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Money Benefits Titles Motivation Satisfaction

Our company does not pay competitive salaries, and the benefits are below average for this area. To make up for this, we get inflated titles. People in top management think this is motivational, but just about everyone else thinks it's a joke. What's the point of this approach?



The problem is that you desire more than a title to take to the bank, while your company is banking on the notion that titles are more meaningful than cash.

On the one hand, titles at work are important and can be motivational, especially since they are a form of recognition. However, for any kind of recognition to have a motivational impact, basic needs must be satisfied first. In the workplace, many of these basic needs are centered on pay and benefits. Once these needs are fulfilled, then programs related to higher level needs, including recognition, can be motivational.

There can be numerous reasons for management at your company to focus so heavily on titles. For example, perhaps the company is in a crunch and simply cannot afford to increase pay or benefits. Or, maybe you are in an industry where fancy titles abound. It is also possible that your company offers great job security, interesting work, and advancement opportunities, so management believes there is no need for additional monetary incentives.

Independent of the cause, the larger issue is that if management continues to provide rewards only in the form of titles, they are likely to see problems in the form of dissatisfaction and turnover.





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