How can companies recruit, retain, train, motivate, and reward great employees — especially in a tight labor market? How can they win new customers and boost sales? The secret is to lighten up and get a little weird! Creativity and productivity can go hand in hand, as this chock-full-of-ideas book amply shows.<P>Like a Christmas stocking crammed with treasures, 101 Weird but Wonderful Ways to Energize Your Workplace overflows with irresistible techniques for innovating and problem-solving. It explains how to start thinking "outside the box", then presents 101 adaptable exercises, each in a reader-friendly two pages or less. For instance readers will learn about: <BR>-- Whaddya Know? (learning through puzzles, quizzes, and games)<BR>-- Hire-Times (post-interview fun — a night-on-the-town with host employees)<BR>-- Wall of Fame (display of individual successes)<BR>-- Rock Me, Baby (give techies and GenXers the rock-concert tickets they crave)<BR>-- Galloping Gourmets (take-home gourmet dinners for employees and their family)<P>Slightly off-the-wall at first glance, the book is firmly rooted in solid performance theory. Managers can use it to find quick, effective, fun solutions to work challenges.

Workplace performance expert Putzier offers 101 ways to make the workplace a more enjoyable and productive environment. In a lighthearted manner, he discusses how to change the tone and culture of a company with quick and often inexpensive ideas in order to improve employee morale, creative thinking, and work output. Other topics include attracting and retaining the best available talent, enhancing the company image, lowering stress, providing recognition and incentives, and implementing training and development strategies. The book lacks a bibliography.
Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

John Putzier (Prospect, PA) is president of the consulting firm FirStep, Inc., which provides strategies to improve workplace performance. He is a prolific and popular speaker.

Foreword
Introduction

Part I. Tapping Your Natural Weirdness

Part II. Weird Ideas to Win TodayÕs Talent (a.k.a. Recruitment)

Part III. Weird Ideas for the Care and Feeding of TodayÕs Talent (a.k.a. Retention)

Part IV. Weird Ideas for Changing Your Company Culture (a.k.a. Fun and Games with a Purpose and a Profit)

Part V. Weird Ideas for Perks, Pay and Pats on the Back (a.k.a. Recognition and Incentives)

Part VI. Weird Ideas for Educating TodayÕs Talent (a.k.a. Training and Development)

Part VII. Weird Ideas for Enhancing Your Company Image (a.k.a. Sales, Service and Public Relations)

Part VIII. WhereÕs 101? (a.k.a. ItÕs All In Your Head! Idea Submission Form)