In an earlier post, we reported on employers’ positions on whether or not to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations, certainly a topic with strong opinions on both sides. This article, though, shows that employees could be induced to be vaccinated, beyond the purported health effects: a win-win for many employers. A recent survey of over 1100 employees revealed that for anywhere from $10 to $1000, two-thirds of employees would agree to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; one-third would accept $100 or less. In addition, half of the respondents said if their employer incentivized them to get vaccinated, they’d urge their family members to get inoculated as well. The survey also showed that cash is king and paid time off is a distant second choice consideration.
Incentives aren’t new. Employers have used rewards – from money to time off – to persuade employees to make healthy choices, like quitting smoking and losing weight. So, it should hardly surprise us that companies like Dollar General are offering workers an extra four hours of pay for getting the vaccine, and Chobani, the yogurt company, will cover up to six hours of time for employees to receive both doses of the COVID vaccine.
Experts remind that incentives are powerful tools to drive desired behaviors and that they should be the rewards their target audiences find most valuable and attractive. So out of curiosity, would your company incentivize employees to receive the COVID vaccine, and if so, what would you offer?
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