Ocado Retail’s Perplexing Reward Strategy: A Comedy of Incentives
Ocado Retail claims that its reward and benefits strategy is the secret sauce for recruitment and retention. You know, because what better way to attract top talent than by dangling shiny rewards like virtual currency and overpriced branded merchandise? Welcome to the new age of corporate benevolence, where employees can feel valued while simultaneously wondering if their toil will actually pay off in Ocadough.
Let’s set the scene at Ocado’s retail contact center, strategically placed in glamorous Sunderland with over 200 employees swiping at their keyboards. In this bustling hub in 2023, they’ve rolled out a rewards platform called Mint. Yes, Mint! Because who wouldn’t want their incentive program named after a monotonous green leaf or a flavor of chewing gum? Employees earn virtual currency, affectionately called Ocadough, through stellar performances, which they can then trade in for goodies like toiletries and hampers—perfect if you need soap to wash away the bitterness of cubicle life.
Originally, Ocado used the classic Amazon vouchers as their shiny carrot. But after a groundbreaking survey (read: a casual chat by the water cooler), they discovered employees preferred the Sunderland Gift Card. What a revelation! Now, employees can present this card at over 190 local shops, hoping to spend a fortune on, I don’t know, novelty mugs or artisanal vegan snacks.
Surprisingly, the Sunderland Gift Card didn’t just revolutionize shopping habits—it skyrocketed to the top of the Mint platform’s sales chart in 2023. Employees ditched lunchroom baked beans for lunch buys at well-renowned chains like Greggs. Who knew the reward for being a good employee would be a kebab sandwich? Truly revolutionary!
Kelly Swinney, the head honcho of the customer hub, muses that the feedback from the workforce is crucial. Because nothing screams “employee engagement” more than asking if they prefer token gifts or a slice of cake. With a staggering 60% of their team residing in the city, Kelly extols the virtues of the Sunderland Gift Card as a gift that gives back to the community. Who are we kidding? It conveniently keeps the local economy afloat, which is surely just a happy accident.
The Sunderland Gift Card has been ingeniously employed by the management to fulfill important duties: like handing cards to managers who wanted to treat their teams while pretending they care about employee morale. And what did they receive in return? A staggering 97% satisfaction rate. I mean, if I were handed a card for free tacos, I’d be thrilled too—who wouldn’t be?
Beyond Mint, Ocado’s master plan includes impromptu awards and snazzy team events to foster that warm, fuzzy feeling we all chase. They even produce videos for TikTok, because every employer knows that no brand is complete without a viral dance challenge. Their latest masterpiece shows employees throwing their Sunderland Gift Cards around like confetti while triumphantly buying their lunch—a visual metaphor for victory, or perhaps just lunchtime stress relief.
In closing, Swinney claims their reward strategy has led to some magical outcomes. They nabbed the title of Sunderland’s Employer of the Year in 2023. Quite the achievement if you consider that this title comes alongside regular recruiting struggles and the constant oversight of employee engagement surveys. Yet, with high retention rates and giggles at every water cooler conversation, who could argue? Welcome to corporate America, where Ocadough meets the art of employee motivation one hilariously mediocre gift card at a time!
