The relationship between employee rewards and poor motivation in a Essay

The relationship between employee rewards and poor motivation in a Restaurant in the UK - Essay Example Interestingly, the same trend in turnover is also being observed in the United States (US) and in Germany (US Department of Labour, 2010; Endter, 2011). A number of factors were examined in various researches which tackled the issue of employee turnover. Blomme, Tromp, and Van Rheede (2008) suggested that performance rewards may be positive predictors of turnover; whereas, Robinson and Barron (2007) argued that low job satisfaction, not extrinsic rewards, are strongly associated with turnover. Theoretically, however, Jones, et al. (2003) maintained that recognition and appreciation, as well as a system of rewards, are necessary to boost employee motivation. In this regard, Walker and Miller (2010) consider incentive pay, bonuses and even non-monetary rewards to be effective modes of developing motivation, provided that the motivators used are congruent with employees’ needs and desires or that the motivators may be associated to their reasons for working. A look at the motivat or-hygiene or two-factor theory enunciated by Frederick Herzberg in the late 1950s posited that motivating factors are intrinsic elements of a job which lead to the satisfaction of an employee, while hygiene factors are the extrinsic elements of the work setting which cause dissatisfaction of an employee. ... Accordingly, Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory considered rewards system (i.e., salary and benefits as job dissatisfier; whereas Jones, et al. (2003) and Walker and Miller (2010) among others, believe otherwise. Moreover, Landy and Conte (2010) underscored the significance of examining the â€Å"level of success with various motivators to know how to increase or maintain work motivation for any individual† (p. 367). It is in the context of Landy and Conte’s assertion that this study is being proposed to investigate the relationship between employee rewards and motivation in a UK restaurant. Informal interviews with several employees in two branches of a restaurant in Bournemouth, UK revealed a prevailing attitude of discontent in their workplace among the staff. The interviewees confided that they are grossly dissatisfied with their pay, but they admitted they can not speak for the others. The series of casual conversations with a few restaurant staff provided the motivation for this proposed study. The research will verify the proponent’s position that there is a significant relationship between employee rewards and motivation among the employees in the two branches of the restaurant from the perspective that there is a positive link between satisfaction with the rewards system and the work motivation of the staff. If this relationship is confirmed, Herzberg’s theory that the rewards system is a hygiene factor and not a motivating factor will be disproved. Consequently, support can be gained for Walker and Miller’s (2010) confident assertion that â€Å"rewards are useful motivators† (p. 196). Staff satisfaction with the performance appraisal system, performance management system and the rewards