Bonus Trap

The bonuses are the best HR tool to motivate employees, the managers in the organization believe. Everything connected with the cash support the motivation as the managers do not have to invest a lot of their effort to keep employees working, the bonuses work on their own.

The bonuses are a great HR tool, when the economy grows, the organization grows and the sales volumes are booming. When the economy gets into the recession and the organization does not meet its goals, the bonuses are the best de-motivating HR tool you can find.

The employees are not that closely attached to the organization as it would like the employees to have. The employees are selfish and they do not understand the difference among their own effort, performance and the overall company results.

The bonuses are the flexible part of the salary, but the flexibility is always a topic for the discussion. Most employees expect the bonus as the last year or a bit higher. No employee does not feel himself or herself working less hard than the last year.

The managers always operate with the bonus as the motivational tool for the employees, but the bonus depends on the results of the whole organization and there is usually no disclaimer said to employees about it.

The employees do not like to share the bad times, they love to share the great times. The bonus should not be communicated as “a guaranteed part of the salary”, as the managers have no chance to influence it. They can be easily caught in the bonus trap.