Interesting new article from the Globe and Mail about employee rewards:

“As organizations being to recover from the recession, picking the right way to reward a job well done, and avoiding common pitfalls, will be critical to repairing wounds to morale and restoring staff confidence and loyalty”

Click here to read the full article.

Now that spring has sprung, people have one thing on their mind. Green. Green grass, green thumbs and trying to be greener at home and at work. But when it comes to going green, how green can you be? While some people are committed to a life of extreme green, many of us can make a difference even if we’re just a medium or light green. That being said, there are always ways to be greener.

So let’s start with the extreme green –the incredible hulks of the eco world. While these enviro-trailblazers used to be oddball survivalists who lived off the grid and swore off electricity and fossil fuels, this type of lifestyle has slowly become more mainstream. More and more people are now living lifestyles where they supply their own energy, grow all their own food and believe radical political change is the answer to our environmental problems.

What exactly would you see around the home of an extreme green? Well they use dirty bath water to water plants, run their cars on vegetables and it’s not entirely uncommon for darkest of greens to turn the refrigerator off and use the great outdoors to keep food cold. It’s a tough lifestyle that certainly isn’t for everyone.

If you happen to like electricity, and your fridge but still consider yourself somewhat environmentally friendly, you may be more of a medium green. What exactly happens in the life of a medium green? Well for starters something as simple as getting from point A to point B is a big deal to you. If you’re not driving a hybrid, you’re car-pooling – maybe even riding your bike to work. And when it comes to changes around the home, a medium green goes beyond the call of duty, buying locally grown organic food and energy efficient appliances and shutting down computers when they’re not in use. Medium greens understand the big picture and their role in it. If there’s a corporation out there that’s not doing their part for the earth, a medium green just might boycott them.

If you’re not quite as committed as a medium green but are still doing your part, you are likely a light green. The light greens have mastered the basics and are always looking for other small changes they can make. They use cloth grocery bags, recycle at home and use a stainless steel water bottle and recyclable lunch container. And when it’s vacation time, light green will likely use the same towels for a few days to conserve water. Regardless of light greens’ daily behavior, the important thing is they are making an effort. Besides, being light green is better than not being green at all.

So when it comes to your own shade of green, there are always opportunities to go darker. If you’re a medium green at home but work in a light green office, you can help make a few simple changes. Take a look at the suppliers you work with and choose ones that are introducing sustainability practices to their work. For example, Hbc offers Eco friendly gift cards that companies can incorporate into their own rewards and incentives program. The biodegradable, corn-based plastic Eco friendly gift cards are reloadable and come with a 100% recycled paper card carrier. It’s a simple way to go from a Pale Green to maybe a Lime Green. And who knows, employees just might use the cards towards energy efficient appliances or stainless steel water bottles. And that’s a good thing.

If you really want to create an environment that encourages personal development, rewards everyone and adds value to the company, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Collaboration not cattiness
Competition should bring out the best in people not the worst. Try to encourage everyone to support colleagues in their own quest for the gold. And if you want to avoid any unnecessary infighting, create competitive goals between your company and other companies in your industry. It’s “us vs. them” in a good way.

Corporate Captain
While hockey teams honour a team leader with a “C” on the jersey, you can honour corporate leaders by having them lead new projects or initiatives within the company. If there is someone who has some value to add in Social Media, make them Captain for that task. The next thing you know you’ll have a whole crew of Social Media experts on your team.

No gold? Go plastic.
As an employer who encourages a little healthy competition, it’s important to recognize the work of everyone who steps foot on the field. And while bonuses and raises certainly are part of the corporate game, you can really keep everyone motivated with simple, convenient rewards, like Hbc Gift Cards.