1001 WAYS TO REWARD EMPLOYEES
by Bob Nelson

This is a handy, easy-to-read guidebook on employee recognition. It’s chock full of examples from companies across the country on how they recognize their employees. There are also numerous quotes from company executives on the importance of recognition. Many of the ideas are simple and low-cost. There are also chapters on Stock Ownership, Charity and Social Responsibility, and Health and Fitness. Some of the more unusual benefits offered by companies include: Time Inc. offers a free taxi ride home for employees who work late and need a ride; Merle Norman Cosmetics offers free Saturday night movies to employees; several companies offer their employees free lunch daily, including J.P. Morgan and Hewitt Associates; Employees at Reader’s Digest get Fridays off during the month of May; and, Apple Computer has a “loan-to-own” program whereby new employees receive a free computer at two months of employment, and the computer becomes their’s at their one-year anniversary of employment. The book also contains indexes which provide contact information on sources for specialty reward items and companies that arrange group activities which can be used as rewards or ways to build team cohesion. All in all, it was an enjoyable book to read, and interesting to see what other companies (many well known ones) are doing in the way of recognition. It would even be helpful as a reference book for your office bookcase, to consult when you’re searching for something different to do in the way of employee recognition.

1001 Ways to Reward Employees is available at bookstores everywhere and may be ordered from the SHRM bookstore ($9.95 SHRM members), Barnes and Noble (www.bn.com ) for $9.85 and Amazon (www.amazon.com ) for $8.76.

(Submitted by Lisa Forester, May 2005)

Note: We invite book reports from members on specialty or general interest publications related to the Human Resources field. Submissions are published in the monthly newsletter and posted on the Chapter website. Email your book review to Dulles SHRM Communications Director Denise Henderson (dhenderson@artelinc.com).

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