Company Touts Non-Cash Rewards For Motivating Employees

Only 9% of workers in U.S. companies who received incentive cash awards in the first three months this year spent the money on a special treat for themselves. That's the finding of a study conducted for American Express Incentive Services (AEIS). Such rewards were used by 29% of those surveyed to pay bills. And 18% couldn't remember how they spent such incentive cash awards. "Today's employees are most motivated by rewards that fit their individual lifestyles and desires," says AEIS' CEO Darryl Hutson, because after the check is cashed, even good intentions to use cash rewards on something special fall by the wayside because of pressing bills or necessities. AEIS is in the business of selling noncash incentive programs such as electronic gift cards.