Pride in accomplishment and team achievement, the long-term byproducts of this reward, will keep on motivating. Those incentives that align with organizational and individual goals by treating employees as partners in both the risks and the successes of the business recognize and reward in a manner equal to the intrinsic motivation behind their contribution. An equally important incentive involving this partnership is a role and voice in decision making, which empowers employees. At Solar Press, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan and employee-elected trustees provide employees a 30 per cent ownership and voice in the company. Annual ESOP meetings and quarterly communication with employee shareholders educate and involve all employees in decision-making affecting policy, operations and the bottom line.
Training is another incentive that, long-term, becomes an intrinsic motivator.
Our training department maintains a full schedule of production training, basic math and communication courses, computer classes, and upward mobility counseling, and these courses are always full. It's said that learning is its own reward. However, based on our experience at Solar Press with incentive plans that didn't work, I'm certain greed is not an attitude we want to encourage. It feeds on competition and destroys the team with divisive rewards. We've come a long way in our thinking since our first incentive plan at Solar Press.