Steven Slater: Why gift cards matter!

By now almost everyone has heard about, Steven Slater, the flight attendant who decided he had enough of his job and decided to escape via inflatable slide out of the side of an aircraft. Now this might be an extreme case of employee dissatisfaction with their job, but taking a closer look at this situation may bring up a good point about the impact and importance of employee morale and satisfaction on the job.

Not only is employee recognition a genuinely nice thing to do for people, it is a way to communicate appreciation for the positive outcomes of employees hard work. It is important for employees to work in an environment where they feel their dedication and enthusiasm for their work is noticed. This brings up the positive impact of a well organized employee rewards program.  Giving employees the ability to earn points to redeem for gift cards in a program or receive gift cards when a task is accomplished above and beyond company expectations is a way to reward an employee in a way that is personal to them. This type of rewards system is proven to lead to higher employee morale, higher job satisfaction, and ultimately higher quality of performance on the job. It’s a benefit for employees and employers alike.

Now it is common thought and practice that only the most prominent stars of a company would receive the rewards. However, we can’t forget the employees who do a constant stream of good work to ensure the continued success of a company. Looking at the airline example, you would think you would want to reward the most experienced pilots for excellent performance, but what about the flight attendants and customer service representatives—they perform the daily services that keep customers comfortable, happy, and ensure a positive experience promoting repeat travel. 

Genuine appreciation and a simple “thank you” can go a long way to building overall employee motivation and commitment. Pair that with a well executed rewards program allowing employees to choose their rewards based on their preferences and employers can feel confident that their workforce feels appreciated, motivated, and dedicated.

Perhaps Steven Slater could have used a motivational gift card. While it may be too late for him, this story brings to light a few very good perspectives on employee motivation and morale.