In my first entry on employee rewards, I emphasized the importance of knowing the recipient well enough to reward them with something that is meaningful to them.

But there is more to effective reward programs than providing a meaningful award. Let's take a step back and explore answers to the questions: What is the purpose of a reward program? How can we innovate to make reward programs more effective?

Is your team more like a basketball or a track team?

What's the difference between these types of teams? Why is the difference important?