Skip navigation
Recognizing and Rewarding Employees
Book

Recognizing and Rewarding Employees

McGraw-Hill, 2000 more...

Buy the book


Editorial Rating

8

getAbstract Rating

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Author R. Brayton Bowen takes a thoughtful approach to understanding the new generation of employees who seem to need rewards and recognition to spur their motivation. He attributes their incentive-based work ethic to workplace changes, such as downsizing and a decline in loyalty, which has tainted the work environment. Bowen proposes a variety of recognition systems, including intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and he outlines strategies for using recognition to empower the whole person. His in-depth ideas about building motivation through recognition and rewards will appeal to anyone who manages other people, from supervisors to top executives, though he cautions that true motivation can’t be bought, but must come from genuine achievement and internal drive. Since Bowen provides a thoughtful context for the workings of motivational strategies, as well offering some hands-on tactics, getAbstract recommends this book to managers and human resource professionals at all levels.

Summary

The Changing Work Environment

To recognize and reward employees appropriately, you need to consider the new work environment. Due to mergers and acquisitions, corporate downsizing and employment-at-will policies, job permanence and workplace loyalty are outdated concepts. Increasingly, workers are employed on a part-time or temporary basis. Even full-time employees must continually prove their value. To motivate these workers into caring about higher productivity - much less providing it - managers need to use a deliberate mix of reward and recognition.

Given the uncertainty surrounding continued employment, workers now want more than money. Today’s employees want:

  • Work that builds technical, professional knowledge, and thus boosts their marketability.
  • Work that’s interesting, challenging, fun and fulfilling.
  • Flexible work environments so they can lead full personal lives.
  • Rewards, such as a piece of the action, that recognize both solo and team contributions.
  • Personal endorsements that contribute to their self esteem and market value.

Managers need to recognize the diversity of the workforce, so they can adapt...

About the Author

R. Brayton Bowen is a senior consultant and president of The Howland Group. He served as a senior executive at Fortune 500 companies, including Federated Department Stores and Capital Holding Corporation (now AEGON). He has worked in corporations or in consulting for more than 25 years, and is a specialist in change management. His current focus is on workplace issues, including dealing with anger. His clients include Baxter Healthcare, Borg Warner, GTE, Revlon and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He has written numerous articles on management, including work that has appeared in Industry Week, Association Management and At Work.


Comment on this summary

  • Avatar
  • Avatar
    J. T. 2 years ago
    La comunicación debe ser clara y precisa con los empleados.
    Saber dar recompensas e incentivar al trabajador es parte fundamental para un buen desempeño.

More on this topic

Related Skills

Advance Your Career
Become More Adaptable
Build and Maintain Well-Being
Career
Develop Team Members
Future of Work
Human Resources
Increase Your Cultural Awareness
Lead Ethically
Lead Strategically
Live Well
Manage Change
Manage Learning and Development
Manage Performance
Manage Remuneration
Manage Teams and Departments
Management
Master Collaboration
Optimize Workforce Performance
Personal Growth
Plan and Strategize Your Sales
Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Sales
Shape Organizational Culture
Understand Organizations
Workplace Skills
Communicate Effectively
Drive Organizational Performance
Lead Yourself
Understand Emotions
Build Confidence
Provide Feedback
Understand Team Dynamics
Advance as a Woman Leader
Coach People
Delegate Effectively
Drive Employee Engagement
Executive Leadership
Influence Others
Drive Change Without Authority
Embrace Change
Mentor Employees
Understand Personality Types
Conduct Performance Reviews
Motivate Your Team
Navigate Leadership Challenges
Foster a Culture of Innovation
Develop Self-Awareness
Lead through Change
Discover Societal Shifts
Find Meaning
Be Authentic
Support Employees’ Well-being
Innovation
Lead Inclusively
Manage Your Leadership Impact
Leverage Employee Resource Groups
Communicate Transparently
Manage Sales Teams
New Work Models
Drive Team Performance
Manage People and Talent
Gain People's Trust
Offer Flexible Work Arrangements
Leadership
Age Well
Support Others
Be Emotionally Intelligent
Foster Collaboration
Promote a Learning Culture
Build Team Cohesion
Understand Motivation
Understand Human Behavior
Master Interpersonal Skills
Facilitate Group Ideation
Foster Open Communication
Create a Sense of Belonging
Strengthen Team Collaboration
Practice Gratitude
Design Incentive Structures
Understand Leadership Approaches
Soft Skills
Manage Employee Relations
Enhance Employee Experience
Foster Team Culture
Show Empathy and Compassion
Foster Ownership in Others
Practice Transformational Leadership
Dare to be Vulnerable
Reward Employee Contributions
Practice Humility
Practice Servant Leadership
Build Psychological Safety