Thread regarding Dell Inc. layoffs

Inspire awards are ridiculous. My team awards people for the job they are paid to do vs going above and beyond.

Here’s an award for managing that event for which we already pay you as an event manager. And here’s an award for everyone that worked the event that Dell paid them for as a salaried employee plus their travel and hotel.

Such a racket.

Oh and people who actually did above and beyond, we’re not approving or downgrading their inspire recognition to make sure we can reward the people we want to recognize for doing the job they’re already paid for.

Stupid awards.

Back in the glory days, standard awards like "above and beyond" came with a marble obelisk that weighed about 10 pounds. There was a weird stretch where we were all asked to earn some certification from OSHA. All the obelisks and glass plaques we were storing had to come down from on top of our cubicle cabinets due to some inscrutable safety rule. I remember cleaning out my garage and throwing away a banker's box full of my precious awards, and it was darn near 100 pounds of marble and crystal.

"The ONLY thing I miss is the glass plaques they would give you for service anniversaries. They replaced that with inspire awards and people definitely prized those glass plaques."

I've read it all now. Congrats you are an important part of the Dell family.....for now.

All these comments reminds me of a cartoon movie about a bunch of animals living in a remote pond or lake and complaining/feeling_proud about getting awards/appreciation from the crocodile living in the same pond and who eats those animals on a regular basis.

You guys are missing the big picture.

My biggest complaint about inspire awards is the taxes. You get taxed BEFORE you cash them in AND you are taxed on a made up number because 1pt does not = $1. Also, the fact we are taxed on points we are forced to spend in their sponsored store (which let’s be honest, dell gets a kick back on). Like how about just give me the cash if you’re going to tax me. I don’t understand how it’s legal. Thankfully I don’t live pay check to pay check cuz I’d be so mad if I lost $50 to spend on bills for some d-mb points I can eventually cash in to get an Amazon gift card.

I get nominated but not approved for inspire awards

@cr+1jty8nnj1 - sounds like your own fault for sitting back waiting to be awarded.

A lot of the Inspire budget goes unused every quarter. Make it work for you. Use it to get what you need from other people. I frequently award "peers" I work with who do great jobs, and they do the same for me. Talk to your peers. Figure out how to can pat each other on the back. Peer recognition is just as important as management recognition.

My best memory of the inspire awards was scrambling to cash them all in before my WFR week was up. The irony was not lost on me. My daughter does appreciate the $100 Sephora gift card, among others.

Kinda stupid argument?

There’s a reward system n place to say thanks to those who have worked hard. Sure, it could be better and the rewards could be higher but it’s better than nothing?

If in practice the system is being abused by people - that’s a people problem, not a system or,program problem?

Many teams and colleagues received various mega awards from VPs before they left, or others who were labeled as game changers based on my work. This whole Inspire bullsh-t is just about who can sc--w over others more, for doing a lot and doing nothing. Typical corporate politics. And I agree, the whole system should be cancelled.

The people who nominate others like myself nominate all the time. The people who don't don't I guess.

If my manager says we have an unused budget I am looking for reasons to nominate all of the great people I work with.

Just something to say thanks and keep going. It's tough out there..

I got many inspire awards since the start of the program. Didn't help much when I got bumped out the door because I was close to retirement.

Cash inspires. The cr-p you can get with Inspire points reminds me of the prizes you could get with 500+ tickets from Ski-Bowl at the local arcade.

"Remember the time before inspire? No one got jack."

Before inspire, for my team in support, we got a cash bonus for getting a certain number of good customer surveys within a certain time. I don't remember the specifics since it's been so long, but I do remember that more than once this amounted to a significant pay bump.

I swear the same few people on my team have an inspire racket going on where they just keep patting each other on the back. Everyone on my team puts in tons of effort and does a good job, yet it’s the same three people who seemingly always get these awards. I guess it depends on who you work with from other teams. Some people give them out all the time, some never do. Luck of the draw…

Inspire Awards: because nothing says “We see you, we value you” like redeeming your points for a $25 toaster instead of paying you what you’re actually worth.

Here’s some extra money, oh a small part of that goes to taxes. That’s your complaint? You’ll get $450 instead of $500? Contact your local and federal reps. The company has its faults but it doesn’t make tax law.

In my early days at EMC managers were allotted a certain amount of Amex gift cards in various demonization and awarded on the spot. Until someone said it ran afoul of tax laws.

Let's not forget these awards are also taxable. So you pay tax on every $ of the award received.

Remember the time before inspire? No one got jack.

At least now there’s a way to obtain monetised praise.

The ONLY thing I miss is the glass plaques they would give you for service anniversaries. They replaced that with inspire awards and people definitely prized those glass plaques.

As a heads up, inspire awards do have a budget and most times mgmt doesnt even get to award them or is told who to send them to. Most of the people I know are trying to send them out because it's all mgmt really can do, if you think you are overworked and underappreciated multiply that by how many people on your team and that likely how your manager feels. The real issues are so much higher up but they would rather have the fighting be on the front line level so people don't organize or anything. As someone else here said, send them to other people, I've found that's the best way to get them in return.

or don't and just hop on here to vent whatever help you most.

sorry that nobody gave you an inspire lately. truly. you deserve recognition of you're working hard to help, regardless of the company, but what I've found is the more rewarding approach (to your mental health) is to give inspire awards to ppl that help you. this can sometime creates a hidden network effect..

and some sarcasm.. let's not be selfish here, it's company first, then team, then individual... (ppl in the know.... know what I'm joking about)

Love the shout outs from management. It's like we should award you something but are too cheap to actually do it so a good old atta boy pat on the back should do it.

Heck, I used to give them out to teammates all the time.

Well, I used to request them, not that they often got approved. But at least i tried.

They’re dog treats.

I hate Inspire awards, they’re a cheap way to get free labour

Here’s a $20 voucher for the extra 20 hours you spent on that project! Thanks for going above and beyond!