Pioneering Excellence

Madison is a global leader in employee recognition and incentives, pioneering digital programs since 1995. As an employee-owned company, we deliver recognition, events, and incentive travel solutions that strengthen culture and drive results.

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Designing Sales Meetings That Drive Business Outcomes, Not Just Attendance
Annual sales meetings often represent one of the largest internal investments an organization makes each...
employee traveling
What Actually Drives a Successful Incentive Travel Program After 20 Years in the Field
Incentive travel has never been about the destination. That may sound surprising in an industry that...
employees working together
Sustainability Without Operational Discipline Is Just Messaging
Sustainability is now standard language in meetings and incentive travel. RFPs reference ESG commitments....

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Knowledge Center

Knowledge Center

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Blog

The Lesson From a Bagel Shop

There it was in plain sight, right next to the list of cream cheese flavors. A simple sign printed in big block letters. “LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND… NOT TO RESPOND” What the heck is that doing in a bagel shop I wondered? So I asked. “It’s an excerpt from The 7…

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Are You Naughty or Nice? (As a Boss That Is)

The quality of bosses (and the impact they have on their employees) is the biggest influence on organizational performance. Lousy bosses create confusion and stress; they contribute to higher turnover and lower productivity. When employees leave a company they often cite poor relationships with their superiors. On the other hand…

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Blog

Don’t Commit “Recognition Malpractice”

I was summoned to jury duty the other day. Or should I say I was called to sit in a room for 8 hours waiting to be called. No cases came up and we were eventually dismissed. It got me wondering though, what would happen if you put your recognition…

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Is it Better to Give Than to Receive?

“It is better to give than to receive.” That age old axiom tells us that generosity has its own rewards — especially around the Holidays — and that people on the giving side experience just as much (if not more) satisfaction than those on the receiving end. In the context…

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Imagine What the “Mannequin Challenge” Might Show You

Have you heard of the Mannequin Challenge? I’m sure you have. In some chosen setting people freeze in place for a few minutes while someone else shoots a video that records the scene. The results can be a lot of fun. And, I suppose, they can also be pretty revealing…

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employee being rewarded with people clapping
Blog

Tapping Into Our Desire to Acquire

Thanksgiving is upon us. It’s a time to reflect and give thanks for all that’s good in our lives. Oddly enough, it’s also become a time to acquire all of the goods we want in or lives. You can’t open a newspaper, watch TV, or tune in the radio without…

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Anything is Possible With the Right Team

Anything is possible when your team shares the same objective. Just ask the Chicago Cubs and their fans both of whom had been waiting over a hundred years for a World Series championship. When the Indians tied the seventh and deciding game with a late inning homer, it would have…

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Blog

The Secret to More Recognition in Two Words

At the end of my last posting I promised to share the secret to implementing a high-performing, high-touch recognition strategy without breaking the bank. So what’s the answer? How do you involve and influence all of your employees without driving up costs? The answer lies in two words — social…

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Blog

No Debating the Value of Employee Recognition

After three contentious presidential debates (not to mention numerous clashes throughout the primary season), we can all finally agree on one thing — we are sick and tired of debates! Fortunately, there is no debating the value of employee recognition. Organizations that consistently recognize their workers have higher levels of…

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people of all ages working together
Blog

Quiz: What Generation do You Really Belong to?

For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials. To maintain a “unified culture” where values and ambitions are shared, the needs of each generation must be addressed. One area where this is essential is a…

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Motivational Tools: Rewarding with ‘Carrots’ or Wielding a ‘Stick’
In some instances, an olive branch might work better. In light of breaking stories filling up our news feeds, the harried story of the Twitter workforce told before the world's eyes has us captivated, regardless of which side of the fence you sit. As an organization rooted in employee engagement...
Ask Madison: 6 Overlooked Signs Your Employees are Quietly Quitting
  After months of unsustainable workloads, chronic stress from the pandemic and uncertainty, and mass layoffs, employees have had enough. They are tired of being unpaid with no appreciation and increased employer expectations .  Answering emails on holidays, taking on additional responsibilities with no pay raise, and forced return-to-office policies...
Ask Madison: The Journey Back to Corporate & Incentive Travel was Slow – But Worth It.
After planning for a great return to travel following an unprecedented two-year hiatus, in December 2021, Omicron reared its head. By that time, though, even with some travel restrictions still in place, companies were beginning to gather for in-person events. The first event managed by Madison Travel's Erin Pennington, a...
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