Winter can be a tough time of year for employee morale. The days are shorter, mornings are darker, and the weather outside is anything but cheery. It is the perfect time to kick your employee engagement efforts into high gear and excite your team for the new year. At Ruby, this means launching into our year-end incentive campaign, Rubyland.
For several years, “Rubies for Rubys” was our end-of-year tradition. Rubys were given plastic rubies for completing tasks focused on building skills, client relationships, and relationships with fellow Rubys. At the end of the campaign, Rubys could shop for fun prizes using the jewels they earned as currency. When we added a second office in 2013, however, it became too difficult to handle so many plastic gems. With “Rubies for Rubys” due for a revamp, we set out to create an all-new campaign that would be easily managed across locations, as well as incorporate and highlight each of our Core Values—Foster Happiness, Innovate, Create Community, Practice WOWism and Grow. The result— Rubyland!
Based loosely on the popular children’s game, Rubyland challenges team members to complete 100 tasks derived from our Core Values. Each employee gets a task booklet and a game board.
The booklet contains 20 tasks per Core Value. Examples include:
- Create Community by starting a 1 minute dance party in a communal space
- Innovate by sharing a tip you use to make your day easier with a coworker
- Grow by going on a tour of a local business that intrigues you and sharing your experience
- Practice WOWism by sending a notecard to a client complimenting them on something you admire about them
- Foster Happiness by leaving a funny or kind note in an unexpected place
Every space on the board represents a task, each color representing a different Core Value. Before a Ruby can mark off two spaces of the same color, they must first complete four tasks belonging to the other Core Values and mark off each space in between. For each task completed and space marked off in order, Rubys earn one ticket to be redeemed for prizes. Those who complete all 100 tasks achieve “Ruby Rockstar” status and have their name etched onto a special plaque.
Rubyland encourages Rubys to be the best they can be, both personally and professionally, along with building team camaraderie. It gives team members something to look forward to, as well as reconnects them with our Core Values right before our busiest time of year.
