Does it matter how much money we make?
Yes. It does. We need to be able to pay bills, eat food,
wear clothes, and live comfortably. We want to be able to go on vacation, and
save for the future. But beyond these things, why do we care about the size of
our pay cheques? To whom does it matter how much money we make?
In our jobs, there is a psychological contract that
establishes a financial value for the tasks we perform. Do these things, and
get paid this much money. This alone however, cannot motivate us to maximize
our potential. There must be a strategy, and a bigger picture. In order to
fully engage, to go all-in, our work environment must address extrinsic and intrinsic needs. In addition to the
money that we require for basic survival, as mentioned above, we also have a
drive to learn, grow, and improve. Now, you might be thinking, “that’s pretty
obvious, Steve,” but in reality, there are many organizations that have no
explicit strategy for comprehensive rewards.
Learning and development can occur as a latent result of
regular task performance. When these things are planned though, the results are
limitless. When a business strategy emphasizes intrinsic rewards, the employee
perceives an investment by their organization. Subsequently, when the employee
understands that their employer cares about their personal growth, they are
likely to display commitment, and positive performance.
The money we make at work matters a great deal, to us, and our loved ones, who want us to be happy and secure. But, nothing beats the feeling we get when we acquire new skills, and achieve our goals. It’s really about the things we learn along the way, rather than the quantifiable results of our creations.
The money we make at work matters a great deal, to us, and our loved ones, who want us to be happy and secure. But, nothing beats the feeling we get when we acquire new skills, and achieve our goals. It’s really about the things we learn along the way, rather than the quantifiable results of our creations.
