Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

A hotel in the United States operated a call center to serve customers. The top call center employee received an additional bonus equal to one-third of their monthly salary. However, the same person was always the best employee. Here’s a question: for a company’s performance to improve, should bonuses go to those who perform well or to those who do not? Giving bonuses to underperformers can boost overall performance. The top employees are already performing at their best; their performance doesn’t significantly change. Just as paying a singer more doesn’t necessarily mean they sing better, paying less doesn’t mean they sing worse. In call centers, the best employees should be promoted to higher ranks and receive higher base salaries, not just bonuses. Offering bonuses primarily to those who are directly affected by them is the right motivational strategy. The purpose of a bonus is to influence those who can still improve, not to reward those already excelling. Money is simply a fundame...