To attract candidates with specialized, business-critical skills, Belgian employers must clearly communicate the full value proposition of working for their organization. In a market where salary progression is tempered by automatic indexation and regional disparities, professionals are also focusing on what goes beyond base pay – including flexible work models, career development pathways, wellbeing initiatives and inclusive company culture.

In today’s competitive and multilingual job market, combining a fair salary with compelling benefits and purpose-driven perks is no longer optional – it’s essential to stand out and retain top talent across Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.

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In a labour market shaped by automatic wage indexation and rising expectations, bonus potential could often be a decisive factor in how professionals assess job opportunities. For employers, well-designed incentive structures can tip the balance in attracting – and keeping – top performers. Especially in sectors like finance, IT and sales, performance-related pay remains a vital component of total reward strategies.

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of professionals view the potential for a bonus as a key component of their overall compensation package

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of skilled professionals earn up to 20% of their total income through variable pay, including bonuses, commissions and incentives

Belgian bonus culture

Around half (56%) of Belgian employers incorporate bonuses into their broader reward strategies. Used effectively, bonuses offer a way to recognize and motivate high-performing staff. It's a particularly useful tool in a market shaped by automatic wage indexation. Common types of bonuses offered and received in Belgium include:

Performance: awarded for exceeding individual, team, or departmental objectives.

Profit-sharing: distributed based on company profitability and typically shared across eligible employees.

Project completion: paid upon successful delivery of key projects, often tied to scope, budget, or timeline milestones.

Referral: given for recommending successful hires who stay with the company for a set period.

Who gets what? Bonus eligibility across roles in Belgium

Bonuses play a prominent role in Belgian compensation strategies, but eligibility varies significantly by role and seniority. While performance bonuses are offered broadly, other types are far more targeted. The data shows clear trends in how employers allocate bonus incentives across the workforce.

Entry-level talent overlooked for strategic bonuses: early-career professionals often miss out on project or retention bonuses, limiting early engagement despite labor market shortages.

Mid-level talent gets the widest bonus range: professionals with 2 to 5+ years’ experience are most often eligible for multiple bonus types – reflecting their key role in delivery and retention.

Senior profiles receive fewer bonus types: senior and executive roles remain eligible but see slightly lower allocation, likely due to fixed pay structures or long-term incentives.

Perks, benefits and incentives that attract and retain skilled professionals

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The salary benchmarks listed in the Salary Guide from Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process to ensure our projections accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country.

Non-salary data referenced in the Salary Guide is based on an online survey developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. During June and July 2025 Robert Half commissioned research amongst 1500 respondents using an online data collection methodology. The respondents represent 500 hiring managers and 1000 employees in finance and accounting, IT and technology, legal and administrative, HR and office support from small (1-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1000 or more employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across Belgium.