Mark,
First, true, and real incentives cost money. Those are business realities when it comes to incentives. If employees achieve certain levels of performance, that translates to the corporation making more profits or in our case, increasing customer satisfaction which returns business time and time again. So, it cost a little money to make alot of money.
The purpose for incentive/recognition programs is to reinforce "postive" behaviors and positive work ethics. (Industrial Psych 101) All this translates to and overall better more healthy company, short run and in the long run. It's going to cost some cash. Period. When you look at our particular company and consider all the sacrifices in pay, work rules, benefits that has been given up, there has got to be a some-what-genius behind one of the coporate desks who can see so clearly that giving an incentive that is cost nuetral is basically "hog wash", and employees see right through that nonsense, especially when they continue to suffer financial hardships. Bottom line, employees of this company have been beaten up, so U will have a more difficult time of it in this employee environment. However, a positive manager could look at this as a "challenge". Me and my simple head can see this so clearly, why wouldn't one of the senior execs? I can only surmise that they are so "untouched" by the sacrificing that has been done and so far removed from the "rank and file" employees that they just don't get it.
I believe incentives should be: (gross example)
1.If someone has an outstanding attendance record they will receive at the end of the year a day off with pay to be used (out side any holiday) anytime during the following year.
2. If I were management, I would reward certain departments or all departments with "personal days" 1-2 or even 3 days, perhaps no pay associated, and give them 2 round trip tickets to be used during the year using perhaps those personal days to get away. Now , there maybe some expense to the company for that because someone has to cover the employees work, but its a nice incentive above their vacation days to receive.
3. Perhaps the company can set measurable, realistic goals for the employee to achieve in order to qualify. As the company profits, step up the incentives. Bring the employees in as we are all a "team" together, and have disucssions with your employees that if we make a profit in 4 consecutive quarters, we will sit down with labor and discuss improvements to contracts on vacations, (crew meals returned) or comp. time. Perhaps, if someone works a few extra hours on busier days, even though they get paid overtime, they will receive some additional time off in addition, unpaid.
4. Retrain your supervisors on employee friendliness and respect. Don't constantly look to penalize your people. Seek out managers and supervisors that have proven to know how to inspire employees. Start working with the labor leaders and have joint discussions on improving employee morale.RELAX SOME OF THE POLICIES. If Management gets many complaints on one particular supervisor, then remove them from that position. Some managers have undiagnosed "personality disorders" and can't help but be punitive and look to punish. It's a sickness for some. They are not good for business; anyone's business.
5. Big step towards improving morale in a major way...give back the 5%.
6. STOP FURLOUGHING!
7. HONOR CONTRACT LANGUAGE!
8. HAVE MANAGEMENT STOP THREATENING TO SUE THE UNIONS and its leaders.
9. Ensure that managment makes "timely" decisions on issues that have
a great effect and impact on employees lives.
10. Biggest element for restoring morale outside of incentives and respect....COMMUNICATION (2 WAY).
11. Management needs to STOP with the "doom and gloom" retorhic to the employees. It makes us feel all this was just for nothing. That is why "hoplessness, and apathy and anger set in. Management can not afford to have employees lose respect in their leadership. Tell them to stop this.
12. When there are labor disputes, management needs to stop slamming the door to the unions, AND SIT DOWN AND TALK LIKE REASONALBE FOLKS ON THE ISSUE FOR RESOLUTION, outside of the grievance arena that is costly to both parties.
13. Regarding revenue, service the public. It's not WHAT YOU GIVE a customer; it's HOW YOU TREAT THEM! Pamper them with "words"... You have cut too many agents and reservationists. They can't service the public, hell they can't even get all the calls. There is not one call that should be on hold for more than 1 minute. Do an empirical study with the call volume in any given day and how long it takes to retrieve the call, and how long it takes to place the reservation. Any thing short of the "goal", needs to be addressed. YOU GUYS ARE KILLING YOUR PEOPLE. Do NOT set unrealistic goals for your employees. Recognize this and respond. What the passenger wants is to go through the "flying process" with ease without anxiety. So study that process, how do we make it efficient and at the same time with ease. Both can be accomplished, you just need a good VP and manager who can figure out the problems and RESOLVE them.
14. CLEAN the planes. You guys have furloughed to many utlity people. In management over zeal and over kill to cut cost, they cut the hygene of the plane. Who wants to go to a dirty hotel room or dirty restaurant? C'mon already. Tidying up a plane is NOT like cleaning it and refreashing it. Get the utility folks back so we can show a nice, clean smelling, product.
15. Simplify, for God's sake, the fare structure. It is too convoluted and most customers complain that they pay a higher fare than the person they are sitting next to. MAKE IT CONSISTANT. MAKE THE SERVICE CONSISTANT.
Doesn't have to have the frills, JUST CONSISTANT.
16. AND MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO KEEP IN MIND, ITS ALL ABOUT CUSTOMER SATIFACTION AND REPEAT BUSINESS. We are losing revenue and business because OUR product is starting to SUCK. It takes toO long on U to make a reservation, to wait at the ticket counters to have A bag checked or get THE ticket or even wait in the Kiosk line. Then I have the security line to wait (no fault of U), but still more wait and aggrivation to the customer, especially if they are traveling with children. Then, the customer has to go on the plane and look at tired, hungry, f/as who are exhausted, and PROBABLY FLYING ILL.
Bottom line, folks will pay more for service. I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT FROM SPEAKING TO MANY, MANY CUSTOMERS ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S WORLD. Simple example: I would pay more money to eat at a fine restuarant that has great, and happy employees who are very enthusiastic, then a cheaper resturant that employees rush me through my meal and never provide a calm, relaxing, attentive service. In life, and in general, we have all learned, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. PERIOD, and in all aspects of that reality.
There's a start, my friend.
24 AM Chip Munn wrote: 
