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Working in financial services can feel a bit like trying to sprint through a marathon — the pressure’s high, stress is real, and burnout is always lurking. If high turnover starts making the rounds, it’s a red flag that something deeper isn’t working. Morale dips, teams lose focus, and engagement tanks.
That’s where recognition comes in. Thoughtful, timely rewards can be the difference between an employee who’s engaged and one who’s polishing their résumé. And according to data from Achievers Workforce Institute, only 29% of financial services employees feel a strong sense of belonging at work — a gap you can help close with recognition that actually connects.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 top-notch ways you can deliver rewards that actually connect — the kind that boost morale, engagement, and fuel great performance.
15 effective ways to reward employees in financial services
In financial services, the pressure is constant — and keeping employees engaged isn’t always easy. But with the right mix of rewards and recognition, you can shift the momentum. Here’s how to create a culture where people feel valued, energized, and motivated to go the extra mile:
1. Offer performance-based incentives
Performance-based rewards are a serious driver of motivation. When you tie recognition to clear goals, like hitting quarterly revenue targets, closing a major account, or navigating a high-stakes client project, it makes it crystal clear that their work matters and is making an impact. Timing is everything, though — recognize the win while it’s still fresh, and you build momentum that keeps people fired up.
With Achievers, managers can deliver recognition instantly, right in the tools they already use — from Workday integrations to Microsoft Teams — so great work is celebrated in the moment. Our platform’s reporting connects these recognitions directly to performance outcomes, giving leaders clear visibility into what’s driving results.
2. Implement flexible work arrangements
Flexibility in the workplace is one of the best and clearest ways to say, “We trust you.” Offering remote options, flex hours, or compressed weeks gives employees breathing room and shows you care about their well-being. Let’s face it, when people have more control over their time, they show up more focused, loyal, and ready to do great work.
Achievers makes it easy to keep recognition flowing across branch locations, trading floors, and home offices. With mobile access, offline tools, and automated workflows, recognition stays consistent — no matter where people work — so flexibility never comes at the cost of connection.
3. Recognize milestones and achievements
Milestones matter. Whether it’s a work anniversary, a big promotion, or finally wrapping that never-ending project. Taking the time to recognize those moments shows employees you’re paying attention and that their effort hasn’t gone unnoticed. A thoughtful message, a quick shoutout, or a small reward can make a big impact.
With Achievers, milestone celebrations are automated, tracked, and personalized — from day one to retirement. Our global rewards marketplace ensures that every milestone is matched with meaningful options, and managers get prompts so no moment slips through the cracks.
4. Provide professional development opportunities
Helping your people grow is one of the best ways to show you’ve got their back. Whether it’s supporting certifications, covering compliance training, or offering cross-departmental projects, investing in development shows you’re committed to more than just results. It keeps top talent around, builds loyalty, and makes employees feel like they’re genuinely valued in an industry where expertise is everything.
Achievers connects recognition directly to learning and growth milestones, so employees see their progress celebrated at every stage. Plus, our reporting lets leaders track development-related recognition to understand how growth drives engagement.
5. Gamify employee rewards
Games are fun, and guess what? Adults still love them. Gamifying recognition can be a great way to boost morale and keep things interactive. Adding leaderboards, achievement badges, and points-based reward systems creates a healthy competitive environment that drives engagement. The key here is to make it fun, not stressful. Gamification should amplify motivation without applying too much pressure.
Achievers makes gamification effortless — from live leaderboards to real-time points tracking. And those points? They’re currency in our marketplace, ready to be redeemed for gift cards, reloadable cash, experiences, or unique concierge perks. Tie them to values, compliance goals, or client service wins, and the “game” drives the results that matter most in financial services.
6. Use peer-to-peer recognition
When recognition only flows from the top, it can feel a bit one-sided. Peer-to-peer recognition changes that by making appreciation a shared experience. It builds trust, strengthens team bonds, and weaves recognition into the everyday rhythm. It’s not just about manager approval; it’s about teammates lifting each other up.
With Achievers, employees can send and receive recognition anytime — even across branches, departments, and countries — in 200+ languages. Our social feed helps recognition cross silos, so front-office and back-office teams can see, share, and celebrate wins together.
7. Offer financial bonuses and commission incentives
Money talks — especially in financial services, where revenue goals and client satisfaction can make or break a quarter. Bonuses, commissions, and profit-sharing plans are powerful ways to keep employees motivated and focused on results. They reward the hustle, celebrate wins, and give people a tangible reason to go the extra mile. But tracking and managing all that? It can get messy fast.
Achievers integrates with your existing compensation systems to automate point awards, bonus tracking, and redemption — no more admin headaches. Plus, our platform ensures monetary rewards land quickly, reinforcing the behavior while it’s still top-of-mind.
8. Provide health and wellness benefits
Wellness perks aren’t just yoga mats and green smoothies (though those don’t hurt). In high-stress work environments, giving employees tools to manage their health, whether it’s mental, physical, or emotional, can change how they show up at work. From fitness perks to therapy sessions, these benefits help people feel cared for beyond their KPIs.
With Achievers, you can spotlight wellness participation through recognition campaigns, reward healthy habit milestones, and give employees access to wellness-related rewards in our global marketplace — making well-being an everyday part of your culture.
9. Celebrate team successes
Shouting out individual wins is great, but don’t forget the power of a good team celebration. Whether it’s smashing a quarterly target, wrapping up a big project, or just making it through a tough stretch, recognizing group efforts builds unity and momentum. It’s a reminder that no one does it alone and that every role matters. Team recognition keeps collaboration strong, morale high, and people genuinely rooting for each other.
Achievers makes it simple to recognize entire teams at once — with visible, social recognition that reaches everyone involved, plus the option to award shared or individual points. Perfect for acknowledging cross-functional teams handling complex client deals or system-wide initiatives.
10. Implement a rewards and recognition platform
Trying to manage rewards through spreadsheets and sticky notes? Not ideal. Centralized recognition software makes it easy to recognize and reward employees in a timely, efficient way. When recognition is easy to manage, it becomes a natural part of your company culture and stays consistent across teams and locations.
Achievers delivers a unified platform for all types of recognition — from day-to-day kudos to annual awards — with robust reporting, automation, and integrations that make recognition effortless to give and impossible to overlook.
11. Offer travel and experience-based rewards
Sometimes the best reward isn’t a gift card, but a weekend in wine country or tickets to that concert they’ve been talking about for months. Travel and experience-based rewards feel personal, memorable, and way more meaningful than a generic company mug. They give employees something to look forward to and stories to tell after.
Through Achievers’ marketplace, employees can choose from millions of options — from local experiences to bucket-list trips — ensuring the reward matches their interests and makes a lasting impression.
12. Provide employee discounts or perks
Who doesn’t love a good discount? Offering employee perks like savings on retail, dining, travel, or local experiences is a simple yet powerful way to show appreciation. These everyday rewards help stretch paychecks, add joy to daily routines, and boost overall morale – without needing a big budget. Best of all, they’re perks employees actually use.
Achievers connects employees to curated discounts and perks worldwide, all accessible through the same platform they use for recognition. Whether they’re traveling for client meetings or just grabbing lunch between calls, these perks make everyday life a little better.
13. Encourage social recognition and employee storytelling
Recognition hits different when it’s shared. Taking a moment to publicly celebrate someone’s great work, whether a team shoutout or a company-wide message, creates visibility, boosts morale, and helps employees feel proud of what they’ve accomplished.
With Achievers, social recognition becomes your company’s highlight reel. Our platform turns recognition into a shareable, searchable feed where employees across departments — from engineering to accounting — can tell their stories, cheer each other on, and see their impact.
14. Offer retirement planning and financial benefits
Retirement might feel light years away for some, but offering solid financial benefits now shows employees you’re in it for the long haul. Things like pension contributions, 401(K) matching, or access to wealth management advice aren’t just perks — they’re part of the trust equation in an industry built on financial security.
Achievers lets you integrate recognition into financial milestones — from rewarding long-term service to celebrating personal savings achievements — so employees feel supported in both their career and their future.
15. Offer extra time off or paid sabbaticals
Sometimes the best reward is… doing absolutely nothing. Extra time off or a paid sabbatical gives employees a real chance to recharge, step away from the grind, and come back refreshed (maybe even with a tan). In environments where workplace burnout is a real risk, time is one of the most meaningful rewards you can offer.
Achievers can automate the process of awarding and tracking time-off rewards, ensuring they’re delivered on time and recorded accurately — so your team can take a real break without creating extra admin for HR.
Why meaningful rewards are key to engaging financial services employees
At the end of the day, meaningful rewards are the secret sauce to keeping your financial services employees engaged, motivated, and loyal. Connect recognition to real accomplishments, and you turn “just a job” into a place people actually want to be — boosting performance and loyalty in the process.
Achievers makes it easy, with a platform that takes the guesswork out of rewarding, so recognition becomes simple, consistent, and hard to ignore.
Ready to start rewarding your financial services employees in a way that sticks? See how Achievers can boost engagement, cut turnover, and deliver rewards your people care about.
