1 | Reaction Paper on Rewards and Recognition

Reaction Paper on Rewards and Recognition

Ma.Shiela V. Ricafranca
MM, 1st Year
October 9, 2015
Atty. Daisy P. Bragais

2 | Reaction Paper on Rewards and Recognition

Abstract:
Human resources are the most important resources among other resources in management. No
other things can replace the human workforce. Human asset is the sole strategic asset of every
organization. That is why; organizations make it a point that retaining employees is a must. But
to retain efficient and experienced workforce in an organization is crucial in overall performance
of an organization. Rewards and Recognition is always link with motivation. So every Human
Resources Management Unit or Division of an organization must devise an effective rewards and
recognition system that will supply continuous motivation to its employees especially to its
experienced and top performing employees. This paper will present the difference between
rewards and recognition and its relationship to motivation.

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Introduction
Organizations have become increasingly interested in managing their human resources in such a
way that can contribute to the overall organizational performance. As the globalization arises,
these organizations continue to vie for better productive workforce, that is why, rewards and
recognition becomes an important part of their total workforce involvement.
Rewards and Recognition: Two Different Things
Rewards and Recognition mean two different things. Rewards are often referring to as
something given of value to recognize positive work result. Often times, it is in the form of
tangible things such as monetary, gift certificates and plaques. Rewards are integral part of the
overall recognition system of the organization. Recognition is more than the pat on the back, and
thank you. According to Fred Herzberg, Recognition is that which is received by an individual
from any source with the accomplishment or achievement of a task or job. Further, it involves
noticing, praising, and even blaming employees. It involves a total commitment by the
organization to its employees and their leadership. It identifies and reinforces positive work
performance. Its basic foundation is that employees want to be acknowledged and feel that they
are being valued for their contributions to the organization.
Motivation
Rewards and Recognition System is a tool that management can use to channel employee
motivation inside the organization. It can be used to attract employees to join the organization, to
keep them coming for work, and motivate them to perform what is beyond expected.

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In order for an organization to meet its obligations to shareholders, employees and society, its top
management must develop a relationship between the organization and employees that will fulfill
the continually changing needs of both parties. At a minimum the organization expects
employees to perform reliably the tasks assigned to them and at the standards set for them, and to
follow the rules that have been established to govern the workplace. Management often expects
more: that employees take initiative, supervise themselves, continue to learn new skills, and be
responsive to business needs. At a minimum, employees expect their organization to provide fair
pay, safe working conditions, and fair treatment. Like management, employees often expect
more, depending on the strength of their needs for security, status, involvement, challenge,
power, and responsibility. Just how ambitious the expectations of each party are, vary from
organization to organization. For organizations to address these expectations an understanding of
employee motivation is required (Beer, Spector, Lawrence, Mills, & Walton, 1984).
Motivation is the key element in any rewards and recognition system. Motivation is such a factor
that exerts a driving force on our actions at work. Baron (1983, p. 123) defines motivation as a
set of processes concerned with the force that energizes behavior and directs it towards attaining
some goal. Within the organization, the best performance is often associated with committed
employees that can only achieved through employee motivation.
One of the most common theories outlining the relationship between reward and motivation is
Vrooms (1964) expectancy theory. The theory supported the assumption that workers tend to
perform more effectively if there wages are related to performance which is not based on
personal bias or prejudice, but on objective evaluation of an employees merit. This theory also
postulates that employees tend to be motivated when they receive rewards in exchange for doing
their jobs, provided that these rewards are valued (Armstrong, 2002).

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Motivation depends on certain intrinsic, as well as, extrinsic factors which in collaboration
results in fully committed employees. According to Armstrong (2002), motivation can be
intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation refers to the ... inherent tendency to seek out novelty
and challenges, to extend and exercise ones capacities, to explore, and to learn (Ryan & Deci,
2000, p. 70). In other words, individuals are motivated by self-generated factors such as pride,
ownership, self-actualization and the desire to grow and develop. On the other hand, extrinsic
motivation refers to what is done to or for people to motivate them (Armstrong, 2002, p. 56).
This can include rewards such as increased pay, praise or promotion, as well as punishments,
such as disciplinary action, withholding pay, or criticism. Each type of motivation has a different
effect on human behavior. Intrinsic motivation operates by means of self-motivation whilst
extrinsic motivation is based on the expectation of recognition and reward (Jensen, McMullen &
Stark, 2007).
To increase an employees performance, the HR must determine what type of motivation suits
best to its employees. An intrinsically motivated individual, according to Ajila (1997) will be
committed to his work to the extent to which the job inherently contains tasks that are rewarding
to him or her. And an extrinsically motivated person will be committed to the extent that he can
gain or receive external rewards for his or her job. He further suggested that for an individual to
be motivated in a work situation there must be a need, which the individual would have to
perceive a possibility of satisfying through some reward.
Because of the ideas presented, creating a rewards and recognition system is a tough job of HR.
However, in todays context, most organizations mostly focus on their rewards system. I believe
that in order for employees to keep motivated is that they need to feel that they are being valued.

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I myself am one of them. Also, increasing employee engagement alongside with recognition will
greatly help the organization to fully commit in answering employees needs.

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Conclusion
Its the function of HR to study the different types of motivation and identify the best
motivational factor for each employee for them to balance the organizations commitment to its
employees and employees to their work and organization as a whole. According to Baker (1993),
when organizations reward desired behaviors they reinforce particular outcomes and goals which
may be strategically aligned to the organizations vision and mission.
Therefore, rewards and recognition supplies and increases employee motivation. However, the
tough job of the HR is to sustain employees motivation. HR must design the rewards and
recognition program to the extent that it can be flexible and easy enough to improve and redesign
according to the changing needs of its human workforce.
In marketing, its called the after sales services, which keeps customers loyalty for a product. In
human resources, its rewards and recognition.

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References:
Armstrong, M. (2002). Employee reward.(3rd edn.). London: Chartered Institute of Personnel
Development.
Baker, G.P. (1993). Rethinking rewards. Harvard Business Review, 71(6), 3749.
Baron, R. A. (1983). Behaviour in organisations. New York: Allyn & Bacon, Inc
Deci, E.L., & Ryan, M.R. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human
behaviour.New York: Springer
Herzberg, F. (1959). The motivation to work. New York: Wiley/Chapman & Hall.
Jensen, D., McMullen, T., & Stark, M. (2007). The managers guide to rewards.Philadelphia:
Hay Group, Inc.
Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic
motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 6878.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68, PMid:11392867
Vroom, V.H. (1964). Work and motivation. New York: John Wiley & Sons