BALANCING COMPANY AND CAREER LOYALTY
The notion that an employee works for a company until retirement has largely become obsolete. As a result, most of the people at your company will tend to be loyal to their careers first, and to the company second. The good news is that loyalty to career and loyalty to the organization are not mutually exclusive -- as long as what the employee learns and does to further his or her career is also what the company needs. Here are some strategies to try:

1. Align career growth with company goals
Managers should discuss career goals with employees, and then find ways to help them further these goals while benefiting the company. Some companies use coaches and assessments to determine an employee's strengths and aspirations, and then find ways for the employee to use those strengths -- and pursue those aspirations -- within the organization. This means providing ongoing training and permitting solid employees to spread their wings and take on new responsibilities. This may mean some raises and promotions, but you'll fill important positions with people who want to be in them, who are driven to excel in their new environments.

2. Create variety and autonomy
Jobs that allow employees to make choices and learn from mistakes engender extensive loyalty. Allow employees to take ownership of projects, even if it means occasionally asking for volunteers instead of assigning projects. Encourage motivated employees to step up to challenges and develop new skills in the doing. Then give them enough freedom to make some decisions autonomously.

3. Create powerful relationships
Loyalty to people is often more powerful than loyalty to a concept or a job. Solid, respect-based relationships with supervisors can make all the difference in an employee's level of motivation and dedication. Conversely, the number one reason people leave an organization is a bad relationship with their immediate supervisor. Teach managers to be fair, supportive, and to resolve conflicts fairly. Ongoing training for supervisors in this area is a must.

4. Link values to vision
Find ways to show employees how their work affects the end user. This can be especially powerful if your company is in a field like medicine, where customers' lives are at stake. Medtronic, a medical devices company, holds an annual holiday program which showcases patient stories and the effects Medtronic products have had on their lives. In this way, employees are able to put a human face on their work, aligning company mission with their own personal values. Although the connection in the medical field is more obvious, this kind of alignment is possible in all areas of industry. Show employees how the company's work benefits real people, and you'll have a better shot at earning their loyalty.

Source: http://hbswk.hbs.edu (Harvard Business School)

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INCENTIVES HELP KEEP WORKERS HEALTHY
With the cost of healthcare spiraling ever higher, some companies are using incentives to encourage employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. While health-consicous employees will already gravitate toward the programs employers are offering -- like exercise facilities and wellness programs -- the trick is getting to the employees who aren't using them, who need them most. Delta, for one, discovered that one-tenth of a percent of health plan participants were responsible for 10 percent of health care costs, and that 1.4 percent were responsible for a third of costs. Below are some strategies to motivate that expensive minority to get healthier.

1. Offer cash bonuses
Sprint offered $45 to each employee who participated in a wellness program in which he or she would take a health risk assessment and receive follow-up calls to discuss any potential risks or conditions found.

2. Reward change
As a next step, Sprint is considering a change to its program in which it will reward employees who change unhealthy behavior, such as stopping smoking or starting to exercise. At Dell, employees receive $50 in their health reimbursement account for taking an assessment, but $200 if they agree to a follow-up session to address any risks uncovered.

3. Discourage bad habits
Michigan-based health plan administrator Weyco made a controversial announcement that after a few months of warnings, it would begin firing workers who smoke. Weyco's program does more than simply prohibit smoking on company property; current employees and new-hires are tested for tobacco use, and if they test positive, they are fired or not hired.

4. Adjust insurance premiums to match lifestyle
Sprint also discourages smoking, but does so in a less-extreme way than Weyco. The company charges smokers higher health premiums than nonsmokers, to offset the increased health costs that come with smoking. Conversely, any worker who signs up for the company's smoking-cessation program (or is a nonsmoker) receives a six percent discount on premiums. Sprint is also looking to extend its programs to reward other healthy behavior, such as participating in an exercise program.

Source: www.workforce.com