Energy Academy
Incentives & Sustaining Culture9 / 12

Incentive Types (Financial, Non-Financial)

Bonuses, recognition, awards; team competitions; avoiding perverse incentives.

10 min read · Jacob Willis, Net Zero Lead · Last reviewed July 2026


Incentives reinforce energy-conscious behaviour, but their design is subtle. The wrong incentives can backfire; the right ones - often non-financial - sustain behaviour and build culture. Understanding the types and their effects is key.

In this lesson

  • 01Why incentives in behaviour change
  • 02Financial and non-financial
  • 03The limits of financial incentives
  • 04The power of recognition
  • 05Intrinsic motivation
  • 06Team and competitive incentives
  • 07Avoiding perverse incentives
  • 08Incentives within culture
  • 09Sources and further reading