Resource Library

Founded in 1973, SITE is the only international, not-for-profit, professional association devoted to the pursuit of excellence in incentives, a multi-billion dollar global industry. Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE) provides educational seminars and information services to those who design, develop, promote, sell, administer, and operate motivational programs as an incentive to increase productivity in business. Currently SITE has over 2,100 members in 87 countries, with 35 local and regional chapters. Members represent corporate executives, incentive companies, destination management companies, travel & event planners, official tourist organizations, transportation companies, hotels and resorts, cruise lines, trade publications, and supporting organizations such as restaurants and visitors attractions. ... [ read more ]

Sovereign Bank realized that it needed to streamline its customer referral process and provide its almost 11,350 Team Members at nearly 750 community banking offices with a compelling reason to increase their referral activity.... [ read more ]

The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) surveyed industry professionals during the month of April 2010, asking them about incentive travel programs, merchandise/non-cash programs, and ROI/budget considerations. The most promising data show that respondents appear to be more optimistic about the current economic climate than they were in either the Summer or Fall of last year. When asked, "In your opinion, what impact will the economy have on your ability to plan and implement incentive travel programs?" 69% say it will have a positive impact vs. only 33% in the Fall of 2009 and just 24% in the Summer of 2009. Similarly, those who say the economy will have a positive impact on merchandise/non-cash incentive programs increased from 20% (Summer '09) and 26% (Fall '09) to 41% currently. Still, one-third of those surveyed predict that budgets for incentive travel will decrease this year, while 37% say they'll remain unchanged. Things were a little better on the merchandise/non-cash side, where only 22% expect a decline (down from 51%), while 40% predict an increase and 37% say they see no change in budgets. This indicates that although there's an uptick in optimism about the economy in general, it may not translate into more money for programs – at least not in the near term. ... [ read more ]

Social media, blogs, and e-newsletter technology enable almost any organization to become its own media company to generate leads, enhance thought leadership, build relationships and enhance sales ratios. Very few in business implement strategic integrated communications programs, often because they lack the people with the journalistic and other content creation skills needed for effective content marketing or they fail to integrate the communications programs into their sales and support process. ... [ read more ]

Don McPherson, President and Co-Founder of Minnesota-based Modern Survey, recently noted that when people say they know and understand the organizational values of the company they work for, those people are 51 times more likely to be "Fully Engaged" than ... [ read more ]

The federal income tax considerations for incentive programs are often overlooked. While it is difficult to give technical tax advice that would apply equally to all incentive programs, following certain general income tax principles can make an incentive program more successful and avoid unpleasant surprises.... [ read more ]

Section 274(j) of the Internal Revenue Code contains specific rules on the tax treatment of “employee achievement awards.” As a general rule, the employer cannot deduct employee achievement awards, unless they meet certain criteria.... [ read more ]

While it is widely believed that employee attitudes and engagement directly influence customer experiences and customer spending behavior, there is little empirical evidence that has explicitly demonstrated this. This study, subtitled "An Empirical Analysis of the Relationship between Employee Attitudes, Customer Attitudes, and Customer Spending," combines results from an extensive survey of employees and customers at a hotel chain with the actual spending patterns of customers. Results show a direct, measurable relationship between the employee and customer perceptions of the hotel brand and customer spending behavior. ... [ read more ]

This paper discusses four psychological processes that can be categorized as items that directly affect the perceived value of an incentive or recognition award. In particular it looks at factors that increase the perceived value of earning the award because the awards are earned rather than purchased. ... [ read more ]

This paper introduces the discipline of "People Performance Management" as developed by the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement, a unit of the Integrated Marketing Communications Department of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. People Performance Management refers to an integrated process designed to help firms maximize long-term financial performance through a strategic focus on their most valuable asset -- human capital.... [ read more ]

Compelling research links financial results and customer satisfaction to engaged employees and channel partners.... [ read more ]

In today's economic environment, employers are struggling to find every advantage possible to thrive, grow or simply to stay in business. For most US based organizations payroll represents the largest expense. Advantages therefore, come first and foremost through better talent management.... [ read more ]

Improving economic conditions, an impending skilled labor shortage, and the proven link between low turnover and profitability are forcing organizations to take a new look at employee retention. This paper suggests that sound retention strategies can not only head off a future problem, they can save money and improve sales today.... [ read more ]

Are there differences in how a computer manufacturer plans and implements an incentive program versus how a pharmaceutical company or new car dealer does? What about a commercial banking operation, insurance agency or a telecommunications company? Are there processes, types of incentives used, or other nuances that are unique to these markets? Which industries are more likely to develop their programs in-house, as opposed to securing an outside vendor? The Vertical Market Study attempts to answer these and other questions. It provides a full report on how the six specific industries planned and implemented incentive travel, motivational meetings and special events.... [ read more ]

Over the last 20 years, many organizations have adopted Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives aimed at allocating some corporate profits and resources to address social, environmental, or other issues important to the community. In this recent TEDx talk entitled "The Social Responsibility of Business," Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at... [ read more ]

This study, a follow up by Prof. James Oakley, identified key internal levers that affect employee satisfaction and, more importantly, the level of engagement.... [ read more ]

The Performance Institute is the nation's leading authority on measurement and management methodologies for improving individual and organizational performance. The Performance Institute's mission is to identify, study and disseminate the leading strategic management and performance measurement practices pioneered by best-in-class organizations.Through national conferences, in-house training programs, consulting services and on-going research, The Performance Institute helps organizations access cutting-edge expertise in planning, implementing and evaluating business strategies to address their management challenges and improve organizational results.... [ read more ]

This study, conducted by Frank Mulhern on behalf of the Promotion Marketing Association with the support of the Forum, identified key challenges facing organizations attempting to fully integrate external and internal marketing.... [ read more ]

For last year’s Summit, a research study was conducted to assess the drivers of employee satisfaction and engagement and the downstream customer and financial implications of these important employee attitudes. This research identified several unique organizational characteristics driving employee engagement, including employee satisfaction, and identified organizational communication as a key driver of employee satisfaction.... [ read more ]

This white paper highlights four key areas that impact organizational adoption of integrated marketing and motivate employees to think about and cooperate with integrated marketing efforts beyond their functional silos.... [ read more ]

This paper looks at the types and applications of gift cards and gift certificates and reviews the research that points to the efficacy of gift certificates and cards in achieving business results. Gift certificates and cards have been shown to increase sales, improve employee performance and build loyalty, foster teamwork, and create new markets, among others.... [ read more ]

Despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent annually by organizations to engage employees and customers, numerous independent research studies find that neither employee nor customer engagement have improved appreciably in more than a decade. ... [ read more ]

Subtitled "Linking Recognition to Improved Job Performance and Increased Business Value - The Current State and Future Needs," this study, cosponsored by the Human Capital Institute, the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement, and the Incentive Research Foundation, synthesizes recent research by analyzing case studies of successful recognition programs and recommending further investigation into workplace recognition. Recognition's value is demonstrated by recent studies that show a high correlation between recognition and improved employee engagement, which in turn improves job performance and captures business value. It also finds that organizations that actively improve employee engagement through recognition financially outperform their competitors. ... [ read more ]

Conceived in the 1990s, the concept of Total Rewards represented a revolution in thinking related to compensation that to this day has not been fulfilled at many organizations, that is: a strategic, holistic approach to compensation that considers every aspect of the employee experience and his or her capabilities and potential contributions to the organization. ... [ read more ]

West Valley Nuclear Services Company, part of Washington Group International, manages and operates the WVDP. The Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention Program is an integral part of the effort to educate and encourage employees to both minimize waste and prevent pollution, to protect the environment on a local and global scale, and for providing reports, both at the federal and state levels, on the amount of waste generated and minimized. In November 1999, the Secretary of the Department of Energy issued several national goals for all Department of Energy sites, including the reduction of all types of waste streams (radioactive, hazardous, industrial, and sanitary) through the 3R philosophy of reduce, reuse, and recycle, as well as conserving energy and buying recycled products. ... [ read more ]