| WorldatWork (formerly American Compensation Association) recently conducted an E-mail survey of more than 630 members to determine the current trends in spot bonuses, and to find out how many companies either are or intending to use this strategy.
According to the survey, exactly 50 percent of the respondents currently employ a spot bonus program, and 32 percent are considering implementing one.
When breaking out the nearly 100 high-tech companies, the number of companies that have a program in place increases to 60 percent. Other key findings include:
• An average of 79 percent of the bonuses in large companies
(more than 10,000 employees) paid up to and above $1,000.
• Of those companies that did not have all levels of employees
eligible for the bonus, 100 percent made professional staff eligible.
• 95 percent of respondents with a program made IT staff eligible for bonuses.
• 58 percent paid spot bonuses for “Special Recognition”
and “Above and Beyond” work performance. | 
