Explain five reason why incentive plans fail?

Answer 1

To explain why rewards fail, Kohn gives these six reasons:

1. "Pay is not a motivator. " When people are asked what matters most to their co-workers or those they supervise, pay ranks fifth or sixth. Frederick Herzberg, distinguished professor of management at the University of Utah's Graduate School of Management, has argued that "just because too little money can irritate and demotivate does not mean that more and more money will bring about increased satisfaction, much less increased motivation."

2. "Rewards punish." Just as punitive measures destroy motivation and create defiance, defensiveness, and rage, rewards "have a punitive effect because they, like punishment, are manipulative." Employees feel controlled and resentful, and this is not conducive to exploration, learning, and progress.

3. "Rewards rupture relationships. " "The surest way to destroy cooperation and, therefore, organizational excellence, is to force people to compete for rewards or recognition or to rank them against each other." As peer relationships deteriorate, so do those between supervisors and those they manage. Rather than admit they are having problems or need help, employees present themselves as competent to those in control of the money. "Very few things threaten an organization as much as a hoard of incentive-driven individuals trying to curry favor with the incentive dispenser."

4. "Rewards ignore reasons." "Relying on incentives to boost productivity does nothing to address underlying problems and bring about meaningful change." The essence of good management is providing useful feedback, social support, and room for self-determination. Dangling a bonus in front of employees and waiting for results requires much less effort.

5. "Rewards discourage risk-taking. " "When people are focused on what they will get if they accomplish a mission, they become less inclined to take risks or explore alternatives." Thus, "the number one casualty of rewards is creativity."

6. "Rewards undermine interest. " People who do exceptional work do not work simply to collect a paycheck; they work because they love what they do. Extrinsic motivators, such as rewards, are poor substitutes for the intrinsic motivator, genuine interest in one's job. "The more a manager stresses what an employee can earn for good work, the less interested that employee will be in the work itself." Furthermore, the more employees feel controlled, the more they will tend to lose interest in what they are doing.

Answer 2

To explain why rewards fail, Kohn gives these six reasons:

1. "Pay is not a motivator. " When people are asked what matters most to their co-workers or those they supervise, pay ranks fifth or sixth. Frederick Herzberg, distinguished professor of management at the University of Utah's Graduate School of Management, has argued that "just because too little money can irritate and demotivate does not mean that more and more money will bring about increased satisfaction, much less increased motivation."

2. "Rewards punish." Just as punitive measures destroy motivation and create defiance, defensiveness, and rage, rewards "have a punitive effect because they, like punishment, are manipulative." Employees feel controlled and resentful, and this is not conducive to exploration, learning, and progress.

3. "Rewards rupture relationships. " "The surest way to destroy cooperation and, therefore, organizational excellence, is to force people to compete for rewards or recognition or to rank them against each other." As peer relationships deteriorate, so do those between supervisors and those they manage. Rather than admit they are having problems or need help, employees present themselves as competent to those in control of the money. "Very few things threaten an organization as much as a hoard of incentive-driven individuals trying to curry favor with the incentive dispenser."

4. "Rewards ignore reasons." "Relying on incentives to boost productivity does nothing to address underlying problems and bring about meaningful change." The essence of good management is providing useful feedback, social support, and room for self-determination. Dangling a bonus in front of employees and waiting for results requires much less effort.

5. "Rewards discourage risk-taking. " "When people are focused on what they will get if they accomplish a mission, they become less inclined to take risks or explore alternatives." Thus, "the number one casualty of rewards is creativity."

6. "Rewards undermine interest. " People who do exceptional work do not work simply to collect a paycheck; they work because they love what they do. Extrinsic motivators, such as rewards, are poor substitutes for the intrinsic motivator, genuine interest in one's job. "The more a manager stresses what an employee can earn for good work, the less interested that employee will be in the work itself." Furthermore, the more employees feel controlled, the more they will tend to lose interest in what they are doing.