NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - After many workers saw their bonuses shrink in 2001 as companies dealt with the weakening economy and the fallout from Sept. 11, most will find a little extra from their employer this year, according to a published report Monday.

About 60 percent of companies plan to give bonuses in 2002 that are larger or the same as last year, USA Today reported, citing a study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Many companies are also anticipating better times ahead, as 25 percent plan to give larger bonuses in 2003, while 60 percent said bonuses will remain the same and only 15 percent said they will get smaller, the paper reported.

Annual bonuses are an integral part to many compensation packages, with 45 percent of private sector employees working at companies that provide them, according to the newspaper.

Employers are becoming more generous because third-quarter results generally have exceeded expectations and worker productivity is up, Steven Gross, a compensation analyst with Mercer Consulting, told the newspaper.