This is topic Employee Incentives in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Mark Huff (Member # 480) on 08-16-2000, 01:57 PM:
I was just wondering what type if any kind of incentives do any of you give out to your employees for a job well done.
Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 08-16-2000, 02:19 PM:
Gift certificates to local restaurants, for the most part. They are willing to trade dollar for dollar in exchange for movie passes for their employee incentive program.
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 08-16-2000, 02:37 PM:
Free movies and all the popcorn they can eat. 
Seriously, once a year I compile a list of names that I feel warrant a raise, and submit it. Also certain employees get a cut of gift certificate sales over the holiday season. Also, promo items(t-shirts, etc.)are a wonderful incentive-the kids love them-I just wish the studios weren't so stingy with them.
If I had more flexibility with my passes, trades with other businesses would be great, unfortunately corporate keeps a tight rein on those.
Posted by Rory Burke (Member # 512) on 08-16-2000, 03:11 PM:
POSTERS POSTERS POSTERS!!!You mean your employees haven't hinted to you yet what the perfect incentives are? I bet some of them kids would scrape every bit of dry gum on the carpets for an Episode 1 poster. Just a thought!!!
Rory
Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 08-16-2000, 03:23 PM:
Unfortunately, my company has a policy of sending posters, mylars, trailers and the like to our "sister theater" - a dollar house also operated by Cinemark. When you think about it - the money saved by the company is phenomenal. It's actually a very smart thing to do from a business perspective.
Posted by Russ Kress (Member # 461) on 08-17-2000, 12:05 AM:
I have a limited pay range that I can work with when rewarding employees. Employees who learn added jobs can be advanced to full time status and receive a higher hourly wage. These are usually the employees that we feel might be suitable for future management positions.The neatest thing that we do is a $50.00 bonus paid to the concession employee with the highest "average per transaction" for the week. To offset the occasional daycare center that will come in for a Tuesday matinee, you must have at least 50 transactions on a shift before you are eligible.
At the end of the year (around Christmas time), all of the winners are thrown into a hat for a chance to receive a $250.00 bonus.
Russ
Posted by Kevin Crawford (Member # 469) on 08-17-2000, 12:44 AM:
Damn Russ. That is the biggest prize I have ever seen for a weekly contest. I would hate to see what you consider to be a sizable incentive. Most theatres that I have worked at has been a good parking space or T shirt. Never has cash been an incentive. But if I was running a theatre, I believe in cash being the best incentive. Although, just for people working concession is not exactly the most fair to all employees. I never liked working concessions, too much work.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 08-17-2000, 02:27 AM:
Give them the leftover posters, trade out passes for restaurant coupons and give them the occasional party. For a party, get an old classic "big screen" type movie and trade passes for a buttload of pizza and run the flick for them after hours. Movies that cannot truly be enjoyed on a tv at home like Terminator 2 and Die Hard are always huge hits. Many film companies are VERY cool with things like this and will on occasion loan you a print for free. Then again, not all studios will.
Posted by Shane Pena (Member # 575) on 08-18-2000, 11:22 PM:
I hold monthly employee meetings where we discuss our monthly per-cap vs. the cap of our competition, the winning theatre's employees get to watch a movie of their choice with pizza and wings.Also they get vouchers for free movies if they attend our weekly employee meetings.
We also have employee of the month, who receives 2 movie passes, 7 candies from concession, 2 large combos, and 20 bucks, and certain special treatment from mngmt.
Posted by Mark Huff (Member # 480) on 08-19-2000, 09:28 AM:
Wow I need to come work at your theatre. Your employees get more in prizes than I get per hour.
Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 08-22-2000, 04:50 AM:
The Best employee incentive, by far, is giving pay increases to deserving employees. The nice part is that pay raises are, in reality, fairly cheap (a 50 cent raise for a full time employee costs $20 a week), especially when you consider the costs of replacing good employees (especially good projectionists).
Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 09-01-2000, 08:48 PM:
All I would want is a benefits package and a living wage.After 10 years I think I earned it.
Posted by Chad Souder (Member # 343) on 09-02-2000, 12:43 PM:
"and certain special treatment from mngmt"Shane - what exactly is this special treatment from management? Perhaps an excercise program for all the food you give them?
Posted by Shane Pena (Member # 575) on 09-02-2000, 08:44 PM:
O yeah,sure we have an exercise program... its called lot maintenance and pulling weeds!
but what I consider special treatment would be not having to do the restroom list or "dirty work", going home early on slow days, stuff like that.