One in five Belgian workers received a purchasing power bonus from their employer in 2023, according to HR services specialist SD Worx.
The tax-advantaged bonus, facilitated by a federal decision, allowed companies to provide consumer vouchers according to their 2023 performance. This proved popular, with 18% of Belgian employers opting to distribute the bonus to their workers.
Blue-collar workers (26%) received this bonus more frequently than white-collar workers (21%). The median amount granted was also slightly higher, reaching €400 compared to the overall median of €375.
The bonus amount depended on various agreements within the companies, but was capped at €750. It was required to cover the entirety of a company, or at least a selected segment, such as all employees falling under the same joint committee.
Regional variations were also observed. In Wallonia, employers in the province of Liège granted the most bonuses (26%), whereas Brussels and Walloon Brabant recorded the lowest rates (17%). In Flanders, Limburg led the field (32%). The provinces of Liège and Hainaut also registered the highest median amounts, approximately €500.
The decision to grant bonuses needed to be made before the last day of December, but distribution can continue until the end of March 2024. These figures may therefore slightly increase.
