Melanie Pendleton XXXXXXXXXXYesterday Sep 2 at 10:48am Reward systems have always been interesting as an employee. Can rewards motivate employees to perform higher, or is it just a momentary...

Melanie Pendleton

Reward systems have always been interesting as an employee. Can rewards motivate employees to perform higher, or is it just a momentary encouragement? Employees' performance is equal to employee motivation and ability, which seems simple enough. However, it is not so simple, but we must wonder should it be that simple or more complex. While it should seem that more money would be motiving for employees to work harder; however, some employees are not intrigued by more money, or they might think they are but then discover it requires working harder. Some employee is happy with just getting by while others want more responsibilities, and others want less.

Expectancy theory says that more individuals are aware and think about their actions before acting on them. In short, many people are rational decision-makers who will think then act. Those individuals act according to the outcome wanted and to satisfy their needs and help them meet goals. There are some flaws with this thinking that the theory recognizes. That misconception is that sometimes while we want a specific outcome, act accordingly, but sometimes the result is not what is expected, or the result was not satisfying. The expectancy theory works in both work and personal lives as well (Lawler and Worley, 2006).

In my first job as a cashier, we were paid an incentive for keeping our checkout times under a specific time. That incentive was paid without our paycheck bi-weekly. Part of being a cashier, we were trained that we were the last line of defense to providing excellent customer service. We were told that even if a customer had not had a pleasant experience while shopping, we, as a cashier, could turn it around and make the customer's day. For me, I always kept my times under and received the bonus, all while still making my customers smile. The program ended probably about six months after I started because some of the cashiers were checking out the people and shoving them out of the line as quickly as possible. For me, I wanted to make the customer happy and get the bonus while others were just there to make extra money.

That brings up the questions, does money affect motivation? Some research says that even if we let employees set their salary making what they want, some employees will still not be happy in their jobs nor motivate them to work harder or perform better (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2013). Personally, my current job, I have maxed out my commission percentage, and I do make the highest hourly wage out of all them preparers. I have the most job responsibilities, work the most hours, and yes, my bonus is higher than any other preparer, and yes, that does motivate me for higher performance. Is it the money or the honor that inspires me? I think it is both. I enjoy knowing that if I am not in the office and clients call, they only want to talk to me and will wait for me to be available to complete their taxes. My boss loves it when that happens because but one of the other girls hates it. However, not all people care about honor and money as motivation. They are just there to get a paycheck with the least amount of effort put forth then complain when they do not make higher bonuses.

Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2013). Does money really affect motivation? A review of the research. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/04/does_money_really_affect_motiv.html
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Lawler, E. E., & Worley, C. G. (2006).Built to change: How to achieve sustained organizational effectiveness.New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.

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William Yaw Adufutse

William Yaw Adufutse

Thank you Marcus for the discussion. One thing is certain about the expectancy theory for employers is that, they have to be vocal, and through their deeds show appreciation for the work of employees. When an employer does not praise and reward employees, there is dissatisfaction.

Thanks,

Catina Artenantmartin

It has been discussed and determined through the theory of expectancy with additional research to back up the ideas of this theory that people are proactive thinkers who are motivated by rewards within their relationships, including work relationships. This theory explains the balance of work satisfaction and expectation of reward when doing good work. The promise of reward is the motivating factor that keeps most people working and meeting employment expectations to make sure their end of the deal has been met in order for them to receive rewards (Lawler & Worley, 2006). When organizations are designing their total rewards packages, they take this into consideration. They also review the market trends and how fiscally responsible they can be while attending to the expectations of their workers for reward. The financial health of the organization should be taken into consideration when these compensation programs are developed and initiated. The rewards for expected behavior can be short-lived if not developed properly and distributed over time (Elliot, 2012).

The organization that I currently work for has been going through changes to their total rewards offerings during the same time they have been tightening their belts on spending while attracting the younger millennial workforce who happens to be driven off short term gains. One of these new benefits is including the doctoral degree pursuit as one of the covered tuition expenses. I was not eligible for the tuition benefit until late 2019. I quickly took advantage and have been enjoying this learning journey while adding immediate value to my current position. These courses are aligned with the change managements exercises that our organization is going through and my HR history along with this education, my value has increased and the benefit and rewards are both for me and for my organization. This has recharged my motivation and employment expectancy within this organization.

Lawler, E.E. & Worley, C.G. (2006).Built to change: How to achieve sustained organizational effectiveness.New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.

Elliott, J. (2012, May 1). Motivation, rewards, and leadership. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from
http://leadershipdiamond.blogspot.com/2012/05/motivation-rewards-and-leadership.html