Many organizations rely on click-for-points incentive programs to drive employee engagement. These programs promise easy participation—complete a task, earn points, redeem rewards. The problem? They don’t work in the long run.
Click-for-points models operate on extrinsic motivation, where people take action for a reward rather than because they find the behavior meaningful. Studies show that while extrinsic motivators can drive short-term activity, they rarely lead to lasting habits or deep engagement. Employees quickly disengage once rewards are removed or they perceive the effort isn’t worth the points.
A Better Approach to Motivation
Traditional incentive programs are built on outdated behaviorist models—assuming people are motivated by rewards and punishments alone. However, human motivation is more complex and deeply rooted in intrinsic drivers such as purpose, autonomy, and social connection.
What’s the alternative? Purpose-driven, intrinsically motivating incentives. When people connect their actions to a higher purpose—whether it’s personal growth, social good, or making a difference in their organization—they engage more deeply and sustainably.
Lasting behavior change comes from three key elements:
- Transcendence—Connecting to a Greater Purpose
Employees need to see how their work matters beyond the immediate task. When actions are tied to personal growth, community impact, or organizational values, engagement becomes self-sustaining. Companies should frame initiatives within a broader purpose that resonates on a human level. - Self-Determination—Empowering Choice and Autonomy
People are more engaged when they feel in control of their actions. Instead of dictating tasks in exchange for points, companies should create opportunities for employees to choose meaningful activities that align with their strengths and values. This autonomy fosters a sense of ownership and long-term commitment. - Social Connection—Strengthening Relationships and Belonging
Human motivation is deeply social. People are more likely to adopt and sustain behaviors when they feel part of a supportive community. Organizations should design engagement strategies that facilitate collaboration, peer recognition, and shared goals, rather than isolating individual achievements through transactional rewards.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Purposeful, Kumanu’s purpose-centered wellbeing platform, redefines incentives through simplicity, choice, and meaningful impact:
- Motivate through purpose, not points. Purposeful incentivizes meaningful, high-impact actions like annual wellbeing assessments and monthly or quarterly challenges. These actions build habits that align with employee values, rather than driving short-term clicks.
- Social good incentives over gift cards. Purposeful ties collective achievements—like 10,000 days of activity—to donations to employee compassion funds or chosen causes. These community-oriented rewards reinforce shared purpose and deepen engagement.
- Simple, flexible, and scalable. Employees can choose from a wide range of guided activities within each challenge, building autonomy and mastery. Incentives can be structured as HSA contributions, payroll deposits, or charitable donations, and tracked via both self-reported and objective data.
- Designed for lasting impact. Purposeful minimizes administrative burden and avoids the pitfalls of financial dependency. It promotes sustained engagement through personalized insights, habit tracking, and leadership alignment—delivering better outcomes at lower cost.
By shifting from transactional incentives to purpose-driven engagement, companies can create meaningful change that lasts—without the empty clicks and fleeting points.
Kumanu helps organizations move beyond traditional incentives by fostering purpose-driven engagement strategies that build lasting motivation, connection, and well-being. With our science-backed approach and innovative platform, we help businesses inspire employees in ways that create real impact—not just surface-level participation.
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