Free cinema tickets, shopping vouchers, domestic help - perks are becoming more imaginative - but do they increase loyalty and improve performance? Jenny Hirschkorn reports This article questions whether incentives such as family-friendly policies, flexible benefits 'menus' or benefits designed to improve quality of life are just a management fad or really do boost staff commitment. The article quotes SKAI Associates' Kate Lidbetter who questions whether "lifestyle" benefits are effective in generating better performance and increased loyalty and believes they may encourage people to stay in jobs for the wrong reasons. "If all that is tying them to their job is their benefits package, the result can be some very stressed and demotivated staff." In the article, Kate cites a Mori survey that showed people would prefer an employer who provided time, money and support for training rather than one who placed the emphasis on financial incentives. |
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