Understanding How Incentives Influence Motivation and Retention of Health Workers incentives have been introduced these have been unequally distributed and that inadequate opportu- nities for career development and training remain (Awases et al., 2003). A review of non-financial incentives in East and Southern Africa found that there was widespread evidence that incentives are being used to address training, career develop- ment, and social needs (e.g. housing, provision of childcare, staff transport); improved working conditions; development of human resources management (HRM) systems; and workplace HIV programmes. However, there were no clear plans for monitoring and evaluating the incentives to determine the impact on motivation and retention. There is some evidence that training programs have encouraged workers back to the public sector, but information is limited and, as these incentives were in conjunction with financial incentives, it is difficult to attribute any success purely to the non-financial incentives (Dambisya, 2007). been prioritised in many motivational programmes (Manongi, Marchant, & Bygbjerg, 2006). While this highlights the importance of finan- cial and non-financial incentives, there is insuf- ficient evidence on the impact that each incentive currently being implemented is actually having on motivation and retention. The Importance of Financial Incentives Remuneration has been cited by some analysts as the single most important intervention that can improve motivation (Bennett et al., 2000). If workers are paid a fair salary it means that they will not spend time looking for ways to increase their income either by searching for new jobs with higher salaries or through income generating activities to supplement their salaries such as drug stores, private practice, agriculture, and informal