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Can I give my crew lead or manager a higher bonus?

You can give crew leads and managers a larger share of bonuses using role-based bonus pools.

Purpose

This article explains how to give crew leads or managers a higher bonus than the rest of the crew. You do this by setting percentage-based bonus pools that control how savings are split by role.

When To Use This

Use this when you want to:

  • Reward crew leads for leadership and responsibility

  • Incentivize managers differently than field workers

  • Split bonuses by role instead of paying everyone the same

  • Customize payouts by job type, branch, or team

Before You Start

Before setting higher bonuses:

  • Your bonus program must already be set up

  • Jobs must generate savings or bonus amounts

  • You need permission to manage bonus settings

Quick Path

  1. Open your bonus pool settings

  2. Create or edit a bonus pool

  3. Set percentage splits by role

  4. Save the pool and apply it to jobs

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1 — Understand how bonus distribution works

    Protiv uses bonus pools to split savings by role. Each role gets a percentage of the total bonus pool, not an equal dollar amount.

    Common roles include:

    • Crew members
      Base workforce. Bonuses are typically distributed based on hours worked.

    • Crew leads
      Can receive a higher percentage for leadership and accountability.

    • Managers
      Often receive a higher share tied to oversight and results.

    • Company
      The company’s share of job savings.

    • Other
      Optional allocations for special cases.

    Step 2 — Open bonus pool settings

    Go to Settings, then Bonuses, then Split Job Savings.
    This is where bonus pools are created and managed.

    Step 3 — Create or edit a bonus pool

    Choose an existing bonus pool or create a new one.
    Bonus pools can be different by:

    • Job type

    • Team

    • Branch or location

    Step 4 — Set higher percentages for leads or managers

    Adjust the percentage distribution for each role. For example:

    • Crew: 60%

    • Manager: 20%

    • Crew Lead: 10%

    • Company: 10%

    The total must equal 100%.

    Step 5 — Save and apply the bonus pool

    Once saved, the system automatically applies these percentages when bonuses are generated for completed jobs.

    Examples

    • A landscaping crew earns job savings. Crew members split 60% based on hours, while the crew lead earns a 10% leadership share and the manager earns 20%.

    • A branch creates a separate bonus pool where managers earn a higher percentage due to tighter margins and oversight responsibilities.

    Common Mistakes & How To Fix Them

    • Expecting equal payouts across roles
      Fix: Bonus pools are percentage-based by role, not equal-dollar splits.

    • Percentages don’t add up to 100%
      Fix: Adjust allocations so the full pool is fully distributed.

    • Wrong bonus pool applied to a job
      Fix: Double-check which bonus pool is assigned before work is completed.

    • Confusing role bonuses with hourly pay
      Fix: Role-based bonuses are separate from base wages and hourly rates.