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As an employee, what is more important to you: compensation or respect?
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13 Answers
Motivation is free, so why try to buy it.
by Robert F. Gately, PE, MBA
Managers are seldom equipped psychologically to talk to their people on a personal level. One reason is that many people are managers because of their technical ability not because of their managerial or people skills. We should reward technical experts with higher salaries but not with promotions to management. We would be far better off if we promoted to management the people who have good managerial and people skills and poor technical skills -- which will solve two problems:
1 - Improve overall technical competence
2 - Improve managerial effectiveness
As long as executives do not know how to identify future effective managers, management will be stuck with The Peter Principle:
"In a hierarchy, every employee tends to
rise to his level of incompetence."
When managers are asked to list the Top Ten Motivators for their employees the list looks like:
1 - Salary
2 - Bonuses
3 - Vacation
4 - Retirement
5 - Other Benefits & Perks
--------- the money line ----------
6 - Interesting work
7 - Involved in decisions
8 - Feedback
9 - Training
10 - Respect
Managers rank money items as their employees' Top Five Motivators.
When employees are asked to rank their own Top Ten Motivators the list looks like:
1 - Interesting work
2 - Involved in decisions
3 - Feedback
4 - Training
5 - Respect
--------- the money line ----------
6 - Salary
7 - Bonuses
8 - Vacation
9 - Retirement
10 - Other Benefits & Perks
Employees rank items that are equivalent to money as their bottom five motivators.
The managers' top five motivators are the employees' bottom five motivators.
The managers' top five motivators are more related to the need of the managers to avoid personal contact with employees than the desires or motivational needs of their employees.
Managers pick the top five motivators because these are the things that managers can "give" their employees without ever having to ask what the employees want or need, i.e., no involvement on a personal level is needed and all decisions can be made behind closed doors--all the while avoiding personal contact even to the detriment of the organization.
Managers give the same sequence as employees when asked to rank their own motivators which is very interesting and revealing.
seems like a trick question... aren't they the same thing... meaning, does one have respect if they are not compensated? no.
Respect is more important to me.
*IF* there is respect for my abilities the compensation will follow. If there is no (not enough) respect then no amount of compensation (to me) is worth the work. I am not so much of a mercenary that the money is all I need be satisfied with a work place.
This is, of course, a personal opinion as others may thrive in that type of environment.
Compensation is likely to come to a rapid end without respect. When you're in HR and L&D it's vital that you interact with all levels of a business and all people too - you can't achieve anything without their respect. Fail to achieve and you'll get fired.
I believe they go mostly hand in hand. If the organization respects you and the position you hold within the organization, they will compensate you fairly, both internally and externally.
Being respected by others is important. It's hard to get stuff done - to further your agenda - without respect. But I'm really more concerned about self-respect. And if I'm not fairly compensated for the services I render and the value I contribute, then I'm not respecting myself.
As a self-employed consultant, I look for respect from my clients. My compensation is already pre-determined.
Easy answer: Respect.
I think for the rank and file respect is more important although compensation can reflect the respect in which the employee is held. On the other hand, as you move up through the levels of managers, many don't care whether they are respected by those below them and may manage through intimidation and other unpleasant methods. They are after the compensation as they move up and only care about getting some respect from those above them. Upper management, particularly those with little integrity, look for respect among their peers in other organizations so compensation is the goal. As long as they deliver the profit respect is of little value. Fortunately, this is not always the case but we have seen it all too often in the big businesses that have had serious problems that helped fuel the recession.
Respect is more important that compensation. Respect will lead you to more improved compensation in step by step. Once you gain respect you will get a extra vote or benefit to decide your compensation while appraisal meetings.
Compensation follows respect, both sequentially and psychologically.
Courtney,
Great question.Organizational goals should define the existence of departmental standards where employees doesn't have to choose between compensation and respect. The bottom line is a simple gesture of thank you goes a long way, however, a compensation package can be used by employees as a motivational tool.
Compensation follows respect, both sequentially and psychologically.
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