Reward

REWARD

 

Reward is the value of the return an employee gets from working a job. It is much more than the cash staff are paid for doing the job. However, many staff do not know what "reward" is and focus on the pay they get at the end of the month. Part of the distress that follows a job loss is the regret one feels for not having made full use of the opportunity.  In other words, they never made use of all the rewards available to them while on the job.

 

Another way of describing reward is all that accrues to the employee by virtue of his or her employment. It is all the value they are able to access while on the job. For example, one may be able to get a bank loan by virtue of having a job. One might also be able to learn about a new business while working on a job. A staff member may be able to get good advice from a mentor or a colleague on the job. All these things come to the employee by virtue of their employment.

 

Not many staff are aware of all the benefits available to them at work. Very few take action to access more than the money. Employers will not go out of their way to force staff to take what is on offer. The first set to making full use of rewards is to sit down and review your job description. Underline what you have committed to do and what is expected of you. Then, list down all the value that will accrue to you by virtue of you working the job and working in the company. Finally draw up a plan of how to access these rewards.

 

Your job is a key to a reward system your employer facilitates. If you search the system, you will be surprised at how much of your reward is lying idle. If you activate it, it just might improve you attitude to your work, your job, your boss and your life.

 

Allan Bukusi, January 14, 2009