“‘The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.’ In the staffing industry, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial. A profit-sharing plan can be a key component in creating a rewarding and fulfilling work environment that fosters growth, development, and a shared commitment to company success.” - Source: SteveJobs  It’s not too late to give your staffing agency a fresh start in 2025. Implementing a tiered profit-sharing plan is a simple yet powerful way to boost branch performance and drive overall company success.

The Challenge

Reliance Staffing offered a salary and benefits to its permanent staff. Instead of annual cost of living increases, they wanted to tie performance to income. Management recognized the need to incentivize branch-level employees to contribute to the company’s financial success, while increasing their personal monthly income. 

The Solution

The company implemented a tiered profit-sharing plan designed to reward all branch team members for their contributions to profitability. Management sought a solution that would drive profitability, foster teamwork, and boost employee morale.

The plan includes a minimum profit threshold that must be met before bonuses are paid, ensuring that the company’s financial interests are protected. Once the threshold is met, bonuses are calculated based on a tiered structure with higher net profit leading to larger bonus percentages.

Plan Details

Eligibility: All branch team members, including Branch Managers, Recruiters, On-Site Managers, Account Managers, and Administrative staff, are eligible to participate.

Profitability Threshold: A minimum branch profit of 3% of revenue is required to trigger bonus payouts.

Tiered Bonus Structure: Bonus percentages increase with higher net profit:

$0 - $5,000 profit: 1% of net profit

$5,001 - $10,000 profit: 1.5% of net profit

$10,001 - $15,000 profit: 2% of net profit

$15,001 - $20,000 profit: 2.5% of net profit

Over $20,000 profit: 3% of net profit

Results

The tiered profit-sharing plan yielded impressive results for Reliance Staffing & Recruiting:

Increased Branch Profitability: The plan motivated branches to exceed the minimum profit threshold and strive for higher net profit each month. They looked forward to seeing the results of their efforts, twelve times each year

Improved Teamwork: The plan fostered a collaborative environment where all team members felt invested in the branch’s success. The involvement of all staff fostered a sense of inclusion.

Enhanced Employee Morale: Employees felt valued and appreciated for their contributions, leading to improved morale and reduced turnover. Providing a bonus or profit sharing on a monthly basis offered continuous attention to company income and expenses.

Greater Financial Awareness: Branch teams gained a better understanding of financial metrics and how their actions impacted the bottom line. Now, sales were no longer a single focus, expenses were as well. Worker’s compensation and unemployment costs were followed closely and much better understood. 

Conclusion

The tiered profit-sharing plan proved to be a successful strategy for Reliance, driving improved financial performance, teamwork, and employee engagement. By aligning employee incentives with company goals, the plan promoted a culture of ownership and accountability, contributing to the overall success of the organization.

“Almost a third of American workers whose pay is not tied in some way to their performance believe they would be more productive if they had a greater interest in the companies that employ them through benefits such as profit sharing, according to a survey from temporary staffing and outsourcing firm Kelly Services.” - Steven Miller, SHRM

When implemented effectively and intentionally, performance-based compensation can drive better outcomes, both in terms of individual performance and at the business level. - Michelle Gouldsberry, Betterworks

COATS Staffing Software is a comprehensive solution designed to manage various aspects of a staffing agency, including front-and back-office operations. COATS supported the implementation and administration of this profit sharing plan:

Comprehensive Data Management: COATS manages employee data, client sales, job orders, payroll, and accounting in one system. This centralized data was leveraged to track metrics needed. The data used to calculate profit-sharing bonuses included revenue, gross margin/gross profit, individual/branch performance and more.

Reporting and Analytics: COATS offers flexible reporting, which is used to generate reports on branch and individual performance. Reports also track progress toward profitability targets, and calculate bonus amounts.

Integration with Other Systems: COATS integrates with various other systems. This allows for data to be shared with other financial or performance management systems that can be used to administer a profit-sharing plan.

To learn more about how COATS Staffing Software can help you implement effective incentive programs and optimize your branch performance, request a demo today.