Think a surprise bonus is the ultimate way to motivate your team? Listen to this episode for insights on why those unexpected rewards might be doing more harm than good—risking employee trust, teamwork, and long-term performance.

I’m Andrew Lamppa and in this episode, I focused on the widespread practice of giving out surprise bonuses and unpacked the real impact these rewards have on company culture and employee behavior. I cover common reasons employers hand out unexpected bonuses—like celebrating a big win, showing appreciation during tough times, or simply sharing good financial results with the team—and why these bonuses rarely produce the desired outcome of sustainable performance improvement.

A lot of business owners don’t see the risk associated with surprise rewards: when employees can’t predict or understand what triggers a bonus, it can lead to confusion, frustration, and even a loss of trust if a reward doesn’t materialize next time.

• Surprise bonuses feel good in the moment, but rarely change long-term behavior because employees don’t know what to do to earn them again 02:10.
• Unpredictable rewards can set dangerous expectations, opening the door to disappointment and decreased trust if bonuses aren’t repeated in future success cycles 03:01.
• For a bonus to truly motivate, it must be:
• Visible: Employees need to see progress and know what metrics matter 05:05.
• Influenceable: Every team member should understand how their individual actions contribute to the goal 05:34.
• Predictable: Clear payout guidelines eliminate confusion and encourage consistent performance 06:30.
• Structured, transparent incentive plans drive better results than one-off bonuses, helping build a culture of accountability and ownership 06:27.

Ready to transform your reward system and build a team that thinks, acts, and cares like owners? Subscribe to The Bonus Podcast for more actionable insights on incentive plans that drive real results. Don’t miss the next episode—hit follow and unlock your team’s full potential!

Are your employee bonuses truly making a difference, or do they just feel like another line item on your expense sheet? On this very first episode of The Bonus Podcast, I, Andrew Lamppa, dig into the big question every business owner should ask: Why am I really paying out bonuses—and are they doing the job I want them to do?

In this episode, I challenge you to get honest about the reason behind your bonus payouts. I walk you through the five most common “jobs” people expect bonuses to perform:

1. Generosity
2. Appreciation
3. Retention
4. Motivation
5. Influencing Performance or Productivity

I share real-world scenarios—like how a one-time act of generosity can backfire—and dig into why bonuses tied to performance are the most effective and measurable tool for moving your business forward.

• Figure Out Your Why: Before giving another bonus, I urge you to ask yourself—what do I actually want this bonus to accomplish? (00:03)
• Beware the Generosity Trap: Giving a big bonus this year can create expectations (and even resentment) if you can’t repeat it next year.
• Short-Term Appreciation: Bonuses as a “thank you” work in the moment but rarely have a long-term impact (04:32).
• Make Measurement a Priority: Retention and motivation sound like great goals, but if you’re not measuring them, you’ll never know if your bonus is working (05:08).
• Performance is the Real Winner: When you design bonus plans around measurable results, you’ll see improvements in productivity—and as a bonus, you also build motivation, appreciation, and retention (06:11).
• Be Transparent: Your employees need to know precisely what they need to do to earn their bonus (07:10).

If you want bonuses that transform your team—making them think, act, and care like owners—then you’re in the right place.

Subscribe to The Bonus Podcast and let’s build bonus strategies that drive real, measurable results. I’d love to hear your thoughts and help you create a system that works for your business!