The expert gave advice on changing the motivation system in companies

Cash bonuses have long remained one of the main tools for motivating employees, but now they are increasingly not giving the same effect and do not provide the necessary level of engagement. Ekaterina Krasnukhina, Head of Partner Development at MyGiftCard, told Izvestia about this on July 31.

According to the expert, the reason for the decrease in the effectiveness of cash bonuses is related to a change in the perception of remuneration. The modern digital environment creates the habit of fast results and instant feedback through likes, bonuses, cashbacks and other small rewards. Against this background, quarterly and annual bonuses without a clear link to specific achievements may be perceived by employees not as a reward, but as a habitual part of income.

"Because of this, the long wait for payment stops supporting motivation. The problem becomes especially noticeable in companies where money remains the main way to reward. If the bonus size is reduced or the bonus disappears, employees may perceive this as a loss of part of their earnings, rather than as a change in the motivation system," the expert explained.

As a result, the connection between the employee's contribution and the recognition of his achievements weakens. The bonus system ceases to fulfill its main function — to stimulate development, initiative and interest in the result.

According to Krasnukhina, companies are gradually moving from a model based only on one-time cash payments to more comprehensive motivation systems. Increasingly, employers use regular recognition of employees' achievements, which takes into account not only the final result, but also the daily contribution to the work of the team.

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"Even small but regular awards are perceived by employees as tangible evidence of the value of their work. When each employee feels that his contribution is noticed all the time, and not only during the periods of KPI completion, this becomes the basis for the formation of long—term loyalty," the expert noted.

She added that the lack of a regular recognition system can negatively affect the initiative of employees. In such a situation, employees begin to focus primarily on tasks that are directly related to receiving bonuses, and suggestions for improving processes, sharing knowledge, and participating in new projects fade into the background.

According to the expert, as a result, the company can maintain stable performance of current tasks, but gradually lose its ability to develop. Employees are less likely to come up with new ideas and are less willing to take on additional responsibility if they don't see the connection between initiative and recognition.

"Modern flexible motivation programs allow companies to move away from the one-time bonus model and create an approach that values both the fulfillment of the plan and the innovation of employees. Such a system works not only to retain staff, but also to develop a culture of initiative within the team," concluded Krasnukhina.

According to the results of the first half of 2026, Avito Part-time Work experts found out on July 6 that the most profitable part-time job for Russians without work experience was repair work: their average proposed salary was 86,035 rubles per month. According to the results, car mechanics without work experience came in second place (83,916 rubles), construction workers came in third (76,518 rubles). In addition, the top five highest-paid part-time jobs included nail service masters (69,347 rubles) and welders (64,581 rubles).