Managing Organizations project for the University of Washington. Analyzed the relationship between employee motivation and rewards, both extrinsic and intrinsic. This is the slideshow from our teams presentation.

1. Analyzing the Relationship
Between Employee
Motivation and Rewards
Minty Chen
Dave Erickson
Mike Larson
Kathy Nguyen
TBUS 300: Managing Organizations
Dr. Lex Perryman
University of Washington, Tacoma

2. OVERVIEW
• Introduction to Buffalo Wild Wings and Puyallup, Washington
location
• Research Question
• Review of Research and Data Collection
• Recommendations
• Application of Recommendations and Follow-Through
• Key Takeaways

3. INTRODUCTION
• Founded in 1982 by Scott Lowery and Jim Disbrow
• Three things: Wings. Beer. Sports.™
• 1070 locations (February 2015) in 50 states
• 485 company-owned
• 585 franchised

4. Management Hierarchy
General Manager
Operational General
Manager (OGM)
Front of
House Manager
(FOH)
Heart of
House Manager
(HOH)
Bar Manager
Shift
Leader
Shift
Leader
Shift
Leader
Shift
Leader
Bartender

5. RESEARCH QUESTION
How does Buffalo Wild Wings encourage and maintain
employee
motivation to provide strong job satisfaction among
employees?

8. INTRODUCTION TO SURVEYS
• Surveys were given to Buffalo Wild Wings employees
• Questions were to assess employee motivation and programs currently
in place to reinforce motivation
• Open-ended question were to gain insight into employee feelings of
motivation and how management tries to maintain high levels of
employee motivation
• Interval-scaled questions were to highlight specific areas where issues
were present
• Responses were received from 9 employees

9. DATA ANALYSIS
• 8 out of 9 employees were female
• Average age: 25 years old
• Average length of employment: 21
months
• All respondents part-time employees,
working 25 hours per week
Bonus
23%
Increased
Responsibilities
12%
Gift Cards
15%
Autonomy in
Decision-Making
4%
Recognition
23%
Flexible Work
Schedule
23%
RECOGNITION FOR AN ACCOMPLISHMENT:

10. DATA ANALYSIS
Great Play!
• System provides a way for management to reward points to employees for positive
service from customers and other employees
• Lack of understanding among employees of what the reward system is and how it
works
• 0 respondents knew how management rewards points
• Suggesting from employees that favoritism was key factor
Underappreciated
• Majority of employees felt underappreciated by management
• Lack of appreciation shown by supervisors
• Average response: 3 out of 5
• Lack of presence of employees helping others
• Average response: 3 out of 5

11. RECOMMENDATION
• Great Play! employee empowerment
• Changes must be initiated from “top” of hierarchy
• Increases awareness of system benefits
• Extrinsic rewards
• Managers retrained to be mindful of employee recognition
• Employees need to feel more appreciated
• Training materials are provided for managers
• Intrinsic rewards
Leadership who instill confidence and commitment into employees will be
rewarded with strong workforce who is focused and determined

12. ACTION PLAN
1. Provide updated training on Great Play! system
• How employees receive points
• Feedback about performance
• Clear expectations
• Resources to match required performance
• Highlight the ability of peer-to-peer rewards
• Empowerment
• Builds foundation of trust in relationship between manager and employee
• Idea of reciprocity

13. ACTION PLAN
2. Vocalize awards of points
• Showcase appreciation and recognition for explemary performance
• Highlights what performance will be rewarded
• 23% of employees were driven
3. Utilize social media platforms to enhance communication across the
organization
• Increases communication and decrease information vacuum across
shifts
• Current system causes frustration and impacts performance of
employee
• Current employees already utilize a Facebook Page in order to:
• Share pertinent information
• Post requests to cover shifts

14. USING YAMMER TO
INCREASE MOTIVATION
• Builds motivation and camaraderie through Yammer, social media
network
• CEO goal was to create line of communication within organization
• Allows all employees to feel connected with another and be involved in
business

15. ACTION PLAN
4. Evaluating change
• Use data from surveys as benchmark
• 90-day implementation follow-up
• 0-15 days: Management reviews and increase training materials
• 15-30 days: Conduct training for employees
• 90 days: Redistribute initial surveys

16. KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Employees overall satisfaction: 4 out of 5
• To increase motivation:
• Elicit stakeholder buy-in
• Bring awareness to Great Play! system
• Peer-to-peer reciprocity
• Empowerment
QUESTIONS?