What Keeps Employees Happy...

Hi --

Ran across this little article that related to money versus happy employees thread farther down.

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010304.html

It's titled "Retaining Key Staff" and is focused on the high-tech professionals field.

-- Dan Butler

Hi Dan!

Not sure if this means you've had a change of mind and now agree with me, or not. :o)

I'd like to comment on the article and a little on your message further down the board.

First, the article. The top three factors in retaining staff were: career advancement, financial rewards based on company performance, and innovation and risk.

These are all rewards. Some are monetary based, others aren't. They all have a deeper impression than mere money does. Such as, recognition. We all like to receive it. Money based on performance... considering our current socialist "system" this makes sense. However, ask the devoted socialist and it's a different kettle of fish. Then again, the artcile didn't talk about those types as they'd never get to the "key" positions.

About the monkey on the back horror story... do you think your perception would have been different if the financial reward had been higher? (keeping in mind that financial reward is only one type of reward)

Consider the burger flipper. Maybe a kid who has never made a cent in their life. At first, $5 an hour is plenty reward. After some time though, the novelty fades and $5 an hour doesn't do it anymore. Now the feelings of unappreciation start to creep in. Never any praise, only told when something is wrong. Then they move up... from fry master to crew trainer. Now they feel important, as if they are NOW contributing. They feel more worthwhile. However, as like before, this perception changes once more and being a crew trainer just doesn't do it anymore. The greater responsibility and financial reward were fine, at first. Now you've become accustomed to it... need another challenge... something MORE which is PERCEIVED as being more rewarding.

That was my whole point. It's about perception. And perception changes and can be changed.

It was merely easy to use money as one reward during my post.

Your internal ethics and moral standards have to be considered too. (a diehard "greeny" would have troubles working in a mine at any price, for example. An anti-abortion person could have nothing whatsoever to do with a "clinic", even if they just did the office cleaning. And so on.)

While standing on a production line, picking up small straight bits of metal and jabbing them into a bender to make tent-pegs might not be mentally stimulating, it can be handled... level 2. Extra money may increase it to level 3, or maybe even level 4, for a while, but certainly not forever. Something else... some other type of reward needs to come into play to change your perception of it again.

Michael Ross.

Hi Michael --

Not sure that we disagree that much and I'm sorry I don't have time to develope all this to the degree it needs. I posted that article as I felt it would be of interest to some - yourself included.

Keep in mind that I read through your original post _very quickly_ and the point I came out with was that merely raising wages would get more people into a job and they would be happier than if the wages were lower. Now I see that may not have been your point but read my other comments in that context.

On the monkey on the back issue it wasn't the amount of money that would make the difference. It came down to the enjoyment I received from the activity and the demands it placed on my time. Things that were difficult to get around in that particular line of work. The money and other rewards were fine! I currently desire flexible work times and the ability to stay near home to spend time with my children. I have lots of children. My current endeavors, primarily The Naked PC newsletter, and some other self publishing are allowing that.

On the restaurant example. I managed restaurants in the past. After a certain level you are of course compensated on the performance of the store. Usually a piece of the gross profit. Interesting is that the employees needed to attain that understanding _before_ they were placed in the other positions and not after. Seems that awareness of overall profits etc. leads to the performance necessary to carry out the job. One of my famous(?) talks "Did you get your dollar yet?" is born out of that.

I do agree with your other points about values, etc. We actually aren't too far off in many things - but you have no way of knowing that since we haven't discussed them over time!

Sorry for the rushed message. Have a good day.

-- Dan Butler
The Naked PC newsletter

> Hi Dan!

> Not sure if this means you've had a change
> of mind and now agree with me, or not. :o)

> I'd like to comment on the article and a
> little on your message further down the
> board.

> First, the article. The top three factors in
> retaining staff were: career advancement,
> financial rewards based on company
> performance, and innovation and risk.

> These are all rewards. Some are monetary
> based, others aren't. They all have a deeper
> impression than mere money does. Such as,
> recognition. We all like to receive it.
> Money based on performance... considering
> our current socialist "system"
> this makes sense. However, ask the devoted
> socialist and it's a different kettle of
> fish. Then again, the artcile didn't talk
> about those types as they'd never get to the
> "key" positions.

> About the monkey on the back horror story...
> do you think your perception would have been
> different if the financial reward had been
> higher? (keeping in mind that financial
> reward is only one type of reward)

> Consider the burger flipper. Maybe a kid who
> has never made a cent in their life. At
> first, $5 an hour is plenty reward. After
> some time though, the novelty fades and $5
> an hour doesn't do it anymore. Now the
> feelings of unappreciation start to creep
> in. Never any praise, only told when
> something is wrong. Then they move up...
> from fry master to crew trainer. Now they
> feel important, as if they are NOW
> contributing. They feel more worthwhile.
> However, as like before, this perception
> changes once more and being a crew trainer
> just doesn't do it anymore. The greater
> responsibility and financial reward were
> fine, at first. Now you've become accustomed
> to it... need another challenge... something
> MORE which is PERCEIVED as being more
> rewarding.

> That was my whole point. It's about
> perception. And perception changes and can
> be changed.

> It was merely easy to use money as one
> reward during my post.

> Your internal ethics and moral standards
> have to be considered too. (a diehard
> "greeny" would have troubles
> working in a mine at any price, for example.
> An anti-abortion person could have nothing
> whatsoever to do with a "clinic",
> even if they just did the office cleaning.
> And so on.)

> While standing on a production line, picking
> up small straight bits of metal and jabbing
> them into a bender to make tent-pegs might
> not be mentally stimulating, it can be
> handled... level 2. Extra money may increase
> it to level 3, or maybe even level 4, for a
> while, but certainly not forever. Something
> else... some other type of reward needs to
> come into play to change your perception of
> it again.

> Michael Ross.




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