The popularity and success of employee performance and recognition programs continues to grow. More and more companies are looking inward at the best resource they have to address growing demands to reduce, costs, increase productivity improve customer service and improve employee retention . . . their own employees.

Employee-based performance programs are hardly new but the number of companies willing to recognize and reward non-sales personnel for achieving corporate benchmark goals continues to rise. The reason, who better would know how to make a job better, more efficient, safer, more productive, easier or less costly than the person who lives with it day in and day out.

But beyond the more measurable benefits directly linked to achieving corporate goals, there are important intangible benefits as well they include:

• Enhanced relations between upper management and employees
  
  
• Employees today desire greater involvement and participation in their organization's day-to-day activities. All-employee performance improvement programs involve and empower employees in a positive environment of reinforcement and rewards.
  
  
• Empowered employees are more satisfied - "they have a safe…environment for participating and contributing their best efforts… they have a unique chance to learn, and there's something in it for them."
  
  
• "Train line people to think beyond their jobs…As we flatten organizations and there are less promotion opportunities, an all-employee performance/productivity program offers individuals a chance to get into the business further, to get more depth in the job, a chance to contribute."
  
  
• Employees involved in change adapt to change better.
  
  
• An all-employee performance program not only allows employees to have an impact on the achievement of corporate and organizational goals, but also offers them the opportunity to develop to their full potential. Plus, it's supplemental income to those workers who have the ability to contribute to meeting program objectives including:
  
  
  • Improve quality
  • Improve productivity
  • Increase revenue
  • Iimprove safety
    
    
• Employees who are given the chance to share their, knowledge, contribute and actively participate in goal-oriented programs will deliver the results a corporation desires. In addition, the corporation will realize:
  
  
  • Improved level of job satisfaction
  • Improved channels of communication
  • Improved morale