When launching ancollaborative innovationWhen launching an innovation programme, an innovation challenge or an internal hackaton, the question of rewards usually arises very quickly. So, should rewards be included incollaborative innovation ? Should all employees who participate be rewarded? Or only the employees who propose the best ideas? How should rewards be chosen? We take stock!
Recognition: the best reward atcollaborative innovation ?
Before thinking about monetary or prize rewards, it is essential to devise a solid recognition scheme. Indeed, depending on your corporate culture, recognition can be very valuable. It is a motivational lever that should not be neglected. Because public thanks are sometimes better than money or gifts!
First, of course, the people who came up with the best ideas should be recognised and valued. In other words, the "winners", whose ideas have been selected for development. Take inspiration from the Gendarmerie Nationale's recognition scheme, which organises an annual ceremony to formally congratulate the winners of thecollaborative innovation.
Also remember to acknowledge all those involved atcollaborative innovation. There is no need to organise a ceremony. Just send out communications that highlight all the ideas submitted, and therefore all the participants. If you are organising a challenge over a specific period of time, you might also consider sending a thank you email to all participants at the end of the challenge.
The inspiring awards
By contributing ideas, your employees have helped your organisation to grow. What if you helped them to grow in turn? Think of rewards that inspire and nurture creativity. For example, you can offer training to the winners to help them take their ideas further.
You can also give them 'smart' gifts. Take the example of DigitalOcean, which rewards its employees by giving them a reading device pre-composed with the CEO's favourite books. Inspiring reading, and an approach that breaks down the barriers of the hierarchy a little.
Symbolic awards
Among the rewards atcollaborative innovation, symbolic rewards are particularly interesting. Some companies offer their winners free shares. The commitment of employees to the company is thus rewarded in a perfectly logical way. Indeed, the more they are involved and active in the organisation, the more the organisation includes them in its strategy.
Monetary rewards
Monetary rewards are often debated, with those who believe that money should not be a motivator to participate, versus those who see no problem with financially rewarding winners atcollaborative innovation. In reality, money is not an "impure" source of motivation per se. In fact, it is already an important source of motivation for most employees on a daily basis. So it's all about culture. It is up to you to decide whether recognition is a sufficiently strong lever for participation in your company, for example, or whether it would be worthwhile to give a bonus to employees who put a lot of effort into coming up with ideas.
