Incentive Industry Research

Real-world studies about industry trends and topics

IRF Spring 2020 Top Performer Study

The IRF conducted a study of non-cash recognition and reward approaches of top firms in the manufacturing, financial services, and technology sectors. This PDF is the data reference deck from that study.

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IRF Spring 2020 Top Performer Study Infographic

The IRF conducted a study of non-cash recognition and reward approaches of top firms in the manufacturing, financial services, and technology sectors. This is an infographic showing key findings.

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IRF Spring 2020 Quarterly Academic Review

Increasingly, academic researchers are studying the role and impact of incentives and rewards on the intangible characteristics of organizations. This research is finding that incentives, rewards, and recognition play a pivotal role in generating and sustaining these characteristics.

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IRF Summer 2019 Quarterly Academic Review

Increasingly, academic researchers are studying the role and impact of incentives and rewards on the intangible characteristics of organizations. This research is finding that incentives, rewards, and recognition play a pivotal role in generating and sustaining these characteristics.

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IRF Spring 2019 Quarterly Academic Review

Increasingly, academic researchers are studying the role and impact of incentives and rewards on the intangible characteristics of organizations. This research is finding that incentives, rewards, and recognition play a pivotal role in generating and sustaining these characteristics.

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IRF 2019 Trends Study

The IRF 2019 Trends Study highlights ten key trends that will affect organizations, their products and services, and the workforce in 2019. From market optimism to concerns about risk and safety, the study identifies key areas of change and their implications for workforce engagement, incentive travel and recognition.

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IRF 2019 Industry Outlook

The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) sponsors regular trends surveys covering topics of current interest to those in the incentive industry. Incentive providers, suppliers to the industry, and corporate incentive merchandise and travel buyers. This report summarizes findings from data collected August 2018 through October 2018.

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Effective Design Patterns for Channel Programs

The majority of all U.S. businesses now use non-cash awards. Top-performing businesses supporting their non-cash recognition and reward programs as a competitive advantage, It's vital to understand how to create effective incentives and rewards programs.

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IRF Award Program Value & Evidence

The first in a two-part series, the discussion centers around the role of recognition in incentive, reward and recognition (IRR) programs and the broad benefits of cash and non-cash rewards.

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IRF Establishing the Intangible, Non-Financial Value of Awards Programs

Part two of a two-part series, IRF reviews the intangible, non-financial benefits of IRR programs in detail, and explores how these benefits can be measured and reported for a more complete understanding of the benefits of IRR programs.

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IRF 2018 Trends Study

The IRF presents 10 trends for the industry in 2018.

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IRF - U.S. Federal Regulations and Non-Cash Awards

To develop a baseline understanding of the awareness, understanding, and
accommodations of U.S. businesses regarding regulations impacting reward and recognition programs, the Incentive Research Foundation launched its inaugural Regulations Signature Study.

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Gallup's 2017 State of the Global Workplace Report - Executive Summary

The State of the Global Workplace report covers strategies for maximizing workplace productivity, reveals regional workforce metrics and features country-specific articles that offer insights from Gallup’s workplace consultants around the world. This extended executive summary highlights some of the report’s findings.

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IRF 2017 White Paper on their Incentive Benchmarking Survey

In the IRF's Incentive Benchmarking Survey, the IRF looks at what top performing companies do differently than all other businesses regarding non-cash rewards and recognition.

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Gallup's 2017 State of the American Workplace

STATE OF THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE presents an unparalleled look into the modern workforce. The report is based on Gallup’s in-depth research and study and was created to help business leaders optimize their attraction, retention, engagement and performance strategies in a time of extraordinary change. The findings and best practices speak to employees’ evolving wants and needs and give leaders a clear understanding of what it takes to be an exceptional workplace.

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