Letters to best employees' parents

[Dave Baker]

Here's an interesting perk -- Forbes magazine (5/28/2001) is reporting that Cognex Corp. of Natick, Mass. provides awards to the top 10% of its 800-employee workforce but also has its chief executive officer send a letter to each of the winners' parents describing their awards!

Sure sounds to me like a cost-effective way to make employees proud and happy. (Though the top-10% process at Cognex sounds like it involves employee ranking, which is controversial, I understand.)

[david rigby]

Yeah, and that $10,000 bonus is not too shabby.

http://www.cognex.com/hr/recognition_rewards.asp

[Sheila K]

I'll bet that Cognex NEEDS ME!!!!

[GBurns]

I know a life insurance company that got sued and lost because they told the agents wife that he had met a sales target and was receiving a bonus. If your company is ever going to do this get the employee's written permission and competent legal advice.

[Dave Baker]

Wow! What was the "cause of action," do you know? Some sort of privacy law?

[GBurns]

It was all privacy and cofidentiality issues.

[Dave Baker]

Here's an article about employee ranking, from today's USA Today:

More firms cut workers ranked at bottom