Advancing the Science of Motivation
and Incentives Through Research

Anatomy Of a Successful Incentive Travel Program

To provide a clearer picture of the broad, positive impact incentive travel programs have – both on participants and on those tangentially involved in an incentive travel program – the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) undertook an in-depth analysis of one company’s successful, longstanding use of incentive travel as a motivational tool. Contrary to the viewpoint recently presented in the media, this research concluded that incentive travel programs have a strong impact on not only individual motivation, retention and performance, but also on organizational culture and business results. Equally important, the research found that the program studied had significant qualitative and quantitative impact on the program destination’s economy and service providers.

Assessing The Impact of Sales Incentive Programs: A Business Process Perspective

The study focuses on how the impact of sales incentive programs extends beyond the sales function into other functions within the organization.

Como Determinar el ROI en Programas de Viajes de Incentivo

Como Medir el Rendimiento de la Inversion en los Programas de Incentives de Ventas

Determining The Return on Investment of Incentive Travel Programs

Researchers surveyed executives responsible for designing incentive programs, as well as program winners," to provide a vivid picture of incentive travel program effectiveness," and to address both tangible (sales, market share) and soft (morale, customer loyalty) business goals. Researchers developed a Program Measures ROI template to provide users with an easily applicable tool to calculate financial and program impact as a result of the incentive campaign.

Does Incentive Travel Improve Sales Productivity?

Utilizing a case study model, the findings of this study present statistical evidence of the direct link between motivation programs and improved performance. By studying a UK-based insurance company, researchers were able to examine employee attitudes before and after the introduction of a tiered incentive campaign and determine the commercial value of incentive travel within a "live" business environment.

Incentives, Motivation and Workplace Performance: Research and Best Practices

This landmark study is the most comprehensive analysis ever done on the effectiveness of the incentive industry and the relationship between incentives, motivation, and performance in the workplace. The findings identify the powerful impact incentives have on increasing work performance and introduces a new, diagnostic and prescriptive model, Performance Improvement by Incentives (PIBI), that provides guidance on the step-by-step procedures for the design and implementation of incentive programs. The study included the most comprehensive review of published research ever undertaken on the subject of incentive.

Mastering Measurement: The Critical Performance Elements of Incentive Design

The new IRF study updates the 1992 "Master Measurement Model of Employee Performance" to address the current dialog and studies related to the best application of measurement and incentives. It is based on an analysis of the latest research on measurement and incentives as well as on input from a Delphi panel consisting of over 70 experts and practitioners in various aspects of performance measurement who contributed their viewpoints in a series of collaborative virtual meetings.

Measuring the ROI of Sales Incentive Programs

A series of cases involving companies that implemented sales incentive programs are explored. It is the aspect of causality borne from stringent application of the scientific method that makes this report on ROI measurement unique.

ROI in Channel Partner Conferences

The 2009 annual “Allsante Inc. Encounter” event for Georgia/Louisiana healthcare insurance brokers was designed to increase sales and profits in those specific markets and engage channel partners with the company’s brand. The June 10th-11th event included more than 50 key insurance owner/principal brokers, each of whom were individually selected and invited by Allsante Inc.

The Long-Term Impact of Incentive Travel in An Insurance Company

This study tests the use of travel and other incentive rewards within a business environment to determine the impact and return on investment (ROI) for such programs. This study was designed to analyze the ongoing impact of incentives in a user organization and to determine how such programs can be best structured. The study examined such factors as employee tenure, satisfaction levels, and enhanced sales over time.

The Value and ROI of Employee Recognition

The study links recognition to improved job performance and increased business value – the current state and future needs. The study shows that recognition is highly correlated to improved employee engagement with both the employee's work and organization. It includes four case studies of real-world award programs.

Tracking the Long-Term Impact of Incentive Programs

The study establishes a methodology for tracking the impact of incentive programs by outlining the types of data and measurements available within organizations that can be utilized to assess program impact. Researchers also examined current measurement approaches and identified the challenges inherent with these methods.

Travel Incentives Boost Performance, Retention

Results from a recently conducted analysis of one company’s long-standing use of travel awards as a motivational tool show that such incentives have a clear, measurable and positive impact on employee performance and retention. The Incentive Research Foundation conducted the study to document the “anatomy” of an incentive travel program (ITP) and provide a better understanding of the broad reach of a successful ITP.