performance
management program, such tools can greatly reinforce corporate values
and business objectives.
Bersin & Associates
sees rewards
programs as a vital
tool for delivering
timely recognition
for achievement
and peer-to-
peer feedback.
When linked to
the company’s
performance
management
program, such
tools can greatly
reinforce corporate
values and business
objectives.
A N A LY S I S
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 13
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Appendix I: Screenshots of the Achievers Platform-Based Rewards and Recognition Solution
Figure 2: The Achievers Transparent Rewards Portal
Source: Achievers, 2011.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
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Research Bulletin | 2011
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A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 14
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Figure 3: The Achievers Employee Social Networking Profile
Source: Achievers, 2011.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 15
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
Figure 4: Corporate Values of Cultural Competencies Used in Rewards
Source: Achievers, 2011.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 16
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
Figure 5: Wide Range of Rewards Available in the Achievers System
Source: Achievers, 2011.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES, LLC6114 LA SALLE AVENUE
SUITE 417OAKLAND, CA 94611
(510) [email protected]
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES
Research Bulletin | 2011
BERSIN & ASSOCIATES © 2011
A New Generation of Employee Rewards and Recognition Solutions Josh Bersin and Stacia Sherman Garr | Page 17
THIS MATERIAL IS LICENSED TO ACHIEVERS FOR DISTRIBUTION ONLY.
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