Bonuses are additional incentives offered to employees on top of their regular salary, often aimed at increasing productivity and enhancing employee retention. Most bonuses can be categorized as either discretionary (not guaranteed) or nondiscretionary (guaranteed, as shown in your employment contract).
The typical bonus amount can range from 1% to 15% of an employee's salary, usually depending on a number of factors such as industry, company performance, and individual or team accomplishments. The average bonus for employees continues to rise over time. In 2020, the average employee bonus was only 8.1%.
One of the most common types of bonus is an annual bonus, which employers give out once a year. Annual bonuses are usually based on your overall performance, although companies who use profit-sharing rewards may distribute bonuses based on company success and profits.
Standard Range: An annual bonus of 5-10% of your yearly salary is considered standard in many industries, similar to a 5-10% annual raise Commission-based Jobs: If you work on commission, you may see a significantly higher bonus percentage
Yes, employees are subject to taxation on bonuses as they are considered taxable income. There's no legal means to provide bonuses to employees without imposing taxes on them. When unpacking why bonuses are taxed higher than regular income, the key lies in the additional income to an individual's salary or wages.
An annual bonus is usually based on overall company performance. This means you may get a large or small bonus (or no bonus at all) depending on how successful your organization or specific department was that year, as well as how big a part of that success you were. This can also be considered “profit sharing.”