Used to be that year-end bonuses were pretty much a lock for most workers. Not any more.
Corporate America has moved away from bonuses in recent years and 2011 will be no different.
In a recent survey by the global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 43 percent of HR executives said their companies do not hand out bonuses. That’s a big jump from 2007 when only 28 percent of companies did not give holiday bonuses.
Of the companies that do award year-end bonuses, half give non-monetary gifts or a monetary award of less than $100, the survey found.
The weak economy has contributed to the shift away from holiday bonuses, but there are other reasons, too, CEO John A. Challenger, said in a news release.
“In addition, some companies may have found that year-end bonuses are not the morale boosters they once were and that there are more effective ways to reward high-performers, while increasing the morale and loyalty of all employees. In many companies, year-round efforts may have replaced the end-of-the year gesture,” Challenger said.
Personally, I think year-end bonuses are a big morale booster. Who couldn’t use a little extra cash during the holidays?
Rant$ and Rave$ video bonus: Jelly of the Month scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation