After two years of businesses cutting back on perks like holiday parties and Christmas bonuses, this year a majority of companies are going back to Santa over Scrooge. A new survey from staffing firm Robert Half finds 57% of American companies plan to award year-end bonuses this year. Houston exceeds that trend, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of businesses in the Bayou City pledging to give a bonus. "It's so good to see Houston ranking at the top of this list," says Brandi Clark, senior regional director for Robert Half.
These bonuses aren't necessarily like the old membership in the jelly-of-the-month club. "Whether it's a bonus that everyone gets because the company is doing a great job, or an individual bonus that's specific to someone's performance, these are really big deals," says Clark.
They're an even bigger deal in the current tight labor market, where some companies started handing out signing bonuses to initially lure people back after the pandemic. Clark tells KTRH it's important that companies make some gesture to show employees they are appreciated. "If you're not able to award bonuses, maybe you give extra paid time off, or maybe it's a special holiday party you throw for those people," she says. "This is something companies should absolutely pay attention to, so they can keep the best people on their team."
Employees also have a larger say due to the labor market. "If workers don't get a bonus or don't get what they were expecting, those are conversations they should have with their leadership," says Clark.
"(This market) is still a fight for many companies, it's still a rough search out there to get that perfect person in the seat," she continues. "(Bonuses) go a long way toward retaining your best people."