Opinion
Student Well-Being Opinion

Rights Are Not Rewards

By Emily Douglas-McNab — April 04, 2012 1 min read
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In my previous post, I discussed monetary and non-monetary rewards. One important take away from that piece is that while many people think non-monetary reward programs are cheaper or, at times, free, this is not always the case. Also, the best reward programs must be matched to the population you are serving. The best way for talent managers to know what rewards are attractive is to ASK their staff.

Surprisingly, through my research for the blog, I came across lists of non-monetary rewards that included:
• Treating staff with dignity and respect
• Saying thank you to staff members
• Providing opportunities for staff to learn from one another
• Offering opportunities for staff to grow, learn, develop, and advance
• Empowering staff by allowing them to have a say in strategy and culture

These are unalienable rights, not rewards.

For many of the organizations featured in Forbes recent list of “100 Best Places to Work,” culture, innovation, and operational efficiency are all seen as critical to overall success. They don’t advertise that “if you do great things and deserve a reward, THEN we’ll treat you with dignity.”

High potential employees expect a work environment where they’re treated as professionals, given feedback for improvement, provided opportunities to develop their skills, and offered the chance to make a difference. Leading organizations provide their staff with the right to access these opportunities and experiences. When the employees (or human capital) in a business, non-profit, school district, or any other organization are successful, engaged, loyal, and satisfied, the organization as a whole is as well.

Do you know any districts exploring innovative non-monetary or monetary rewards?

The opinions expressed in K-12 Talent Manager are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.