25 Effective Employee Incentive Programs To Boost Morale In 2026 (original) (raw)

Article Overview
Whether you are just starting your employee incentive program or looking to shake things up, the right employee incentives can mean the difference in retaining top employees. Our approach is simple, let’s look at what thriving companies are doing to see what works.

Despite what my bosses might say, employee incentives can include a lot more than just snacks. Not that I don’t love a good snack box. 😜

Regardless of their job title or industry, no employee is happy with just a paycheck and some baseline benefits. On the other hand, flashy (and costly) perks like ping-pong tables and on-tap kombucha make many employees’ eyes roll.

So how does a manager retain employees, promote healthy competition, and inspire their employees to go above and beyond?

Well, say hello to the employee incentive program. An impactful employee engagement idea that can be tailored to your specific organization’s makeup, size, needs, and much more.

Read on if you are looking to join me as I breakdown:

• Strategies to build your first incentive program
• New ideas to refresh and revamp your outdated incentive program for employees
• Tips to boost employee morale without breaking the bank

Are you looking to measure the impact of your employee incentive program?

Recommended tools that offer incentives:

🥦 Nectar for incentivizing healthy behaviors

🥇 Bonusly for encouraging teamwork with peer-to-peer recognition

💰 Motivosity for offering lifestyle benefits & perks

🌴 Bucketlist for setting up weekend incentives outside of work

📈 WorkTango for providing incentives that support organizational goals

What Is An Employee Incentive Program?

An employee incentive program is a system that a business uses to inspire and encourage better workplace performance and execution.

While these programs can vary in the size and scope of their impact on business processes, they often involve rewards, perks, and recognition tactics to promote larger company goals and values.

Benefits Of An Employee Incentive Program

The benefits of an employee incentive program can be significant, especially if you’ve developed a program that incentivizes behaviors and actions that benefit your company goals. (See the previous section.)

So while some benefits vary from company to company, there are some long-term financial and emotional perks many companies experience across the board.

• ❌ Reduced turnover resulting from a hefty decrease in employee dissatisfaction.
• 📈 Stellar productivity. (The human resources experts at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) can vouch for that.
• 🤩 Higher employee morale. Who doesn’t love being rewarded and encouraged for doing their best?
• 🧘🏻‍♀️ Improved wellness, especially if you offer health and wellness incentives.
• 👏 Friendlier office teamwork, as many incentives can encourage cooperation and collaboration.
• ✅ Enhanced reputation, as employees rep the brand with a positive attitude.

Employee Incentive Programs For Work

Start planning your corporate incentive program using the ideas below, which cover both incentive program themes and also behaviors you want to encourage.

Whatever program you choose, don’t forget to keep it motivational by ensuring the incentive basis (e.g. perfect attendance) is achievable, and the incentive itself (e.g. a free vacation day) is desirable.

1) Offer Perks For Staying With The Company

What is it:

If you already have high employee satisfaction, adding rewards for those who achieve certain tenure benchmarks will drive your employee retention rates to lofty new heights.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Customized Benefits Packages: Tailor your perks to individual employee needs and preferences, like flexible work hours, remote work options, wellness programs, or continuing education opportunities.
• Recognition and Rewards: Implement an employee incentive plan that acknowledges employee loyalty and contributions by offering bonuses, milestone celebrations, or personalized recognition events.
• Exclusive Access and Discounts: Providing exclusive access to company events, products, or services, as well as discounts on various goods and services from partner organizations make great incentives for hitting those monumental milestones.

Community member Jessica McBride’s experience:

“We used Bonusly at my last full time position and I loved it, mostly because they had a great selection of gift cards, including Sephora. People seemed to be engaged and use it often, but you’ll definitely need to lead by example to get started.”

2) Incentivize Exemplary Teamwork And Helpfulness

What is it:

This program rewards employees who work so well with their teams, that they inspire everyone else to collaborate as well. These employees are always looking for ways to help others out. Offering this incentive might turn all your employees into team players.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Team Achievement Bonuses: Toss some extra cash or tangible rewards to the teams that kick butt together – those exhibiting top-notch teamwork and collaboration in knocking out projects or hitting goals.
• Peer-to-Peer Recognition Program: Set up a designated digital space where employees can give shoutouts to their coworkers in real-time for being great team players and lending a hand. Offer perks like gift cards, bonus PTO, or a big fat kudos in front of the whole crew.
• Team Building Activities: Plan fun team-building outings as a treat for the groups that demonstrate awesome teamwork and always have each other’s backs. This further reinforces those tight-knit bonds among colleagues.

Despite working remotely, the SnackNation marketing team played a virtual “Family Feud” game with hilarious results!

3) Offer Spot Awards

What is it:

Spot awards work almost like pop quizzes. You never know for sure when they’re coming, so it inspires you to always be on your best behavior. This incentive plan for employees also has an element of surprise that keeps your program dynamic, giving you the freedom to reward different behaviors and actions at different times.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Immediate Recognition: Providing on-the-spot bonuses or rewards for exceptional performance or contributions delivers an instant boost of recognition and motivation for your employees.
• Top Down Recognition: Give our managers full authority to dish out spot bonuses based on who’s crushing it with their hard work and awesome results.
• Peer Nominations: Give all your employees the ability to nominate each other for spot bonuses to show their appreciation for outstanding teamwork from their peers.

Community member Stephanie Stetson’s experience:

“We have “spot awards” and “star awards.” Spot awards are smaller in value (I think $100) for a job well done. Anyone can nominate anyone for that. Star Awards are nominated monthly by managers, get a write up in our company newsletter, and get a monetary prize plus stock. HR has the final say on all of them.”

4) Offer High-Quality Snacks and Beverages

What is it:

Elevate employee morale and well-being by providing an irresistible perk: top-notch snacks and beverages. Transform your office pantry into a haven of diverse, premium, and nutritious options. This considerate gesture showcases appreciation and nurtures a culture of care, potentially skyrocketing energy levels and job satisfaction.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Diverse Options: Stock the break room pantry with a nice variety of high-quality snacks and beverages. Be sure to consider different dietary preferences and tastes to ensure there’s a little something for everyone to enjoy.
• Fresh and Healthy Choices: Prioritizing fresh and healthy snack options like fresh fruits, nuts, and granola bars, along with drinks like fruit-infused water, herbal teas, and natural juices, supports your employees’ well-being from the inside out.
• Refresh and Rotate: Mindful snacks provide a welcomed treat for employees to refuel and stay energized throughout the day. Being consistent when restocking their snacks and beverages ensures freshness, variety, and availability.

The snack experts at SnackMagic offer a variety of in-office and work-from-home snack packs for any occasion.

LinkedIn member Shavanti Houchens’s shared their experiences with a company-wide Summer Snack Challenge:

5) Start An Eco-Friendly Incentive Program To Reduce Waste

What is it:

Consider offering eco-friendly employee rewards to employees who’ve made steps to reduce company waste or who participate in ride-sharing programs and other environmentally conscious decisions.

This program can lower costs and maybe even the company-wide carbon footprint while also caring for the environment your employees feel so passionately about protecting.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Waste Reduction Challenges: Start some challenges or friendly competitions between teams or departments to cut down on waste, with rewards for those who slash it the most or come up with innovative solutions.
• Eco-Friendly Initiatives: Roll out initiatives like recycling drives, energy-saving hacks, or a push for repurposing, and give props to the employees who jump in and make them happen.
• Volunteer Opportunities: Offer opportunities for employees to participate in environmental volunteer activities like beach clean-ups or tree planting, with incentives like extra time off or personalized recognition for their efforts in keeping our planet green.

Plan a week to cut down on your ecological footprint! You can try out:

• 🗑 “Limit Your Trash” Day in the office
• 🚗 “No Commute” WFH Day
• 🚰 “Reusable Water Bottle” Day
• 🚴🏼‍♂️ “Bike to Work” Day

6) Encourage Coworker Appreciation And Camaraderie

What is it:

An incentive program that rewards employees for appreciating and caring for their coworkers comes along with multiple benefits: enhanced retention, sky-high morale, and fruitful collaboration. A program like this may also spotlight employees who might feel left behind by performance-based incentives they find out of reach.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Peer Recognition Programs: Implement a peer-to-peer recognition program where employees can recognize their colleagues for their contributions, creating a culture of appreciation and a cycle of recognition.
• Team-Building Events: Organize regular team-building events or activities like group outings, sports tournaments, or volunteer projects to encourage team bonding and strengthen coworkers’ ties.
• Celebrate Milestones Together: Recognize and celebrate important milestones – both personal and professional – as a team. Birthdays, work anniversaries, and project successes all allow opportunities for connection and shared employee experiences.

Community member Angeline Marie’s experience:

“Within my organization, we have tackled employee engagement is a few different ways. First, we have an Employee Incentive Committee that meets monthly and plans the “fun” for the organization (we have a yearly summer picnic, holiday party, and other small events to boost morale). We have at least 1 representative from each department, resulting in approximately 20 people.”

7) Offer Sought-After Health And Wellness Incentives

What is it:

Reward employees for behaviors you appreciate with the health and wellness perks they want. These incentives could easily be part of a standard benefits package or reward system, but offering them instead on an incentive basis elevates their value and also inspires an above-and-beyond mentality.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Wellness Challenges: Organize wellness challenges focused on fitness, nutrition, or mental well-being, with incentives for achieving specific health goals or milestones.
• Gym Memberships or Fitness Classes: Provide a subsidy or reimbursement plan for the cost of gym memberships or fitness classes to encourage employees to stay active and prioritize their physical health.
• Wellness Days or Mental Health Resources: Offer additional paid wellness days off or access to mental health resources like professional counseling services or meditation apps to support employees’ overall well-being and stress management.

Jason Luc, an HR Strategist at DHL wanted to leverage technology for their wellness initiatives so they turned to YuMuuv.

Jason Luc’s experience: “We saw varying levels of participation across teams. For instance, our finance team opted for group walks, while warehouse employees were naturally more active. This shows the importance of customizing challenges to fit different team dynamics.”

8) Sweeten The Close Of Big Projects

What is it:

Team members may feel exhausted after a long project, especially if complex projects happen regularly. Offering incentives upon completion of a big task doesn’t just demonstrate your appreciation for the completed project; it also reminds employees of why they should be excited to dive into the next project.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Celebration Events: Party Time! Throw a big bash or schedule a team hangout to celebrate closing those major projects, giving everyone a chance to kick back, relax, and bond in a more casual setting.
• Performance Bonuses: Show a little extra appreciation for their hustle and dedication. Toss some extra cash or rewards to the MVPs who really rocked out and played crucial roles in getting those big projects across the finish line.
• Skill Building: Offer your team members opportunities for skill-building or career growth, like workshops or conferences. These are great rewards for helping crush those major projects and give employees a chance to advance their careers even further.

LinkedIn member Scot Chisholm shared his thoughts on performance bonuses at work:

9) Tell Them You Trust Them To Represent Your Brand

What is it:

Give your top performers company swag and you’ll not only keep them feeling appreciated, but you’ll also be creating brand evangelists that will talk up your company and solidify your reputation.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Empower with Responsibility: Assign employees tasks that involve representing the brand outside the organization. Trusting them to attend industry events or interact with big clients demonstrates your confidence in their abilities to uphold the brand image.
• Open Communication: Have open conversations with your employees about the importance of their role in representing the brand. Express confidence in their judgment and decision-making when interacting with stakeholders so they know you truly believe in their abilities.
• Provide Training and Resources: Offer training sessions or resources on brand values, messaging, and communication guidelines to be sure employees feel fully secure and equipped to represent the brand in a positive light.

LinkedIn member Matt Reiner’s shared his favorite piece of swag from his company:

*Editor’s Note: Combining the construction of a Yeti tumbler with the caffeine goodness of coffee is also my choice.

10) Upgrade Their Workspace

What is it:

Creating an exceptional workspace for employees is a purposeful incentive that aims to boost morale and productivity by making the physical work environment more comfortable, pleasant, and soothing.

This includes incorporating ergonomic office furniture, state-of-the-art tech gadgets, and personalized decor elements. By providing a comfortable and visually appealing workspace, you can uplift employee spirits and demonstrate your unwavering commitment to their well-being.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Personalized Workspace: Allow employees to customize their workspace with upgrades like ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, or other decor that reflects their personal interests and personality.
• Technology Upgrades: Provide employees with access to the latest technology and equipment like high-quality monitors, ergonomic keyboards, or noise-canceling headphones to enhance their productivity and all-day comfort.
• Collaborative Spaces: Create designated areas for collaboration and brainstorming, rigged with tools like whiteboards, comfortable seating, and interactive displays to encourage teamwork and creativity. Depending on your company’s remote work policy, these could be physical conference rooms, virtual platforms, or both to ensure 360° communication.

Matthew Carlson, Design Director at Adobe, shared his team’s workshop with their collaborative space in the office. According to Carlson,

“Going to the whiteboard is an excellent way to capture people’s attention, re-focus the meeting and guide the conversation to more productive outcomes.”

11) Vacation & Travel Incentives

What is it:

Rewarding employees for exceptional performance with vacation and travel incentives is an incredibly motivating strategy.

These incentives can range from exciting trips to paid vacation time or travel vouchers. Offering employees the chance to unwind and recharge, this type of incentive boosts satisfaction and builds loyalty to the company.

It’s a win-win situation that acknowledges outstanding performance and promotes a positive work-life balance, creating a more vibrant and engaged workforce.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Travel Vouchers or Gift Cards: These can be used towards flights, accommodations, or experiences, giving employees the flexibility to plan their dream vacations without having to bear the full financial burden.
• Paid Time Off: Additional time off work is a big help when it comes to avoiding burnout. This incentive gives your employees full permission to take extended breaks to relax, recharge, and explore new destinations, without worrying about their paychecks taking a hit.
• Travel Contests or Rewards: Organize travel-related contests or challenges where employees can earn rewards like free vacations, trip upgrades, or travel accessories by reaching specific goals or milestones.

SnackNation’s Summer Off-Site in Malibu, CA

12) Reward Your Early Birds

What is it:

The employees who always show up first are often the most motivated and enthusiastic ones—key contributors to your company goals. Inspire them to keep up their go-getting attitude with a reward program that proves you notice and appreciate their efforts.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Flexible Schedule: Allow your early birds to adjust their work hours to better suit their needs, like starting and finishing work earlier, providing them with more autonomy and work-life balance.
• Appreciation: Publicly acknowledge and praise your employees who consistently show up early and truly demonstrate their commitment to their team. This will also encourage a culture where punctuality is noticed and celebrated.
• Early Bird Perks: Offer special perks exclusively to employees who consistently arrive early – preferred parking spots, access to premium workspace amenities, or extended lunches on certain days are all great options they’re sure to appreciate.

Community member Molly Arya’s experience:

“My old job had so much flexibility in what hours you work and working from home. It was SO helpful in keeping up with other priorities in my life besides work.”

13) Provide Professional Development Opportunities

What is it:

Inspire employees to do good work by offering incentives in the form of development opportunities they need to do even better work. Employees want professional development; 92% of one survey’s respondents ranked professional development just under compensation in terms of importance.

By offering this incentive, you encourage a cycle of constantly improving work that feeds long-term success.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Training Workshops: Organize workshops or seminars led by industry experts to provide employees with hands-on learning experiences and practical skills relevant to their roles or their future goals.
• Online Courses: Offer access to online learning platforms or subscription services where employees can enroll in courses, webinars, or tutorials to advance their knowledge and expertise in specific areas.
• Mentorship Programs: Pair employees with experienced mentors within the organization who can provide guidance, support, and personalized development opportunities to help them grow and advance into their dream careers.

Tip! In a recent poll from LinkedIn, mentoring and coaching were the preferred PD opportunities for respondents.

14) Support Causes And Charities

What is it:

People love helping others. By offering incentives that benefit charities or causes, you could potentially boost employee performance by more than you would by offering individual rewards. Employees will fight to earn support for causes they believe in, and they’ll never once feel greedy for striving to earn rewards.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Volunteer Opportunities: Organize volunteer events or initiatives where employees can donate their time and skills to support causes and charities that align with the company’s core values and mission.
• Donation Matching: Implement a donation matching program where the company matches employee donations to eligible charities or nonprofit organizations, doubling the impact of their involvement.
• Cause Awareness Campaigns: Launch awareness campaigns or fundraising events to educate employees about important social or environmental issues, and encourage collective team action to support related causes and charities.

Company Spotlight: SnackNation

A part of the SnackNation team volunteered at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank — a member of Feeding America — sorting food, packing boxes and making a difference for people in need.

15) Fill Their Pockets

What is it:

Monetary rewards may be the most fluid, one-size-fits-all incentives to offer employees. With this program, the beneficiaries receive something you know they want and can use, whether you’re offering sales incentives, trying profit sharing to incentivize profitability-based performance metrics, or giving referral bonuses for people who bring quality job candidates into your company.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Performance Bonuses: Rewarding employees with cash bonuses for reaching individual or team goals is a great performance-based incentive that keeps them striving to raise the bar.
• Profit Sharing: Profit-sharing opportunities give employees a percentage of the company’s profits or stock options as an additional form of compensation. This incentive idea also aligns their interests with the success of the business and allows them to invest in the organization from multiple angles.
• Referral Bonuses: A referral bonus program rewards employees for referring qualified applicants who are then hired by the company. With this reward in place, you’re actually incentivizing your employees to help with talent acquisition and giving them a solid say in who they work with.

Anna Papalia, CEO of ShiftProfile, an interviewing consultancy, said that in her career as an HR and staffing consultant, she relied on employee referrals.

“We relied heavily on a generous employee referral program and leveraging our internal networks. I believe one of the best and most reliable talent pipelines is a referral program.”

Additionally, a survey of 353 recruitment professionals by Clutch revealed,

16) Make Commuting Less Painful For Them

What is it:

Offer commuting benefits and stipends to encourage anything from participation in training to chairing a committee. Plus, by making employees’ commutes better, you put them in the right state of mind to have great work days.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Transportation Subsidies: Offer financial assistance or subsidies for public transportation passes, rideshare services, or parking fees to help offset commuting costs for employees.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Design some flexible options like remote work opportunities, condensed workweeks, or flexible start and end times, to give employees more control over their commuting schedules.
• Commuter Benefits: Partner with commuter programs to offer perks like pre-tax commuter benefits, bike-sharing memberships, or incentives for carpooling or cycling to work, making commuting more convenient and affordable all around.

Company Spotlight: ZipRecruiter

To combat high parking prices in Santa Monica, ZipRecruiter instituted a commuter benefit program that incentivizes employees to walk, bike, carpool and even take the metro into work. Talk about a win-win for both the company and the employees!

17) Show You Value Perfect Attendance

What is it:

This corporate incentive program celebrates employees who always show up with a smile. Give them the appreciation and motivation they need to keep up their reliable work with non-monetary incentives designed with them in mind.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Attendance Bonuses: Present monetary bonuses or rewards to employees with perfect attendance to offer tangible recognition for their ongoing commitment and unwavering reliability.
• Employee Recognition Programs: Reinforce the importance of attendance to the whole team by implementing a recognition program to publicly acknowledge employees with perfect attendance through announcements, certificates, or awards ceremonies.
• Extra Paid Time Off: Recognize their dedication to the organization while giving employees time to enjoy well-deserved breaks by offering additional vacation days as a reward for upholding their perfect attendance record.

18) Give Them An Extra Reason To Meet Quarterly Goals

What is it:

Celebrate the hard work of your sales team or acknowledge the long hours your marketing team put in by offering incentives to layer on to the already satisfying accomplishment of meeting quarterly goals. Employees’ goal success rate could go up, which spells growth and success for your company.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Performance Rewards: Provide tangible recognition of their efforts by offering financial bonuses or non-monetary incentives like a red carpet awards ceremony to employees who successfully meet or exceed their quarterly goals.
• Recognition Program: Establish a system to recognize your top performers who meet their quarterly goals. Options like public praise, customized certificates, or rewards like gift cards and additional time off can ensure your message of appreciation is well received.
• Growth Opportunities: Avenues for professional development or career advancement make great incentives for meeting quarterly benchmarks. Offering employees exclusive access to training workshops, conferences, or mentorship programs fosters continuous growth and progress from within the organizational family.

19) Let Them Earn Creative Honors And Bragging Rights

What is it:

This program idea offers incentives based on creative output. For example, small businesses with no creative agency might offer incentives for the in-house employee who names a new product. Even large business owners might consider holding contests to seek solutions for important initiatives or pressing problems.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Creative Challenges: Organize competitions or challenges that allow employees to showcase their creativity. Maybe a logo design contest or innovative new project pitch, complete with recognition and rewards for the chosen winners.
• Recognition Platforms: Choose from one of the countless platforms available where employees can publicly showcase and share their creative work. This could be an internal social media platform or a designated software that allows them to earn recognition from their peers.
• Creative Awards: Establish categories like “Most Creative Idea” or “Outstanding New Innovation.” Then recognize them for their creative submissions with an awards program to formally celebrate your employees’ creative achievements.

20) Acknowledge Time Well Spent With Time Off

What is it:

Most employees value work-life balance, even considering it an important factor in their job choices. Many employees will even front extra work hours if there’s a chance to get some of it back down the road. Inspire employees to go above and beyond by offering them time to rest and rebalance afterward.

🏆 Top features of this incentive program:

• Flexible Time Off: A flex-time policy allows employees to take time off as needed without strict limitations. This builds trust in your workforce and promotes that must-have work-life balance.
• Bonus Vacation Days: Rewarding employees with additional vacation days based on their years of service or outstanding performance gives them extra time to relax, recharge, and enjoy some personal leisure time.
• Recognition and Appreciation: Publicly acknowledge your top talents who repeatedly and consistently demonstrate their commitment to the organization. Try giving them spontaneous shoutouts or early dismissal on Fridays once a month to show that you appreciate their ongoing top-notch energy.

Top 5 Best Incentive Reward Programs

Reward programs offer a well-structured system to motivate and acknowledge employees for their accomplishments, fostering heightened engagement and productivity.

These programs, often managed through specialized software platforms, ensure consistent distribution of rewards. By utilizing a dedicated platform, organizations can tailor their rewards process to align with their core values and leverage analytics to measure the program’s impact.

This comprehensive approach optimizes the administration and tracking of employee incentives and skyrockets the overall effectiveness of your employee rewards program.

1 Nectar

Best Incentive Reward Program for: Launching challenges to incentivize healthy behaviors and teamwork

Leverage Nectar to foster a culture that people are reluctant to part ways with. Acknowledge exceptional work, enhance employee engagement, uphold core values, and provide rewards ─ all through a user-friendly platform for employee recognition.

Why we live this incentive program for employees: Nectar empowers managers and employees to acknowledge and celebrate outstanding work by sending heartfelt shoutouts throughout the day. This employee rewards software helps operationalize your core values, making them an integral part of your company’s DNA. Additionally, NectarHR incentivizes regular recognition with Nectar points, which can be redeemed for meaningful rewards.

Notable companies using Nectar:

• Redfin
• Heineken
• Golden State Warriors

Cultivate a positive company culture with Nectar!

2 Bonusly

Best Incentive Reward Program for: Encouraging peer-to-peer recognition through points

Cheers to camaraderie, productivity, engagement, and a workplace full of recognition and gratitude. Nurture a positive work culture with Bonusly’s peer-to-peer recognition platform, which provides valuable rewards and delivers them promptly.

Why we love this incentive program for employees: Bonusly’s people analytics dashboard provides a way to gain instant insights into recognition trends within your team. With instant visibility, you can effortlessly track connections, participation trends, and recognition frequency across your entire company.

Notable companies using Bonusly:

• ZipRecruiter
• Wrike
• 1Password

Recognize your employees with Bonusly!

3 Motivosity

Best Incentive Reward Program for: Offering employee spending cards and lifestyle benefits

Enhance employee retention with Motivosity and provide an unforgettable employee experience. While employee experience can vary, Motivosity empowers you to create meaningful moments for every team member, regardless of their stage in the journey. Be the highlight of your employees’ careers with Motivosity.

Why we love this incentive program for employees: Motivosity offers unparalleled flexibility for enjoying employee rewards. While gifts and rewards are crucial to the employee experience, this incentive software is built to empower your team to choose how they are rewarded. With the ThanksMatters Card, employees have complete freedom to decide what brings them the most joy and satisfaction.

Notable companies using Motivosity:

• Toyota
• SalesRabbit
• Smoothie King

Strike the perfect work-life balance for your employees with Motivosity!

4 Bucketlist

Best Incentive Reward Program for: Setting up weekend incentives outside of work

Retain your valuable talent by offering highly personalized recognition and rewards through Bucketlist. Empower your team to acknowledge each other’s achievements, milestones, and exceptional performance with this user-friendly software.

Why we live this incentive program for employees: Through BucketList, you can unlock the potential of unique company rewards, such as an exclusive undercover parking spot or a company car for a month. Explore its extensive selection of gift cards and choose from a wide variety of experiences in your city or anywhere around the globe.

Notable companies using Bucketlist:

• Chick-fil-A
• Stamford Health
• Berkeley Lab

Incentivize your team with Bucketlist!

5 WorkTango

Best Incentive Reward Program for: Providing digital rewards

WorkTango is an incentive reward platform designed to help you inspire, engage, and retain your employees.

Through WorkTango’s all-in-one employee experience solution, you can discover employee surveys, insights, employee rewards and recognition, along with goals and feedback channels.

Why we love this incentive program for employees: WorkTango’s platform for employee recognition, incentives, and rewards is designed to enhance company culture, foster alignment, and cultivate a sense of value and inspiration among employees. With employee surveys and insights, WorkTango promotes genuine employee engagement by transforming feedback into meaningful conversations and actionable steps. Leverage real-time dashboards and analytics to gain a deeper understanding of employee sentiment and can take proactive measures.

Notable companies using WorkTango:

• DoorDash
• Accruent
• Allianz

Enhance your employee experience with WorkTango!

How To Set Up An Employee Incentive Program

Now that we know how employee incentive programs work and how versatile and effective they can be, it’s time to get yours in order. Let’s break it down step by step.

1) Understand Your Workforce

First things first, you have to know your people. Take the time to understand what makes your team tick by sending out a company-wide employee survey.

What motivates them? What gets them excited?

Is it monetary rewards, public recognition, extra PTO, professional development opportunities, or something else entirely? Get a pulse on their preferences so you can tailor your incentives to what resonates most with them.

2) Create a Rewards Catalog

Once you’ve done your recon screenings and have a handle on what drives your team, it’s time to brainstorm some killer rewards.

Think outside the box here. Sure, cash bonuses are great, but consider mixing it up with experiences, recognition, or other non-monetary perks that make your team feel valued and appreciated. Maybe it’s tickets to a concert, a day spa, or even a day off to volunteer for a cause they’re passionate about. Bottom line – get creative and make it memorable!

3) Inform Your Organization

Now, it’s time to lay down the rules. Your program needs to be crystal clear and easy to understand. Nobody has the time or patience for confusion or ambiguity.

Clearly outline the objectives, eligibility criteria, and how rewards will be earned and distributed. Keep it simple and straightforward so everyone knows what’s expected.

Communication is key throughout this entire process. You’ll need to get the word out and keep employees in the loop every step of the way.

Use all the channels at your disposal – team meetings, emails, Slack, whatever works best for your organization. Make sure everyone understands the program and feels excited to participate.

4) Solicit Feedback

But remember, it’s not just about talking – it’s also about listening. Get feedback from your team along the way. Find out what’s working, what’s not, and how you can improve. Be open to making adjustments as needed to keep the program fresh and relevant.

5) Build Excitement

Now, it’s time to launch your incentive program with enthusiasm and fanfare.🎉 Make it a big deal! Get everyone excited and pumped up to start earning those rewards. And once it’s up and running, keep the momentum going.

Keep the excitement alive with regular updates, shoutouts for winners, and maybe even some surprise rewards to keep employees engaged.

6) Celebrate Wins

And finally, don’t forget to celebrate those wins! 🍾 Your metrics will show when your team hits their goals and crushes it out of the park, so make sure they know how much you appreciate their hard work.

Throw a party, give ’em high-fives, or whatever floats their boat. Just make sure they feel recognized and valued for their efforts.

In the end, the benefits of employee incentive programs are endless. But it’s really all about fostering a company culture of recognition, motivation, and success within your organization.

With a little planning, creativity, and enthusiasm, you’ll have your team firing on all cylinders and achieving maximum greatness in no time. But be sure to bookmark this page in case you need to refer back for more fabulous employee incentive ideas once you get the ball rolling!

Types of Employee Incentives

Employee incentives are a great way to motivate and reward employee performance, boost morale, and promote employee retention. Employee incentive programs come in many different shapes and sizes, often tailored to meet the specific needs of each organization or employee group.

1 – Monetary Incentives

Monetary incentives are the most common employee incentive program and can include bonuses, raises, employee discounts, reimbursement of employee expenses, and other monetary rewards.

These types of employee incentives can be both immediate (such as a bonus for completing a project on time) or ongoing (such as quarterly bonuses).

Why this employee incentive works: Monetary incentives offer employees a tangible appreciation of their efforts and successes, acting as an influential motivator in the workplace.

2 – Non-monetary Incentives

Non-monetary incentives are rewards that don’t involve money, like a gift card for completing an assignment ahead of time or extra vacation days each week.

These rewards can have powerful and far-reaching effects on employee morale and productivity. Whether it’s an immediate reward to recognize hard work right away or something more long-term such as flexible hours or the ability to work from home, non-monetary incentives are invaluable tools in motivating employees.

Why this employee incentive works: Celebrating employee accomplishments with non-monetary incentives is an affordable way to recognize them for all of their hard work, commitment, and achievements.

3 – Experiential Incentives

Experiential employee incentives are rewards that involve activities or experiences such as a team outing, a movie night, or special training.

These types of employee incentives are often designed to encourage employee connections, foster team-building skills, increase employee engagement, and reward employees in a unique way that goes beyond simple monetary rewards.

Why this employee incentive works: Experiential incentives give employees the chance to take a break from their regular responsibilities, form connections with one another and gain insight into the company’s culture and initiatives.

4 – Goal-based Incentives

Goal-oriented employee incentives provide an attractive reward for surpassing or meeting specific objectives.

This type of incentive program is not only a fantastic way to recognize and motivate employees, but can also be instrumental in fostering collaboration among teams. Goals could incorporate anything from productivity, client satisfaction, sales goals, or virtually any other metric that you choose to measure.

Why this employee incentive works: Goal-based employee incentives are effective because they provide a clear target for employees to strive towards and offer immediate recognition when the goal is achieved.

5 – Lifestyle Benefits

Lifestyle incentives are rewarding benefits and bonuses that far exceed the typical incentive plans.

Consists of discounted gym memberships, flexible schedules, or access to services like child care and pet care. Not only do these types of employee incentives heighten job satisfaction, but they also make employees’ daily lives easier – making a tangible impact on their well-being.

Why this employee incentive works: Lifestyle benefits provide employees with additional resources and flexibility, empowering them to manage their personal lives and make the most of their time.

6 – Social Responsibility Incentives

Creating a social responsibility incentive is an effective way to show appreciation for those who dedicate their time and energy to doing good in the community.

Such incentives may include volunteer programs, educational endeavors, or charitable donations; thereby recognizing and rewarding employees for participating in worthwhile causes that improve lives.

Why this employee incentive works: Social employee incentives are powerful tools in motivating employees to contribute to their community.

People Also Ask These Questions About Employee Incentive Programs

Q: How do I create an employee incentive program?

• A: Create an employee incentive program by:
  • Identifying an incentive angle that benefits employees and the company
  • Developing a long-term implementation and promotion plan
  • Identifying and tracking performance metrics after launch
  • Using data to optimize your programs
  • Get started with step one by checking out these incentive angles and implementation resources.

Q: What kind of incentive programs can I use to motivate employees?

• A: You can use performance, creative, and attendance-based incentive programs to motivate employees. Whatever style of incentive program you choose, you can keep it motivational by ensuring the incentive basis (e.g. perfect attendance) is achievable and the incentive itself (e.g. a free vacation day) is desirable.

Q: Why do incentive programs work?

• A: Incentive programs work because they’re mutually beneficial, giving both employees and employers something they want or need.

Q: What are some employee incentive examples?

• A: Some employee incentive examples include providing retirement stipends for employees who achieve specified tenure benchmarks or planning a happy hour to celebrate the close of a long project.

Q: Do employee incentive programs work?

• A: It depends! Employee incentive programs work when they’ve been thoughtfully developed and monitored. For example, one study found that a program specifically designed to address one company’s unique needs nearly doubled its positive performance reporting. On the other hand, a different study found that blindly doling out cash rewards had no impact on performance. Designing an employee performance incentive program should take your company culture and working environment into account.

Q: What are some creative incentives for employees?

• A: Between monetary incentives, non-monetary incentives, and goal-based incentives, there is no shortage of strategies to encourage your employees to work harder. In this guide, we aim to break down the different types of incentives for employees to make it easier for you to build the best incentive program for your organization.

Q: Where can I find new employee incentive ideas to try?

• A: The team at SnackNation collaborated directly with several HR departments to find out which kinds of employee incentives succeed in this new age of work. With employees working in office, remotely, at home, and everything in between, your employee incentive ideas should reflect this flexibility. Finally, don’t forget to ask your employees themselves what kinds of performance incentive programs would motivate them. After all, they’re the ones who will be participating in the program, so they’re the best people to ask!