Show me the money

Money matters when it comes to convincing American employees to take the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a survey by payments provider Blackhawk Network.

Asked about their preferred incentive for getting the vaccine, money was the top choice, followed by paid time off. More than two-thirds say they would accept from $10 to $1,000 or more, while one-third would accept a $100 incentive or less.

That matches a previous survey that found 60 per cent of American workers would take the vaccine if their employers offered a $100 to do so.

More than 26 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But about 40 per cent of respondents to the Blackhawk surveys say they are either unsure about getting the vaccine or do not plan to get it.

And one-third say money would not influence their willingness to get the vaccine.

Monetary incentives from the government or an employer would convince one in two workers to urge their family members to get vaccinated, according to two surveys done in January: The government incentives survey included 1,005 adults and the employer incentives survey included 1,105 U.S. adults.

“Incentives are powerful tools for driving desired behaviours, and the key for government agencies and businesses looking to increase vaccination rates and support public health will be ensuring they are offering incentives their target audiences find most valuable and attractive,” says Jeff Haughton, senior vice presidnet for incentives, corporate development and strategy at Blackhawk Network.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of working Americans believe employers should require people to have COVID-19 vaccines in the workplace, according to a survey released in December.