We may think we have come a long way in reward over the years and in many respects we have from bartering, weekly pay, compensation & benefits to reward and total reward but how much have we actually progressed?
In the world we face now, with a realignment of living standards due to low pay rises and higher inflation, our freedom as professionals to reward people is narrower than I can remember in my, albeit, short time on earth.
I know the particular context will vary by organisation and sector however, if we can’t throw money, in one form or another, at employees to make them feel valued we need to think about how we still engage people.
This got me thinking about what it could have been like in years gone by, when there wasn’t so much money around and how people would still feel fulfilled in what they did. I needed to ask someone who is not bound by conventional workplace thinking, so I used my teenage daughters as a sample group. My intention was to find out what their workplace aspirations are.
Both wanted to help, be it poorer people in far off countries or animals by way of conservation, change things for the better and do something which they enjoy. Both wanted enough money to get by and one said she wanted a job where someone says ‘well done’. She wanted to enjoy her work so much she wouldn’t mind getting up early. This means a lot when a teenager says it!
The other said your pay should go up if you are good at your job or go down if you’re not – real performance management.
Maybe this highlights the next phase of the reward development cycle – enrichment.
In order to avoid a workforce which is present but disengaged this could be the next phase of our professional future.
Hi Colin ,
Interesting question, however enrichment is very subjective in terms of individual perceptions. I would suggest it almost harks back to Maslow's dated pyramid theory of individual need. The avoidance of a disengaged workforce should involve enrichment in terms of job satisfaction and contribution but who determines how the the work force is to be enriched? Does the workforce know what will make them more enriched? Surely on this journey collaboration and commitment through clear communication is just as vital.
If there is no real understanding present and organisational strategies are implemented with "a done to rather than done with attitude" then the workforce will not feel trusted or involved therefore the opportunity for enrichment becomes limited.
Your approach is very forward thinking and it would be good to see it expanded upon however I think there is a current reluctance in society to take that step.
Possibly down to the economic climate and time constraints/ work demands however it could also be down to the fact that employee -employer relations are currently weaker in some sectors, due to a lack of enriched- unrestricted communication. (ref; the need for protected conversations /vince cable) Therefore I would suggest enlightenment as a precursor to enrichment as way of building the blocks to brigde the current divide.
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