Poker Incentives
Type of Initiative: Associate or Participant Incentive
Published in: Playing With A Full Deck, by Michelle Cummings
Props Needed: Playing cards
Group Size: 5 or more
Aim of the Game: To encourage more participation, participants are rewarded with a playing card for their involvement in class or initiative.
Playing the Game: This activity is a good one to use if you are looking for a way to encourage, reward, or motivate your participants. The knowledge of the actual game Poker and what makes a winning Poker hand is essential. The basic fundamentals of the activity are that a participant is rewarded with one card after they have achieved a pre-set goal. After each participant has received 6-10 cards they reveal the best Poker hand they can make with the cards they received. There are many possibilities on how to reward those that participated.
Possibilities:
- Have a prize for the best poker hand at the end of a session.
- Have a prize for the worst poker hand at the end of a session. This illustrates the importance of the reward for participation, not just luck of the draw.
- Before describing the game to participants, do not tell the group there will be a prize for the best poker hand. This is a great way to illustrate intrinsic motivation.
- While describing the game to participants, tell the group there will be a prize for the best poker hand (NOTE: be cautious, as this can encourage too much competition for some groups.)
- Allow 2-5 minutes of negotiation for participants to trade cards with each other to try to get better hands. Works very well with sales associates & competitive managers.
Examples of on the job incentives:
- Any staff member receiving a positive customer comment card receives a playing card. At the end of a specified time period, the best poker hand receives a prize.
- Restaurants: for each special or feature meal/promotion sold on a particular evening the server receives a playing card. Best poker hand at the end of the evening receives a prize.
- Hotels: for each “perfectly cleaned” room after inspection, the room attendant, (housekeeper), receives a playing card. Best poker hand receives a prize.
- Sales: for each sale closed over a certain dollar amount, the sales representative receives a playing card. At the end of a specified time period, the best poker hand receives a prize.
Debriefing Topics:
Importance of immediate feedback for staff motivation
- Was it easier to speak up & participate when you were immediately rewarded for the effort?
- Do we acknowledge & praise our staff promptly & publicly?
Value of non-monetary incentives
- Did it matter that the recognition/reward was not monetary?
- Are our staff members motivated by more than money?
- Do we know what our staff values; what motivates them?
Learning styles utilized from the 7 Kinds of Smart: ~logic smart, people smart, body smart, self smart
Purchase from the Training Wheels store: Playing With a Full Deck, Jumbo Playing Cards, Colossal Playing Cards, Mini Playing Cards, Round Playing Cards
Material in this Online Games Database is copyrighted. Copyright © Training Wheels or by the author who submitted the activity. Permission needed to copy or reproduce.