Spot Bonus

Definition

An unplanned financial reward given to an employee for exceptional performance or behavior. Theoretically motivational; practically, often cheaper than promoting them or giving a raise.

Example Usage

The CEO awarded a $500 spot bonus to the team that shipped the project two weeks early.

Origin

Corporate compensation practice, formalized in the 1980s

Fun Fact

Spot bonuses are most effective when unexpected and tied to specific behaviors, not when rolled into predictable 'bonuses'

Source: Compensation and rewards management

Related Terms

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psychic income

The non-monetary rewards of a job like satisfaction, prestige, or meaningful work. It's what employers offer when they can't offer competitive salaries, as if pride pays student loans.

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The corporate equivalent of hitting the reset button on your career because your skills have become as obsolete as a floppy disk. It's when companies decide to teach old dogs new tricks rather than hiring new dogs, usually after technology has rendered your expertise irrelevant. Often involves uncomfortable Zoom sessions where you pretend to understand AI while secretly Googling basic terms.

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FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act)

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zombie requisition

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constructive dismissal

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succession

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