eoaLive! October 2026

BREAKOUT 1A | Incentivising Employees When You Can’t Pay a Bonus

A tax-free bonus can be a powerful benefit of employee ownership, but not every employee owned business (EOBs) is in a position to offer one. For many EOBs, particularly during periods of founder repayment or financial pressure, maintaining engagement without financial bonuses can be a significant challenge.  So how do you motivate and retain employees when budgets are tight?  This session explores the wide range of non-financial rewards, recognition schemes, benefits, and engagement initiatives available to employee owned businesses. From healthcare and pensions to recognition awards, flexibility, development opportunities, and wellbeing support, discover what employees value most and how businesses can encourage meaningful participation.

It will also examine what engagement and reward can look like in businesses where traditional bonus schemes aren’t always possible. Hear from a leading employee owned business about how they motivate and incentivise employees without relying on the promise of a tax-free bonus.

Hear practical examples from EOBs successfully building engagement and loyalty without relying solely on financial reward.

Who Should Attend

  • HR, people, and culture professionals
  • Leaders responsible for employee engagement and retention strategies

What You’ll Learn

  • The most effective non-financial rewards and benefits for employee engagement
  • Ways to strengthen culture, recognition, and belonging during financially challenging periods
  • Practical examples of engagement strategies that support recruitment and retention
When
08/10/2026 13:30 - 14:30
GMT Daylight Time

Speakers

Expr1
Jamie Keeling

Jamie Keeling

We Are My Group (My Staff Shop, My Health Xtras, Gee 7 Wealth, Mynurva)

SPEAKER

Jamie Keeling is a commercial leader and employee engagement specialist with experience spanning start-ups, scale-ups and established businesses across multiple sectors. As a member of My Group's Senior Leadership Team, he helps organisations solve people challenges through a commercially driven, human-centred approach, specialising in employee benefits, engagement, wellbeing and workplace culture. A regular speaker at industry events, Jamie is passionate about helping employers create meaningful colleague experiences that improve both employee satisfaction and business performance. Known for his practical, no-nonsense style, he combines strategic insight with real-world experience to help organisations turn good intentions into measurable outcomes. Outside of work, Jamie is a father of seven and a former World Tae Kwon Do Champion, bringing the same principles of resilience, discipline and continuous improvement to both business and life.
Ann-Marie Conway

Ann-Marie Conway

Seetec Business Technology Centre Limited

SPEAKER

Ann-Marie leads Seetec’s employee-ownership strategy, championing shared responsibility and a strong employee voice. With over 30 years’ experience in HR and organisational change, she serves on both Seetec’s Executive Board and its Employee Ownership Trust Board. In 2024, she was highly commended as Employee Owner of the Year at the eoa Annual Conference.