XMAS Bonus, how do you view bonuses, as employee/employer?

[modern_pioneer]

Today I gave out xmas bonuses, small compared to years past, but at the same time a bonus.

So here are some questions I'd like to ask.

1. As an employee does the amount of your bonus make feel less or more important?

2. Do you count on getting a xmas bonus and wait to do last minute shopping?

3. Are you or would you be grateful in these times to even give a bonus?

1a. As an employer, do you struggle with bonus amounts? If so, at what standard do you use?

2a. Do you wait till the last day (24th dec) to give them out?

******* Any other ideas and or input about bonuses would be great. *******

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Working for an ESOP is a little different. Everyone who works here owns a little piece of the pie. When the stock is looking good, we get a dividend check, not a bonus. But it usually comes near the end of the year, so most people view it as a bonus.

Bonuses are great, they'll surely make you feel thankful, but what counts just as much to me is the CEO calling & saying "Thank you, that looks great" or getting forwarded an email from one of our customers that says either I or my co-workers did a good job on a project.

They come in handy, since mostly they come near the end of the year, but I don't count on them for Christmas. I save 5% of my check into a Christmas club to cover that. A bonus is just that, extra.

I would have been very, very surprised to get a dividend check this year. The wages/salarys of all office staff were cut by 5% earlier this year, all management were cut by 15%. The decision was made, based upon sales increases, to pay us back from the time the cut was effective, until fiscal year end, Oct 31. Decent chunk of change that I was able to put in my pantry. I was super pleased to get that.

 

[big brown horse]

As an employee I never counted on a bonus.

I never felt more or less important if I got one or not. (Unless everyone else got one and I didn't. )

Since I never counted on it, I never used it for my holiday shopping budget.

Heck yeah I would be grateful to get a bonus especially during these times. Everyone I know around here either lost their job or took a huge pay cut. And I saw how much you give out, I would love it. As a private school teacher I would get $25 per every year I worked there. Not too much compared to others, but heck I was grateful nonetheless.

 

[FarmerChick]

Today I gave out xmas bonuses, small compared to years past, but at the same time a bonus.

So here are some questions I'd like to ask.

1. As an employee does the amount of your bonus make feel less or more important? no, I am grateful for any bonus given from an employer to me. I worked at a family biz and they gave out decent bonus to all employees at our little party before christmas. Even without that delightful bonus all us employees did like our company and had a blast at all parties.

2. Do you count on getting a xmas bonus and wait to do last minute shopping? always wanted or kinda expected it from my company, but never COUNTED on it. I never let found money be counted before I have it. I took care of all shopping before.

3. Are you or would you be grateful in these times to even give a bonus?
anytime should be grateful time. a bonus is just that....bonus!

1a. As an employer, do you struggle with bonus amounts? If so, at what standard do you use? I owned a company for 6 years. I gave out $250 bonus (small retail store) and everyone smiled and was happy wtih that. I was not a big corp by any means..LOL

2a. Do you wait till the last day (24th dec) to give them out?nope, my company had a party like 2-3 days before and handed them out just in case people did need to shop. very thoughtful and when I gave out some bonus to my employees, I did the same thing.

******* Any other ideas and or input about bonuses would be great. *******


A kind employer that can afford it to give out bonus is tops in my book!

 

[Wildsky]

I don't get a bonus, but my hubby does, he gets his around Thanksgiving time and we use it to stock up the kitchen with goodies..

His isn't called a bonus, but Profit share, and each employee gets it based on their pay rate and how long they've been with the company.

We love it, to stock up on the goodies at thanksgiving time.

 

[THEFAN]

BONUS???? What the heck is a bonus??? I'm self-employeed.

 

[me&thegals]

1. As an employee does the amount of your bonus make feel less or more important? Somewhat. Super tiny is a bit insulting, but if everyone is getting the same amount, then it really doesn't matter.

2. Do you count on getting a xmas bonus and wait to do last minute shopping?No, but simply because I don't do X-mas shopping at all. I don't count on my bonus for paying taxes, either. It's just a nice surprise each year and one I forget about every single time until I get it again

3. Are you or would you be grateful in these times to even give a bonus?Yes!

1a. As an employer, do you struggle with bonus amounts? If so, at what standard do you use?

2a. Do you wait till the last day (24th dec) to give them out?

I would just add that bonuses should be large enough to not be insulting. My company gives out $10 gift cards for work anniversaries. When I got my $10 card for my 10th anniversary this year, it pretty much felt like each year I had worked for them was valued at about $1. Truly, I would rather get a nice card saying how happy they are with my hard work. I think employers forget how much appreciation means to their employees, maybe even more than money.

 

[Big Daddy]

My company has 3 levels of employees. hourly, salaried, executive. The salaried get a 40.00 gift certificate to one of 400 different retail establishments.

Bonuses are based on what the company earns and are given as a percentage of salary. Bonuses are given in March because the year ends on 12/31 and it takes a while to process. They do tell us the % around Feb 1st.

I am happy the company gives bonuses.

I don't count on anything till it's in my hands.

In these financial times anybody that gets a bonus should be grateful.

 

[modern_pioneer]

BONUS???? What the heck is a bonus??? I'm self-employeed.

You just keep rowing from your side of the boat and I will keep going on mine.

I did give myself a sweeeeeeettttttttttttt bonus last year and 3 years before that. Being a S corp, I don't wanna pay taxes on whatever is in the bank. So after I gave bonuses out, I gave one to myself.

This year I skipped giving myself any bonus, as it wouldn't make me feel good to do so. Sure the playing field is level if I think "well I own the company" and they don't, than pay myself a big ole fat bonus. Fact is, its my employees who make me the money as they are supposed to, however bonus time is a time to put my employees before myself. They contiinue to meet my needs and I don't feel selfish by hording all the money.

It does give me a good feeling when I give out bonuses, which brings me to a rule I preach when I hand out pay checks. I don't allow my people to say thank you when I hand them a check, I will even scold them when doing it. A pay check is earned, a bonus is given. I always say thank you when giving pay checks out, as with bonuses. I always get a thank you when handing out a bonus, if I don't get a thanks, I remind them what it is. Thats been once I think....

 

[THEFAN]

BONUS???? What the heck is a bonus??? I'm self-employeed.

You just keep rowing from your side of the boat and I will keep going on mine.

I did give myself a sweeeeeeettttttttttttt bonus last year and 3 years before that. Being a S corp, I don't wanna pay taxes on whatever is in the bank. So after I gave bonuses out, I gave one to myself.

This year I skipped giving myself any bonus, as it wouldn't make me feel good to do so. Sure the playing field is level if I think "well I own the company" and they don't, than pay myself a big ole fat bonus. Fact is, its my employees who make me the money as they are supposed to, however bonus time is a time to put my employees before myself. They contiinue to meet my needs and I don't feel selfish by hording all the money.

It does give me a good feeling when I give out bonuses, which brings me to a rule I preach when I hand out pay checks. I don't allow my people to say thank you when I hand them a check, I will even scold them when doing it. A pay check is earned, a bonus is given. I always say thank you when giving pay checks out, as with bonuses. I always get a thank you when handing out a bonus, if I don't get a thanks, I remind them what it is. Thats been once I think....

ROW ROW ROW my boat!!! O shat frig that I have a motor and it's tax deductable. O YEAH!!!! The smile on my face priceless.

Power to the man...... NOT