Motive8 recently commissioned an independent survey of Australian Small to Medium Business owners. The subject was Incentive Programs and 2 of the early questions surprised us:
The overwhelming majority - 87 per cent - of respondents agreed that incentives/rewards increase employee performance and/or loyalty…however, just 52 per cent of respondents provide rewards of any type in recognition of their employees’ performance.

In a 2005 study, The Gallup Organisation (and also quoted by Red Balloon Days 28/11/06 found these staggering statistics about the Australian workforce:

Average percentage of Australian employees who are actively ‘engaged’ in their Company (top performing staff) - 21%

Average percentage of Australian employees who are ‘not engaged’ – working at the Company, not for the Company - 61%

The remaining 18% of Australian employees are ‘disengaged’ and are a cost to Australian companies.

Research by The Incentive Research Foundation Incentives, Motivation and Workplace Performance: Research and Best Practices 2002 found that the average increase in business performance from implementation of an Incentive Program was: 22%

A independently commissioned survey of Australian SME business owners that Motive8 has just completed; found that 88% of respondents believe an Incentive Program increased performance and loyalty.