Some top Fortune 500 businesses know that cool perks can actually cause results! Your productivity soars when you get some creative bonuses, a slice of the profits – plus the freedom to work on your own schedule.
A happy team also means better work and less turnover too.
You’ll want to get started with their pay packages, work-from-home policies, and growth opportunities. Businesses combine these perks in different ways that match what you want – they create real changes that last.
If you’re ready to find which businesses can give you some of the best opportunities, let’s get started. When you look at these fun perks, they could change your work life forever!
Why Incentive Programs Matter
You want to build up a fun workplace where your employees can feel liked and motivated. When people love their jobs, they might stay longer and do their best work!
Your team’s mood can sometimes turn sour faster when you don’t show enough appreciation. When your employees don’t feel appreciated, they’ll start looking for new jobs, and their performance could tank.
Soon enough, the office feels tense and uncomfortable. Bad attitudes spread faster through your workplace – pretty soon, the whole team is going through the motions. Businesses check these out, too – that’s why they put their money into keeping their teams happy.
The numbers back this up in a real way. The successful businesses give their staff extra cash specifically meant for taking vacations. That way, your people will actually take some breaks to rest and recharge.
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Your employees are way more likely to stick with you when you recognize their hard work (56% more likely to be exact). Plus, you’ll save money on hiring and training new people. The rewards don’t stop there. Employees who get regular recognition are 73% less burnt out at work.
Creative businesses come up with all kinds of interesting ways to reward their teams. At Zappos, when you stand out, employees get the best parking places and “Zollars” they can trade for rewards. Unilever runs this online system just to track and give employee rewards.
These businesses go all out with yearly ceremonies to celebrate their star performers. Your employees will jump at the chance to bring fresh ideas when they know someone’s paying attention. They take real pride in what they do because they actively connect with their work.
A recognition program might teach your team how their rewards connect to company goals. Your people will see how their work fits into the bigger picture. Once your employees see how their work drives company success, they’ll naturally push themselves toward excellence.
Google And Cisco Incentives
Tech giants like Google and Cisco are leading the way in employee perks. You might see some big changes in how modern workplaces run, especially since the pandemic shook everything up!
You can get a full day each week at Google to work on your own creative projects through their “20% time” policy. This cool perk has actually sparked some of their biggest innovations, like Gmail and Google News. Your health is a top priority, too – you can check out their on-site gyms and medical clinics whenever you need them.
Cisco takes care of its people in their own way. Your coworkers can actually give you rewards through the Cisco Connected Recognition program, which uses 1% of the company’s payroll. They also give you paid days off for your birthday and mental health because they understand how much your personal life matters. These businesses are flexible with how you work, too.
At Google, you’ll usually spend three days at the office and work from home for the other two. If you want to work remotely for a while, no problem – you can do that for as much as four weeks each year. Workers say they’re eating better and working out more now because they can plan their day around what works best for them.
These flexible work arrangements make a real difference in people’s finances. Just think about it – Cisco employees are putting an extra $8,000 in their pockets yearly just from spending less time on the road.
These businesses know that their care for their people could pay off big. At Google, then, you’ll rake in competitive pay, regular bonuses, stock refreshes, and decent retirement plans. They’ll even help you to help with those student loans and hook you up with a personal money coach to get your finances in order.
Your emotional well-being and your bank account matter. These businesses give you wellness programs and support services whenever you need them. Cisco’s hybrid setup has actually brought their teams closer than ever. At Google, you can even work from different locations around the world through their mobility program.
Salesforce And Performance Growth
Your hard work at Salesforce likely won’t go unnoticed! The company’s advanced reward system increased its revenue by 24% last year to a whopping $31 billion. This proves they know how to keep their team fired up and ready to succeed.
You can get different extras based on your position at Salesforce. If you’re a sales development rep, then you might earn extra cash when you book more meetings than expected.
If you’re working as an account executive, then you could rake in extra rewards whenever you crush your monthly sales targets.
Salesforce brings the team together to create real magic. They make sure everyone who helped land a deal gets their fair share of the rewards, too – this move could turn your coworkers into your biggest supporters.
Salesforce also rewards you for the ways you contribute to your sales success through its omnichannel incentives program. You didn’t close the deal yourself – but your research and customer support made it happen. So, you might still get recognized and rewarded for your work.
Their V2MOM system leaves almost nothing to chance. You’ll always know what you need to earn those sweet rewards. No more worrying about your targets or feeling lost about your next move (everything is crystal clear, like your path to success).
These nice strategies have launched Salesforce into the stratosphere. A jaw-dropping 90% of Fortune 500 businesses now largely depend on their services. The company has shot up more than 50 spaces in the Fortune 500 rankings to number 137. They’re dominating the CRM market with a massive 21.7% share.
HP And Apple Compensation Strategies
Fortune 500 businesses step up their game with creative employee perks! Tech giants like HP and Apple lead the way by bringing fresh ideas to their teams, happy and involved at work.
HP has rolled out a lineup of virtual perks for its team. You can start weekend dance parties with your colleagues right from your living room.
The company could also hook you up with online cooking classes taught by professional and Michelin-starred chefs. If you’re a parent at HP, life has just become a whole lot easier.
Your kids can now have access to nice tutoring services for their virtual learning or homeschooling needs. That means you can work while your children receive the educational support they deserve.
Apple uses a different strategy to reward its star players. Their talented engineers can score stock bonuses that might increase to $200,000. Since these stock units are spread out over four years, you’ll have reasons to stay with the company.
Apple’s generous rewards package doesn’t end there. Throughout your time at the company, you’ll find opportunities to earn cash bonuses based on your performance. If you’re crushing it, you might even land stock refreshers that match your base pay. These extra shares also vest over a four-year period.
Everyone finds joy in different parts of their work life. Maybe you’re an engineer who gets fired up about stock options or a parent who appreciates extra childcare support and schedule flexibility. Businesses know this and can give you a combination of perks that satisfy all sorts of needs. Modern businesses are changing fast to meet these workplace expectations. The competition for tech talent has never been more intense (especially now). Businesses like HP and Apple realize that real perks are a big part of bringing in the best people.
The Themes In Recognition
Fortune 500 businesses can change how their teams and leaders connect with each other. American Express leads the way, too, when it shows other businesses how to make their people happy and healthy in some fun ways!
American Express has set up 24 wellness centers across 12 different locations. You don’t have to spend a single penny to use them – that’s how much they care about their employees’ well-being. You can also get free private counseling sessions whenever life throws you a curveball.
Their telehealth services let you talk with doctors right from your living room. You can take care of your health without the challenge of juggling your busy schedule.
American Express breaks down those old-school corporate barriers. You can grab a coffee and talk with the big bosses in a very casual way. Your thoughts and problems go straight to the people who can actually make positive changes happen.
Qualcomm has their own nice way to make their team happy. When you join their stock program, you could become an actual owner of the company. This move gets employees thinking like business owners instead of just workers.
Sometimes, the best morale boosters don’t cost anything at all. A sincere and personal note from your manager might brighten your day. When leaders take time to mentor you and give regular feedback, it can optimize your career in real ways.
Businesses now realize that they can’t get away with half-baked employee programs anymore. Their people can find these artificial wellness initiatives or recognition programs. Businesses customize their offers to what their teams might want. Always checking in and changing programs based on what employees actually say they need.
Remote Work
The biggest businesses in America are completely changing how they treat their employees with some innovative perks!
COVID-19 has changed the way we think about work. Businesses like Adobe and Siemens give you more freedom to choose how and where you want to get your work done. Some teams need to come to the office only a few times each week, while others may be allowed to work from home full-time.
Cisco goes above and beyond. They’ll give you extra time off for volunteer work and might even throw in a bonus vacation day for your birthday. Amazon also wants to help you grow in your career. Through their Amazon Career Choice program, they’ll pay for most of your education costs when you choose to learn something new.
These businesses are pretty creative with their perk options. At Google, you can grab a quick snooze in one of their sleeping pods when you hit that afternoon energy crash. Some offices have childcare centers right in the building. Others let you take yoga classes or find some quiet time in meditation rooms just steps from your desk.
Modern businesses now give you free counseling sessions and apps to support your mental health. Your bosses get training, too, so they can find these signs when someone on the team could be struggling. Over at IBM, teams could work together to create schedules that fit everyone’s life outside of work.
UnitedHealth Group and CVS Health get you excited about staying healthy with items like personal wellness coaches and fun fitness challenges. At Progressive and Nationwide, you can use accounts to pay for essentials – like your gym membership or classes that help you manage stress better.
These fun and fresh perks are helping businesses draw the most talented people out there. You’ll feel supported in handling your work and personal life, which naturally makes you want to give your absolute best at work!
Performance-Based Incentives
Your team’s performance could skyrocket when you can give them the right incentives. When you put together a thoughtful bonus program, your employees will probably work harder and stay longer. Salesforce works as a perfect example of what might usually happen when you nail your reward strategy!
Salesforce helps their sales teams with rewards for landing deals. Because they look closer at opportunities that move the needle for business growth – they’ve seen their team’s productivity jump by 25%.
At Starbucks, the bonus story plays out differently. Your bonus check size rides the waves of company performance – that means even top performers might see smaller payouts when the business hits a rough patch. Their office staff got hit with bonuses at only 60% of what they expected.
But watch out – bonus programs can stir up some tension in your workplace. When people have their own bonus targets, they might stop lending a hand to their teammates.
That’s where Google got creative. They let their people spend 20% of their time on whatever innovative ideas pop into their heads – this freedom to experiment brought tools like Gmail. People could crush their regular work because they’re energized from working on new projects they’re passionate about.
Tech makes tracking and handing out bonuses much easier now. Your team members can pull up their commission earnings whenever they want. Everyone can stay excited and crystal clear about their payments. About a third of successful businesses could depend on software to run their incentive programs.
Cash isn’t the only way to make your team’s motivation better. Look at Salesforce – they add extras like sending people on trips and helping them level up their skills. These thoughtful extras have shot employee happiness up by around 27%. When your people feel appreciated and happy, they may pour their hearts into their work and stay longer.
Fortune 500 businesses have cracked the code with their incentive programs. Their employees crush their goals and legitimately like coming to work. These businesses save big on recruiting because their latest employees want to stay put. Reward programs may cut employee turnover in half!
Level Up Your Incentives and Rewards
An easy “thank you” note to your employees might create ripples throughout your company! Your words of appreciation can light up someone’s day and show them they’re liked.
The actual meaning behind your rewards matters just as much as the incentives you give out. Your benefits and reward programs tell a clear story about your company’s core beliefs. You’ll need to link every incentive back to your organization’s purposes.
When you make employee appreciation a natural and regular part of work life, your team could get more fired up about their jobs, too.
Success can naturally follow when your reward systems run. You should start to track where you’re investing these resources. When you reward behaviors that fuel company growth, then you’ll stay away from falling into the trap of short-term incentives that fizzle out faster.
At Level 6, we partner with businesses to build reward programs that may drive real results. Our expertise helps strengthen your business through proven employee incentives.
Your company deserves customized services that match your preferences, from branded debit cards to employee recognition programs and sales incentives. Our customized strategy might generate proven results that better your bottom line and better sales. If you’re ready to see it in action, schedule your free demo!
Claudine is the Chief Relationship Officer at Level 6. She holds a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology. Her experience includes working as a certified conflict mediator for the United States Postal Service, a human performance analyst for Accenture, an Academic Dean, and a College Director. She is currently an adjunct Professor of Psychology at Southern New Hampshire University. With over 20 years of experience, she joined Level 6 to guide clients seeking effective ways to change behavior and, ultimately, their bottom line.
