- Annual incentive plan. A pay plan that rewards the accomplishment of specific results. …
- Discretionary bonus plan. …
- Spot awards. …
- Profit-sharing plan. …
- Gain-sharing plans. …
- Team/small-group incentives. …
- Retention bonus. …
- Project bonus.
How to create the perfect incentive scheme! A guide for a motivated team.
What is an incentive scheme?
Managers and other company leaders can use incentive programs to inspire and keep employees. Incentive schemes can take a variety of forms, including:
Incentive programs can increase employees’ desire to produce high-quality work and help them become more loyal to the company. Some incentive programs are continuous and long-term, like rewarding employees each month for meeting a particular metric, while others are short-term and project-based, like encouraging employees to meet a certain quota within a specific time frame.
22 most effective incentive programs at work
If you’re a manager looking to inspire your staff, think about implementing one of these long-term incentive programs at work:
Pet privileges
Occasionally allowing your team to bring their dogs to work is a great way to keep them on board. People don’t have to worry about hiring a dog walker or rushing home to let their dog out at the end of the workday when they can bring their pets to work. Additionally, even for those employees without a pet of their own, pets frequently offer a calming, homey presence in the workplace.
Perfect attendance
To increase work attendance, consider offering bonuses for perfect attendance. You could offer a recurring cash bonus for each week or month of work without any absences. If there are high absenteeism rates at your company, this is a particularly good incentive option.
Unlimited PTO
Provide unlimited paid time off to your team members if they consistently show signs of burnout and overwork to improve work-life balance. Encourage your staff to take time off to relax, spend time with their families, and get rest so that they can be more attentive and productive at work.
Yearly recognition
Reward company loyalty by recognizing work anniversaries annually. You can decide to include a gift or bonus, or you can just show your appreciation to the staff by highlighting some of their contributions to the business during their previous year of service.
Death benefit
Some businesses provide a benefit in the event that a worker passes away while still working for them. Depending on the resources you have, the benefit’s specifics may vary, but a few possibilities are:
Holiday break
Consider closing the office for the week between the Christmas and New Years holidays if it is feasible for your industry. Many employees take this week off because it can be slow for some businesses during this time. Giving employees the opportunity to take the time off as a paid holiday is a fantastic retention tool.
Commuting benefits
A commuting benefit can be a huge perk for your employees if your business is in a big city or where the commute for employees can be expensive due to tolls or parking fees. For employees who choose to take the bus or subway to work rather than driving themselves, you can offer a monthly cash payment to help offset the cost of commuting, or your company can buy them passes for public transportation.
Wellness offerings
Periodic wellness programs are one strategy for assisting workers to stay at ease and concentrate at work. One choice is to send a masseuse in once a month or once every three months to give massages to interested staff members. You can also provide on-site yoga or meditation classes. Consult your staff to determine which offerings they are most interested in.
Professional and personal development
Offer funding to your employees for professional and personal development. When an employee requests to attend a program, class, or workshop, you can either give them a set annual stipend or personally approve it. Both the employee and the company benefit from encouraging the growth and development of your staff.
Laundry services
Some professions and businesses demand that employees arrive at the office dressed in formal business attire, such as suits and other items that can only be dry cleaned. By providing an internal laundry service for your staff, you can lessen the financial and time burden of having them take their clothing to the dry cleaners.
Flexible scheduling
Flexible scheduling is a fantastic, low-cost incentive scheme to consider. Giving your employees more control over the hours and days they work is possible with flexible scheduling. Some workers might prefer to work four 10-hour days instead of five eight-hour days, while others might work intermittently throughout the day to fit their family’s schedule. Flexible scheduling can also help reduce absenteeism.
Remote work
If it’s feasible for your business or sector, you should permit employees to work remotely whenever they want or on specific days. Employees who might have a long commute, need to go to a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the workday, or prefer to work from home rather than the office will find this to be very helpful.
Tuition reimbursement
To encourage staff to pursue additional degrees or certifications, think about implementing a tuition reimbursement program. You can designate particular courses or programs that are eligible for tuition reimbursement, consider each employee’s request as it is submitted, or give every employee a lump sum payment.
Health perks
Offering health benefits will help your staff stay healthy and demonstrate your concern for work-life balance. Options might include:
Retreats
With frequent retreats, you can promote team morale and foster positive working relationships. Consider attending an off-site retreat for a day or a weekend once every quarter or once a year. The retreat should include workshops, lectures, team-building exercises, and free time for friendly conversation and relationship building.
Employee ownership
Giving employees a stake in the business as part of an incentive program to foster loyalty However it is implemented, this strategy is a great way for the company to demonstrate its concern for its employees and for the staff to forge a stronger, more lasting bond with the business.
Dress code
Implement a casual workplace dress code for your employees. Companies with little direct customer interaction can benefit most from this tactic. Having employees wear comfortable clothing can boost their morale and commitment to the company.
Volunteer hours
Your staff can receive paid time off for performing community service. Some businesses allow their employees to volunteer for a predetermined number of hours, days, or quarters, while others grant time off upon employee request. This incentive program fosters employee engagement with the community and demonstrates your company’s dedication to doing so.
Happy hours
Give your staff regular happy hours so they have a chance to interact and form bonds outside of the office. Positive relationships at work increase the likelihood that employees will remain with the company rather than seek employment elsewhere.
Team-building activities
Every few months, participate in team-building activities with prizes to promote cooperation among coworkers and company unity. These can be quick events, like an hour-long office trivia contest, or longer ones, like office Olympics. These kinds of activities inject some fun into a routine workday or workweek while fostering team unity.
Memberships
Provide paid memberships to nearby cultural or family attractions for your staff, such as museums or theme parks Your staff will value the perk and understand that your company values work-life balance if you encourage them to visit the attractions when they have time off from work.
Cleaning service
If your employees put in a lot of overtime, think about providing a regular cleaning service. In this way, instead of doing chores during their time off from work, your staff can spend it with their families or pursuing personal interests.
FAQ
How do incentive schemes work?
Programs for rewarding employees are intended to draw in and keep talent. Rewards and benefits are used as incentives to encourage positive behaviors in your workforce. They take many different shapes, including paying for college expenses, giving employees more time off, and offering more flexibility in how they work.
What are the 3 types of incentives?
- Economic Incentives – Material gain/loss (doing what’s best for us)
- Gaining or losing reputation as a result of doing the right thing is a social incentive.
- Moral Incentives – Conscience gain/loss (doing/not doing the ‘right’ thing)
What are examples of incentives?
- Taking Care Of The Family: …
- Giving Free Vacations: …
- Big Money Incentives: …
- Saying Thank You!: …
- Rewarding Safety: …
- Keeping Employees Healthy: …
- On-Site Personal Massages & Mental Health Resources: …
- Having Fun At The Office:
How do you create an incentive scheme?
- Determine your program goal. …
- Establish program budget. …
- Analyze your audience. …
- Select the right rewards. …
- Identify key performance indicators (KPIs). …
- Choose an incentive program provider. …
- Market your program. …
- Train and engage participants.