Public Servant Lifestyle

"Vouchers have a perceived added value," says the Voucher Association


Both in the public and private sector, organisations strive to motivate and encourage their workforce. Vouchers have traditionally been very popular in the private sector, where they have been used to reward and incentivise all types of staff, especially sales teams.

However, with the publication of the Modernising Government White Paper - and its section 'Incentives For Change', which states that all public sector frontline staff must be incentivised on their work performance - the public sector is also looking to vouchers.

Overall, vouchers are more popular than ever. The Voucher Association estimates the annual sales of vouchers, for the entire industry, to be well over £1bn a year.

The need to retain staff is an important issue for the public sector, where the same jobs in the private sector are often better compensated.

One way to do this is through incentive schemes, which not only encourage staff to work harder, but can also serve as a vital tool in an organisation's efforts to hold on to its knowledge base.

So, why in the realm of staff incentives, do employers continue to favour vouchers? What is it that makes them such a successful motivational tool?


Problem

Vouchers can overcome yet another prickly problem faced by those whose job it is to design and implement incentive schemes. Simply rewarding the few can serve to demotivate the masses. However, rewarding the masses in a homogenous manner can alienate many. Vouchers resolve such problems, as levels of value are easily assigned, and the choice is put firmly in the hand of the recipient.

The beauty of vouchers is that there is something for everyone; there are more than 160 gift vouchers on offer, redeemable across the retail, travel and leisure sectors, ranging from electrical goods to clothing, as well as vouchers for meals in restaurants, and for holidays.

They also cater for different tiers of the market, whether weekend stays at upmarket hotels, to vouchers that can be used for the weekend supermarket shop.


Achievements

Vouchers make it so much easier to relate rewards directly to achievement, as they work on so many levels.

For managers who are keen to reward and motivate staff, vouchers provide an excellent solution. When compared to other incentive schemes, vouchers have an unquestionable advantage, in the choice and flexibility they offer.

More information available in Incentives & Rewards