As the spring holidays approach, the focus of employees in the real sector shifts to the issue of material rights and occasional bonuses that make the holiday basket easier to afford.

According to research published by the portal net.hr, the largest domestic employers have already defined the amounts with which they will reward their employees ahead of the upcoming Easter

Energy giant rewards thousands of employees

At the very top of the list in terms of generosity is INA Group which will provide occasional bonuses for more than 8,000 of its workers. As written by net.hr, the management of this oil company decided on an amount of 132.72 euros net. It is important to emphasize that this amount is paid in kind via special beneFIT cards.

For those who are not familiar with this term, payment in kind in the business world means that the employee does not receive cash directly into their current account, but is instead allocated funds on a card that can be used to purchase groceries or services from contracted partners. This approach includes all workers within the INA Group system, thereby ensuring equality for all employees.

A specific reward model in the drugstore chain

Particularly interesting is the model applied by dm, the largest drugstore chain in Croatia, which once again confirms its title as one of the most desirable employers.

Although dm officially does not pay a classic Easter bonus in spring, its workers actually receive significantly higher income through the system of fourteen salaries per year. The company rewards its employees in June and December with an incentive in the amount of each individual's average monthly gross salary. Simply put, the incentive is an additional cash bonus that the worker receives on top of their regular salary as recognition for their contribution to the company's growth, which in dm's case exceeds the standard amounts of holiday supplements in the long term.

Retail chains follow the rhythm of the holidays

When it comes to the retail sector, the two biggest competitors have also revealed their plans for 2026. Konzum, as one of the largest employers in the country with more than 10,000 employees, will provide an Easter bonus in the amount of 120 euros. On the other hand, as net.hr has learned, Kaufland will pay an occasional bonus of 100 euros to its approximately 3,500 employees. These amounts represent important financial support for retail workers, a sector that bears the greatest operational burden during the holidays.

Kaufland employees in Croatia have a double reason to be satisfied. According to the company's official information, employee salaries in March will increase and will on average be 8% higher compared to 2025, continuing the multi-year trend of growth in material rights in this retail chain. In this way, Kaufland continues the continuity of income growth; namely, over the past three years, salaries in non-managerial positions have increased by almost 60% on average.

Recognition of work as the key to retaining workers

Systematic rewarding of workers ahead of major holidays is no longer just a matter of the employer's goodwill, but a key strategy for retaining a quality workforce in Croatia.

It is evident that leading companies such as INA, Konzum and Kaufland maintain continuity of payments, while dm chooses long-term financial stability through a system of additional salaries. Although the amounts differ, the common denominator of all these decisions is the desire to concretely thank the worker for their effort precisely at the moment when living costs are most pronounced.

This practice sends a clear message about the stability of the domestic economy and the social sensitivity of leading economic entities.