Feeling Rewarded in the Workplace
In class on Tuesday we discussed the appropriate distribution of rewards in the workplace. We discussed how rewards have to provide an incentive for increased performance without adversely affecting productivity if they come to be expected. I brought up the example of providing sports tickets to the highest grossing server in the last restaurant I worked in. I thought the professor raised a valid point that although such a reward would provoke the server to sell more food and do so more passionately, the end-run customer service could be lacking if the sole focus was profits.
A more valid reward in my opinion is allowing the workers of a company to directly reap the benefit of their work, through programs such as profit sharing. If the restaurant were to offer the workers a share in the overall profits of the restaurant, the workers would become much more concerned with the overall operation of the business. Such an example is paying mutual fund managers through the partial ownership of they fund they manage; directly tying their own paycheck into the quality of their work. The only foreseeable downside that I can see to an operation is the managerial hierarchy might become somewhat convoluted. If workers are taking a direct share in the company’s profits, they may feel entitled to increased decision making capacities. But I think this method still has its valid points. Thoughts?
Comments
Posted by: Katelyn Handlos
Posted on: October 11, 2006 09:51 PM
I agree that profit sharing would motivate some workers to work harder: the harder you work the more profit the company makes and the more money you get. However, I am concerned about how attempts to boost profits might turn corrupt, though. If a worker is focused too much on simply boosting profit they may learn to cut corners or to lie to customers, or to commit other illegal acts. I would hesitate to recommend profit sharing as a motivator for any company that does not have the highest standards in integrity and honesty, otherwise profit sharing could lead to arrests and a bankrupt company.
Posted by: Katelyn Handlos
Posted on: October 11, 2006 09:51 PM
I agree that profit sharing would motivate some workers to work harder: the harder you work the more profit the company makes and the more money you get. However, I am concerned about how attempts to boost profits might turn corrupt, though. If a worker is focused too much on simply boosting profit they may learn to cut corners or to lie to customers, or to commit other illegal acts. I would hesitate to recommend profit sharing as a motivator for any company that does not have the highest standards in integrity and honesty, otherwise profit sharing could lead to arrests and a bankrupt company.
Posted by: Thomas Farmar
Posted on: October 13, 2006 02:53 AM
I disagree with the notion that profit sharing would encourage employees to cut corners or lie to customers. Such actions would not benefit the company. If customers were mistreated, then the company would lose money and the employee would not be rewarded. It would be foolish and short-sighted for an employee to engage in behavior that would damage the company in the long run.
Profit sharing is a great way to encourage employees to do work that benefits the company on the whole.
Posted by: Thomas Farmar
Posted on: October 13, 2006 02:53 AM
I disagree with the notion that profit sharing would encourage employees to cut corners or lie to customers. Such actions would not benefit the company. If customers were mistreated, then the company would lose money and the employee would not be rewarded. It would be foolish and short-sighted for an employee to engage in behavior that would damage the company in the long run.
Profit sharing is a great way to encourage employees to do work that benefits the company on the whole.
Posted by: Thomas Farmar
Posted on: October 13, 2006 02:54 AM
I disagree with the notion that profit sharing would encourage employees to cut corners or lie to customers. Such actions would not benefit the company. If customers were mistreated, then the company would lose money and the employee would not be rewarded. It would be foolish and short-sighted for an employee to engage in behavior that would damage the company in the long run.
Profit sharing is a great way to encourage employees to do work that benefits the company on the whole.
Posted by: Thomas Farmar
Posted on: October 13, 2006 02:54 AM
I disagree with the notion that profit sharing would encourage employees to cut corners or lie to customers. Such actions would not benefit the company. If customers were mistreated, then the company would lose money and the employee would not be rewarded. It would be foolish and short-sighted for an employee to engage in behavior that would damage the company in the long run.
Profit sharing is a great way to encourage employees to do work that benefits the company on the whole.
Posted by: Tom Farmar
Posted on: October 13, 2006 02:56 AM
I disagree with the notion that profit sharing would encourage employees to cut corners or lie to customers. Such actions would not benefit the company. If customers were mistreated, then the company would lose money and the employee would not be rewarded. It would be foolish and short-sighted for an employee to engage in behavior that would damage the company in the long run.
Profit sharing is a great way to encourage employees to do work that benefits the company on the whole.