Human resource professionals widely recognize the need to identify and recruit exceptional job candidates and describe the challenges of matching employees to available jobs. Recruiting firms emphasize the importance of well-constructed employee incentive programs in meeting the staffing demands of today's job market. While employee incentives include numerous options that can be combined in nearly unlimited configurations, incentives generally fall into five main categories that include financial options, family benefits, vacation time, health plans, and performance based rewards.

Incentives used by the Forbes 100 Best Companies to Work For, noting that the most popular employers create incentive plans that use traditional rewards in uncommon ways. Hasbro's vacation plan, for example, lets employees take three weeks' vacation in their first year rather than after five years of employment. Other companies, such as Quicken Loans and Hilcorp Energy Company, treat workers to free vacations every two years and to large financial incentives when a production goal is met.

Michigan-based JMJ Phillip Group, a recruiting firm that specializes in finding top talent to fill technology and industrial jobs, describes the need to develop a thorough understanding of new hires in order to ensure satisfactory work assignments. The fields of science and technology, in particular, have suffered the greatest loss of human talent and therefore present some of the most significant obstacles that incentive programs need to address in order to retain a satisfied workforce.

Amazing Incentives for Technology Employees

The most popular incentives for technology company employees include free meals in gourmet restaurants, midday naps in a cozy cubicle, free educational opportunities, and helpers who will do anything from running errands to walking the dog. Other popular perks include onsite chiropractors and massage spas, a large stipend to furnish personal workspace, cash gifts for new employees, meditation classes and catered meals.

Employees in some technology companies can avail themselves of flexible work schedules, travel deals and profit sharing options. Product discounts are popular among employees and include Twilio's gift of a Kindle and thirty dollar per month allowance for book purchases. For employees who prefer to have human company along with their perks, Salesforce recruits enjoy team excursions to Hawaii and Spotify employees partake of lunchtime jam sessions.

Best Perks for Manufacturing and Supply Chain Employees

Employees in manufacturing appreciate a well-designed incentives package, which should include profit sharing, performance based rewards, and paid time off. A study published in 2013 provided additional insight into the factors that create effective incentive programs for workers in these industries, agreeing that profit sharing, individual performance based bonuses and team rewards are key components of employee satisfaction. Exceptional performance can also be rewarded with incentive pay that is based on speed, accuracy, safety and reduced product waste. Popular perks include granting performance based privileges such as better parking spaces, free company merchandise, additional vacation days and free meals.

There are ways to reward employees through the use of less tangible incentives. Giving employees the opportunity to receive bonuses for submitting ideas and product concepts can be valuable for the company and result in heightened employee satisfaction. Flexible work schedules that allow employees to independently structure the workday as they wish, offering activities such as on-site exercise programs and unlimited time off, and providing opportunities to revenue share continue to be popular incentives for workers in manufacturing and supply chain jobs.

Many types of incentives exist but those that are favored by employees across various industries are rewards that are connected to providing greater autonomy and improving quality of life. Incentives such as flexible work schedules, freedom to structure the work day, on-site wellness programs, and financial rewards for exceptional performance all create a sense of well-being and increase job satisfaction. Companies that are able to work creatively to provide traditional benefits programs in new and unique ways will find themselves better able to recruit and retain the finest talent in their industry.