Categories:Staff Motivation  The merits of benefits versus cash
incentives  Case studies: SAP, Nike  Article in full  When
trying to motivate staff to achieve particular goals employers
can use a number of incentives, ranging from bottles of wine and
weekends away to cold hard cash. But it's tricky to decide
whether a cash incentive scheme or non-cash benefits are most
appropriate, especially when there are compelling arguments for
both. And while you might think that asking employees what they
prefer is a good strategy, this will not always help. Mike
Davies, director of performance improvement at communication and
motivation firm BI, explains: "If you were to ask employees what
they want, their stated preference would always be cash."
However, just because employees say they want extra money, this
does not mean it will always be the most motivational option.
"Cash is a hygiene factor, not a motivator. It is something that
you need, but it is the kind of thing that stops you leaving
your job, rather than ma