Page 56 - Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles

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Reward and Recognition Programs Don’t Work

Whether individual or team-based, reward and recognition pro-
grams almost always hurt teamwork.

ability to increase their productivity, others having little inter-
est or ability to contribute, and the rest somewhere in between.
Invariably, the hardworking, motivated employee gets frustrated
for “pulling the load.” In the end, win or lose, the employees who
were the most motivated will feel the most cheated.

Reason 10: Programs Are Cover-Ups for
Ineffective Supervisors
We have established that reward and recognition programs are
designed to motivate employees. Isn’t that the job of the super-
visor? Effective supervisors don’t need—or want—programs to
motivate their employees. Think about the most effective super-
visors you’ve known; was any of their success due to running
some sort of contest to motivate their employees? Organizations
typically create reward and recognition programs in response
to incompetent supervisors unable to motivate their people.
So, even if a reward program did manage to motivate employ-
ees, it is only a short-term fix because you haven’t addressed
the underlying problem of the ineffective supervisor. Doesn’t it
make more sense to train and educate supervisors so that they
have the skills to be successful in their jobs?

Reason 11: Programs Offer a Weak
Reinforcement Schedule
There are several factors that increase the effectiveness or
power of positive reinforcement. We have already covered the
most obvious—the carrot actually being desired by the donkey.