Employee recognition: Keeping them sweet

The issue of staff retention has never been hotter. So how can companies ensure their employees stay motivated - and stay put? Verity Gough reports.

Encouraging employees to go that extra mile is no mean feat. Increasingly, companies are turning to incentive schemes in a bid to make staff feel valued and appreciated but does the odd gift voucher really make that much difference?

Although the concept of employee incentives is not a new one - sales and marketing departments have been rewarding staff for hitting their targets for decades - an increasing number of businesses are starting to implement company-wide reward schemes that cater for every employee, regardless of their department.