5 Contests and Benefits to Improve Employee Job Satisfaction

Talk to any business executive and you're likely to hear their core focus is on revenue and growth. But what about for everyday employees? While their day-to-day work is focused on meeting these executive-level goals, they very likely get out of bed each morning and are excited about their job for different reasons.

Indeed, job satisfaction goes well beyond achieving overall company success. In particular, the daily grind can stress out anyone as well as put ongoing wear and tear on employees' health, morale and productivity. But it doesn't have to be that way. Here are five ways you can help re-energize your employees so they keep performing at their best. 

1. Fitness Challenges 

Not only is obesity a national health crisis — 36 percent of all U.S. adults are considered obese — but its economic impact throughout corporate America is profound. In fact, some of the leading causes of preventable death are obesity-related, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, all of which cause millions of Americans to miss work. 

Case in point: The estimated annual health care costs to treat obese individuals are a staggering $190.2 billion annually — and businesses are suffering to the tune of $4.3 billion each year due to obesity-related job absenteeism. 

But your business can help improve the health of its employees with ongoing fitness challenges to create a workplace that prioritizes wellness. By rolling out some type of ongoing health challenge, employees can keep their momentum going and not fall off the proverbial wellness wagon. 

Of course, prioritizing weight loss and wellness should also be enjoyable. With that in mind, your business might want to create a culture that incentivizes participants with prizes to meet their weight loss and wellness goals. 

2. Volunteer Opportunities 

Having a generous paid time off policy is likely one of the top perks that will attract more people to your business. Of course, this benefit gives your employees the opportunity to pick dates throughout the year to get away from the office and recharge their batteries. But it's not all fun and games for today's employees, as many would like to carve out more time in their busy schedules to give back to their community. 

In fact, empowering your employees to volunteer at local nonprofits, schools and/or houses of worship can help improve the success of your business. According to Fortune, employees who are active participants in giving back to their community tend to experience a deeper commitment and connection to work. As volunteers, employees may also develop more leadership skills and strengthen their interpersonal relationships outside the office, which can benefit them in the workplace. 

3. Sales Contests 

While salespeople are generally extremely driven, rewarding them with incentives when they hit their sales numbers may ultimately help your business better hit its overall goals. Now, some businesses may be inclined to host a winner-takes-all sales contest. But when the top salespeople start to lead by a long shot, others may lose interest if they fall too far behind. 

Experts say offering prizes to all employees who reach a pre-determined sales goal can motivate the entire team, rather than one or two aggressive salespeople. Knowing this, your business might decide to roll out a sales contest and reward top sellers with prizes, including restaurant gift cards, free movie passes and a complete set of vehicle tires. 

4. Team-Building Events 

Move over pumpkin spice! It's also the season to start enjoying some hearty chili that will satisfy anyone as temperatures begin to plummet. With that in mind, get your employees into the fall spirit by hosting a chili cook-off or other similar team-building event. Indeed, these are great opportunities for employees to connect with one another beyond the scope of work. 

Additionally, your business has the opportunity to invite fellow culinary whizzes to cook up their signature chili dish. The wider the range of chili variations, the better — and don't skimp on the fixins! Meantime, other employees who tend to avoid the kitchen can serve as taste testers and vote on their favorite dish. And with the holiday season around the corner, you may want to award winners with a grocery store gift card that can be used toward a Halloween party or Thanksgiving dinner. 

5. Cross-Training and Side Projects 

Every now and again, even some of the hardest-working employees need a little boost to become more productive. Once projects have been completed and deadlines are met, your business should encourage employees to work on side projects or cross train with another department to increase their skill set.

Entrepreneur suggests giving employees opportunities to work on side projects as a way to break up the monotony and encourage more productivity during regular office hours. And the opportunities are endless: 

• Creatives can learn project management skills. 
• Photographers can gain insight into videography. 
• Salespeople can get an inside peek into marketing. 

Encouraging ongoing cross-training opportunities allows employees to further develop any untapped skills, which could pave the way for some to change positions within another department. Plus, offering this incentive allows employees to demonstrate their value on a grander scale.

About Insightlink:  Insightlink Communications is a leader in full service employee surveys and offers a range of employee survey products and services to fit their client's needs. With over 18 years of experience, Insightlink's reputation has been built on giving organizations the knowledge they need to create effective change using their acclaimed employee research, analytics, benchmarking and survey methodologies. Insightlink's expertise in data collection reporting and analytics takes the pressure off organizations that find data overwhelming and daunting creating reports that are digestible and understandable, simple and easy to understand for organizations of any size and experience level. 
For more information please contact us at 866-802-8095 ext 705 or visit our website here.