Incentives and recognition: An evidence review

Employers should not overlook incentives or recognition in seeking ways to motivate staff and boost performance. On the contrary, they should set up systems that make the most of them and actively encourage managers and colleagues throughout the organisation to ‘share the love’.

The overriding principles to follow in this can be summarised as:  

1. Design rewards that reflect the reality of the individual jobs and teams in which they are given. 
2. Link rewards clearly and consistently to performance.  
3. Make sure that reward schemes and how they are administered are seen as fair. 

See the practice summary for the main insights and practical recommendations for action. 

See the scientific summary for our methodology and technical information on the research and study references.