hmm:

It's a little like that story of the aged employee who was presented with a gold watch after sixty years of service with the same company.
Someone muttered to the aged employee's boss that it was a pity he, the employee, didn't receive more for his services than just a gold timepiece. To this complaint the crusty company owner replied to the effect that the old man had damn well been paid for sixty years of work, so the company was doing him the favour by the presentation.
The bonus system is a totally flawed concept and is quite unworkable in practice. It should be distinguished from profit sharing and profit generated salary augmentation, fincancial reward concepts with which it is often confused. It is, furthermore, a hard fact of life that in order to employ people, a company, unlike the UK Labour government, has to make a profit.
Nonetheless, it does sound as thought young Richard might at the least have dashed off the odd Christmas card or seasonal greeeting, although it's a dead cert that there would be someone who would have found Santa and the snowmen offensive.:E

If company doesn't make any money, then of course no bonus should really be paid.

However, in this sort of case, where a company has made a good profit, then it isn't that smart not to give something.

It doesn't have to be hundreds of pounds, it could even be a donation to charity in the employee's name (probably tax deductable as well!).

What happens is you lose a huge amount of good will, which in reality is worth far more than a even a few hundred quid per staff member.

You can make the argument that you are paid to work and of course this is true, but the world and especially employee relations aren't that simple.

An example,

American Airlines (I believe) introduced a reward system for staff who took no sick days throughout the year. They bought a couple of expensive cars and at the end of the year, each member of staff who hadn't taken a day off due to sickness was entered into a raffle for them.

Amazingly, sickness numbers fell dramatically. Was it bribery to try and get people to come to work for a job they are already paid for?
Yes, of course, but financially it was an incredibly smart move.
I believe Barbara Cassani at GO had a similar system only using holidays instead, but again it was a very successful policy.

The point is, a few quid at christmas is stuff all to a profitable company, the damage it does by witholding it is far more costly.

Arguments about "you're paid for it" fall down, as very few people follow that view and by not giving a bonus you are leaving a feeling that the staff aren't valued.

I remember the damage done at Emerald when the £10 Sainsbury's voucher was handed out. I remember feeling insulted by it. More so than the next year when we got nothing.

Funny things personal feelings. Mainly because everyone has different ones!

:hmm:

The value of staff may be deduced by the sartorial elegance of the uniform provided by the company for the enouragement of ridicule on the part of others.
One remembers with great affection the affectation of the gold tie, so thoughtfully provided by HQ.:ugh:

Don't forget the hats. To feel truly rewarded, especially as a pilot one MUST have a hat. Even beter if it's dripping in gold braid a la Idi Amin.

That's how to get ones staff motivated!