Creative game rewards managers - management incentive programs; Continental Cablevision - HRAgenda

Imagine your company's supervisors and managers ... earning points for team-building behaviors ... awarding each other those points ... standing in front of a giant Monopoly-like board to pick out the properties they wish to purchase--all in the pursuit of an all-expenses-paid resort vacation.

Continental Cablevision, located in Pompano Beach, Fla., has such a management incentive program, called "Conopoly." The purpose of Conopoly is to provide incentives and rewards to supervisors and managers for exhibiting those intangible and hard-to-measure (but treasured) actions such as providing superior external and internal customer service and developing positive interdepartmental relationships and motivational leadership.

The players receive points from their peers and directors by exhibiting behaviors that "are conductive to quality employee interactions as well as quality customer service," says Donny Johns, manager of technical operations and one of the Conopoly designers. Points can also be earned for community service through the company's CARES program (Community Awareness Reach Out Effort).

How it's played

The program is based on the game Monopoly, using a playing board. Instead of Boardwalk and Park Place, the properties are named for franchise areas Continental Cablevision serves such as Leisureville or Deerfield Beach.

Each quarter, supervisors, managers and directors (about 40 total) receive books of "Conopoly Reserve Notes" in denominations of 5, 10 and 20 points, totaling 200 points. Once a quarter, the notes are replenished by the company "banker" (the director of customer service), if all points in the book have been awarded. Bearing the picture of Continental Cablevision's chairman, each note has a place to fill in the name of the person giving the award and the person receiving the award. Directors are not eligible to receive the notes; they can only award them.

Once a month, supervisors and managers may visit the "real estate agent" (the director of operations) and purchase properties in exchange for the notes awarded to them. Property owners may then make improvements to their properties by purchasing upgrades such as pay channels, additional outlets and digital cable radio service.

Every other month, at the supervisors' and managers' meeting, noteholders can also choose to purchase "chance" cards, which offer some good prizes as well as gag prizes. Of the 45 chances available, examples include:

* One half-day off with pay.

* A paid lunch with a director (to encourage mentoring).

* One half-day in a different department (to develop interdepartmental understanding).

* A photo package (your picture in a frame).

The penalties

Each quarter, participants who haven't awarded at least 80 percent of their allotted points are sent to the game's city council meeting, the equivalent of "going to jail." Once at the city council meeting, participants cannot purchase or upgrade any property unless they pay a 50-point penalty. However, while at the city council meeting, the participant may continue to be awarded points. Any director who has not awarded at least 80 percent of his or her points is investigated by the federal housing commissioner (the vice president/district manager). To date, no one has incurred any penalties.

Winning

In interviews with participants, we asked for instances of when points might be awarded. Here are a few examples:

* Two departments were battling with issues they couldn't resolve. They asked another manager to take a fresh look at the issues, which he did. He made some useful suggestions as a result.

* Extra effort was put into a CARES project that presented a positive company image.

* A presentation crossed perceived departmental barriers due to its high quality and thoughtfulness.

At the end of the year, the designated federal housing commissioner, the banker and the real estate agent appraise all properties. The person with the highest net worth in property and upgrades wins a three-day/four-night all-expenses-paid trip to Treasure Cay in the Bahamas and is declared the "Donald Trump of Pompano Beach." Second prize is a weekend at a local resort and third prize is a dinner for two.

What do people think about the program?

Participants say they like Conopoly because it is business-oriented; it increases awareness of the company, and it works. People talk about the properties they want to buy and discuss which upgrades would be most appropriate for the property demographics. Participants are on the lookout for positive behaviors; they encourage each other and get immediate feedback for exhibiting those management behaviors that are highly valued. Most of all, people are having a lot of fun with the program.

The human resource goals of Continental Cablevision are to improve the effectiveness of its operations; provide an enjoyable, open and exciting work environment; continuously improve customer service; and provide for company and personal growth. The Conopoly program has indeed been an investment in the future of the company.

Karen L. Webb is director of human resources for Continental Cablevision, Pompano Beach, Fla. Sandra L. O'Neil, SPHR, CCP, is principal of HR Associates, a Miami-based human resource management consulting firm.

COPYRIGHT 1993 Society for Human Resource Management
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group