Getting Rewarded for Doing Your Job....
hhaynal
231 Posts
"We are currently using it, and I would say that although the concept is good, it is just like any other program. We have those that are mad if someone else gets nominated, those that are always nominated, and those that get nominated for basicly doing their job. . . "
The above comment made by a forumite on the FISH post is the basis of this post.
Our company has spot bonuses and other reward acknowledgements that are given to employees, usually for doing something extraordinary. Most of the time, though, I see that the awards are given to an employee for "just doing their job." Somehow, I find this counterproductive. We hire an employee to do a job and hold them to performance standards. We then reward that employee for, say, having no escapes for the past month while doing their inspecting job. Isn't this what we hired them to do in the first place?
Don't you think the rewards should go to the employee who goes the extra mile? Beyond the regular work duties?
What do you all think on this subject?
H
The above comment made by a forumite on the FISH post is the basis of this post.
Our company has spot bonuses and other reward acknowledgements that are given to employees, usually for doing something extraordinary. Most of the time, though, I see that the awards are given to an employee for "just doing their job." Somehow, I find this counterproductive. We hire an employee to do a job and hold them to performance standards. We then reward that employee for, say, having no escapes for the past month while doing their inspecting job. Isn't this what we hired them to do in the first place?
Don't you think the rewards should go to the employee who goes the extra mile? Beyond the regular work duties?
What do you all think on this subject?
H
Comments
I'm a firm believer in rewards. Too many managers are quick to jump on the mistake but don't say a thing when employees excel in their jobs.
This recognition costs the company very little monitarily, but can go miles in creating a good work environment and satisfied workers.
I think it's important to reward those who do excellent work-- even if they're only performing the duties regularly assigned to them, and not taking on extra work or projects. Not to do so sends the message that it doesn't pay the EE to expend the extra effort to do high quality work, since those who just do work of average or minimum-acceptable quality will receive just as much reward.
I beleieve our program has been successful in driving better EE performance. But it does take a lot of work, in doing detailed and accurate performance reviews, and detailed planning of individual EE's goals & objectives for the coming year. And the system MUST significantly differentiate between high performers and low or minimum performers-- not just give everyone the same reward regardless of their performance. Otherwise, your incentive or bonus payments are a waste of $$ for the employer-- they do nothing to drive strong performance. And such misused bonus payments actually contribute to EE discontent, since those who do better work will resent that the foot-draggers get just as much reward as they do.
The person is nominated by a supervisor and second by other supervisors and me.
"Don't priase me, pay me!"
I am a capitalist at heart, and think that the monetary exchange is the core of our EE/ER agreement. Those that go above and beyond get higher pay.
Yes, public recognition and an occasional pat on the back are part of the equation.
Our Exec Dir gives out Starbucks gift cards and a personal note for specific events that come to her attention. These also go a long way.
Other than that, no specific rewards here.
It has made an immediate impact on the quality of the employees; additionally, we took a close look at all our written procedures to ascertain if the procedure impacted heavily in the weekly production of "piglets".
We have just recently jumped from an average number of piglets sold 9,728 per week to bumping on the 12,000 level with the same animals, but with unleashed procedures, unleashed the feeling of selfworth by the employee because we are paying more on an everyday basis to get the work accomplished with less manhours. The average labor worker never got to get the bonus award, because the farm could not produce "1000 baby piglets". Gues what, we now have 7 out of 11 farms that are producing the minimum that they could not reach before.
It is amazing how much things can change, when you catch the right "WIND". One farm is even getting the work done within the 40 hour work week for all employees. 50 to 60 hours of work a week was a norm to get the same work done, but we are doing it better today. Analysis will tell you that there was a lot of "riding the clock", just to make the money rather than the to make the "piglets". We are getting more production and in less time. The cost remains about the same because we are paying more for the base hourly wage.
PORK
This is when the program becomes ineffective.
Handing out bonuses to employees who didn't earn it becomes a real thorn when that money starts to go away or isn't awarded as frequently. People start to think, well, I showed up today - I think I should get a bonus for that.
Going above and beyond the call of duty - working outside of the box (and I don't mean cubicle)- and not staying within one's own department to get work accomplished are all highly recognizable achievements. Don't get lazy and just hand out rewards just to hand them out.
If you do, then your employees will get lazy.
Hhaynal, I apologize, I did not mean to hijack your string. I am very passionate about this topic.
Steve