7 Awesome Ways to Reward Good Catches and Near MIsses

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When someone raises a question or performs an action to prevent something negative from occurring, we want to provide a positive reaction to the people involved. We want this to be the norm. We want people to feel comfortable stopping a job, speaking out when something is about to happen, or has already happened and could get worse.

When it is determined that the question asked saved someone from getting hurt, equipment from being damaged, the schedule to be protected, or many other positive outcomes because of their question or action, you must reinforce that desired behavior. So, how do we go about doing that? Isn't that the burning question? What makes that person or those around want to raise that question or do that action again? After all, we all tend to perform in the way people around us reinforce.

I do want to add that in a union-environment, some of these rewards may not be possible because of a contract. These rewards are also not to be used to champion favoritism. They are to reinforce desired behaviors within the ranks and support and celebrate a reporting culture. An active and alive rewards program should already be a part of your company's culture. This post provides some ideas on how to reward your workforce for significant Good Catches/Near Misses.

Rewards

Rewarding people for "just doing their job" has been looked upon with frowning faces in the past. Doesn't paying a good and consistent wage offer that security that if you keep doing your job, we will all keep getting paid? This makes practical sense, but since when are humans all practical? While many people believe there is a gap in generations over the best way to reward someone, I believe that the generational differences are negligible here - we are all human. We do have different personality types and preferences from person to person.

Standard leadership reaction for some form of acknowledgment is usually praise through verbal or written means. Depending on the situation and the people involved, this may be in a public, work group, or private setting.

Traditional Rewards

Typical reward programs have some type of version of the following list for when management is pleased with a worker: Certificate, thank you note, cash, award, trophy, celebration, tickets, coupon, gift, or even perhaps a temporary parking space.

If you are looking to invigorate a sense of serious and deep appreciation, what if you were to consider some next-level ideas? Let's delve deeper into meaningful reward and recognition for employees, no matter where they are in the leadership ranking.

1. Leader spending more time with the employee

Perhaps the worker has a lot of ideas that haven't been listened to and this "good catch" is the opening up point to deeper conversations. Spending extra time listening to the worker could be a huge boost in their confidence that you really want everyone to be safe and the systems of work to be continuously improving.

2. Time off from work

How about banking a couple of extra paid vacation days to spend pushing the rest button, sharpening the saw, or just plain relaxing by yourself or with family. A reward like this shows significant meaning to the employee and to anyone in the workforce whom hears about it.

3. Worker gets some choice shift or flexible hours

Sometimes time off just won't work with the workload, rules, or time of year. Allowing workers to come in and leave a little earlier or come in and leave a little later really makes home life quality improve. This could be an amazing tool if used properly.

4. Leave early on Friday

Perhaps Friday is the last day of your team's workweek? Getting out before all of the traffic could really make someone's day.

5. Worker is allowed to choose and participate in a learning activity

Continuous improvement is about constant learning. If you have a worker willing to step up and report a Near Miss, show them you appreciate the gumption and give them a list of courses to consider. Perhaps a local college or maybe even your organization has a training team that has a schedule of courses and one of them sticks out and your person would like to attend. Always be a champion of learning.

6. Worker choice

Have the worker suggest a reward that makes sense and would meaningful to them. Give them the course of a shift to figure out what would really matter to them and see what happens.

7. Work party in honor of the Good Catch

When you have no idea what to do, ask the worker what their favorite type of food is and have a taco, Italian, pizza, sandwich, or whatever party in the honor of the good catch. Make a quick speech before food is distributed regarding how important it was for this situation to be reported.

More thoughts on rewards

Some things to remember from an amazing book called "The 1001 Rewards & Recognition Fieldbook":

• Remember when recognition is performed mechanically, it comes across as insincere.

• After the initial excitement of a recognition program wears off, it tends to diminish in use, and become progressively less effective.