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Incentives

Here are the questions filed under this category. To read Ken's advice on any item, click on the link "Read Ken's Answer."


Our company has a weird attendance policy that gives incentives to people who do not miss work. The problem is that people are coming to work sick and getting everyone else sick. We have mentioned this to management, but all they seem to care about is the low number of absentees. How can we get this policy changed?
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I am a sales manager, and during the summer, I told the sales team that if they exceeded the goal, I would shave all the hair off my head. Well, they roared right past it, but things have changed since the summer and I'm not in the mood to do this. How bad would it be if I deferred it?
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We have been having a high degree of turnover among our younger employees, and I am wondering if this is just a common occurrence with Generation X. If so, what are some good ways to retain them?
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Our company has an award program that is supposedly linked to our performance. My performance has been in the award range and I have never gotten one, but other people with similar performance have been given awards. I told this to my manager and he said he'd look into it, but nothing ever happened. What do you suggest?
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I am a recent college grad and I have been working for a start-up company for substantially less money than I would have been paid if I had accepted a more conventional job, mainly because there are stock incentives here. Things are not working out, and I am going to leave. My question is whether my low salary is going to hold down my starting salary level in my next job.
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Next month, I'll be at my present job for two years. I deserve a raise, but I want to know how to ask. The staff has been reaching its goals and everyone has been getting a bonus for the last few months. I do my job well and feel it should be reflected in an individual manner. How do I convince my boss of that?
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I was named the Employee of the Month, and the reward is a special parking place near our building for a month. When I drove to this spot, there was a car in it. My manager said there are "special visitors" for the next week, so I should use my regular spot. I didn't say anything, but I must have looked disappointed. He said I should "grow up." What do you think?
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I am in sales and make over $200,000. Last year, the company hired a compliance person, and now the president has him handling leads that come in. He is supposed to find out how they heard about us. About 30% of the leads say they don't know. Some of those leads should be mine, but he told me I have no right to leads that do not mention my name, and he should be paid commissions for getting them. How should I proceed? The president has a negative view of salespeople.
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I have worked here for three years and earned a great parking place. This sounds trivial, but the spot is convenient and my car does not get dented. The owner's son recently joined the company, and now he is taking my spot. I politely informed him, and he didn't listen. I don't want to approach the owner, so what should I do?
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My manager was at a seminar and was advised that titles are more important than money. Because of this, he has decided to change many of our titles, such as by giving managers the title of director, and he has cut our raises way back. Is he right about this?
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I was selected as employee of the month, and I was given a special parking place right in front of the building for one month. I came in one morning last week, and someone else was parked in it. When I complained, my manager said that I'm being petty and I should just find another place. What do you think of this treatment?
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Last quarter I beat my sales quota by over 100%. Now my sales manager has raised my quota to a number that is just about impossible to reach. This is not fair, and I'd like to know if there is a way to get him to change it back.
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Our company gives incentives and awards to employees in other departments, but ours is overlooked. We talked to our manager about this, and he said there is nothing he can do because our work is not set up this way. What should we do?
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Our company put on a little contest and I won. The prize was not a big deal, but I never got it. When I went to the manager, he said he'd get around to it, but he never has. I don't want to make an issue out of this, but I'm real upset. What do you suggest I do?
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The company where I work has a program to reward us for giving good customer service. The problem is that the reward means the employee is placed in a drawing for some prizes. I have been singled out for excellent customer service several times, and I get into the drawing, but I have never won a prize. What do you think of this kind of program?
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In our company, people who carpool to work are placed in a monthly drawing for prizes. I ride my bike to work, but the human resources manager who runs the program says that I cannot be in the drawing because I am not in a carpool. Does this sound fair to you?
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One of my fellow employees comes to work when she is sick. Although she claims that she just has allergies, it is not long before I catch her so-called allergies and end up missing work. I don't want to catch her colds any more. What's the best way to deal with her?
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Our manager means well, and he likes to come into our work area and give us spot bonuses. I like extra cash as much as anyone, but his bonuses have nothing to do with anything. He just gives them to everyone. What do you think of this approach?
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