Does Microsoft Give Christmas Bonuses? -Learn More

It is about that time of the season when activities at work start to wound down, and individuals get prepared to spend the holidays with their loved ones. It is also a season characterised by love and sharing, and one feature that makes the season even more exciting is company discounts and bonuses. As a staff member, especially one who has worked with a company for less than a year, the question on your mind would be, would I be getting a Christmas bonus? In this article, the focus will be on Microsoft, you will find out if they give Christmas bonuses, what it entails and who qualifies for it. Let us know “Does Microsoft Give Christmas Bonuses?”

Microsoft is an American global company popular for its production of technology-related hardware and software. With its reputation, you would wonder if they give Christmas bonuses, but they do not. Rather, they give annual or end-of-year bonuses. The end-of-year bonus can not pass for the Christmas bonus because it is given in September, whereas, Christmas bonuses should come in December when Christmas is celebrated.

Reasons Microsoft Does Not Give Christmas Bonuses 

Why does Microsoft not give Christmas bonuses? This would be the question on your mind. Well, here are some reasons why we believe they do not: 

1. Christmas bonus is not a standard type, unlike a sign-in bonus. So, not every company gives this kind of bonus, and Microsoft is not mandated to give this kind of bonus.
2. This is also because they give other bonuses instead of the Christmas bonus. For example, they give end-of-year bonuses, on-hire bonuses, stock bonuses and others based on performance.
3. Microsft also give benefits that are not monetary and could make up for cash bonuses. Some of them are listed below. 

Other Benefits You Get Working At Microsoft 

The other benefits Microsoft give are benefits that could match any cash Christmas bonus. One reason for working at Microsoft is their attractive benefits that make life easier. Some of them include

1. Flexible hours
2. Health benefits range from mental health to physical health, accident, life and health insurance.
3. Retirement plan and other financial benefits
4. Discount for employees
5. Tuition or student loan reimbursement plan
6. Maternity, paternity leave, and so much more

Features Of Microsoft End-of-Year Bonuses

It is clear now that Microsoft does not give Christmas bonuses. So, let’s look into the bonus they give in place of it; end-of-year bonuses. The features of this bonus include

1. It is given in September, on the 15th.
2. The bonus is 0 to 40% of the base salary of the staff.
3. The percentage of the bonus depends on the position or level. This means the higher your position, the higher your percentage bonus.
4. This bonus is not always given to individuals who start working with Microsoft in that year. It is only given if the individual did exceptionally within the period they were hired till September. 

Other Bonuses Microsoft Give

Aside from the end-of-year bonus, Microsoft gives three other bonuses that we would consider shortly, but before we do that, note that the other bonuses are different from benefits. They are monetary, whereas, the benefits are elements introduced to make the life of employees better and easier, they are mostly not monetary, but a few are. Let’s go into these benefits: 

1. On-hire Bonus: This is often called a signing bonus. It is given when you are hired newly into the company. This bonus is given to the employee within three to six months of being hired. If it is not given within that time frame, it would be split and paid in two instalments. 
2. Stock Bonus: This bonus allows you to buy or get stocks with Microsoft. However, it can only be gotten if you have spent a year in the company. So, newbies do not qualify for this bonus.
3. Performance Bonus: You get this bonus strictly based on your performance on a project or job. It is not very common, meaning it is not as fixed as the other two mentioned above, employees get it according to the discretion of the employer or manager in charge.

Reasons for Microsoft Bonuses And Benefits

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of the reasons companies like Microsoft give bonuses and benefits would be to build the motivation of their employees, but aside from this reason are several others, like:

1. It leads to higher productivity and increased profit for Microsoft.
2. It creates a good environment for work, you would want to work with a company that is not only concerned about your work life but about other vital areas of your life as well.
3. It helps Microsoft retain good employees, and with these benefits, it would be hard for employees to quit, rather, they would thrive for even more bonuses.
4. It will also attract the right kind of people. When people hear of the bonuses and benefits Microsoft give, they are inspired to work with them.
5. It is an excellent rewarding system. When good behaviours are commended or rewarded, the tendency to happen again is high.   

Conclusion 

Christmas bonuses are nice, especially because it helps brighten your celebration during the season. However, Microsoft offers amazing bonuses that could make Christmas bonuses look like nothing compared to what you receive in a year at Microsoft. So, if you are a new employee wondering if you would get a Christmas bonus this year, you now know better, you do not get that at Microsoft. You get much more!