The #SHRM2010 Tweet That Made My Blood Pressure Go Up

I was following the #SHRM2010 twitter hashtag today and this popped up:

 

 Well – Noo.

Not to be too rude but…this is a dumb response.  

Why?

Because compensation and incentives are part of engagement.  You can’t have one without the other.  You can’t focus on engagement unless you take into consideration compensation and incentives.  This is why we have so much trouble getting employees engaged. 

Saying incentives and compensation are less important than engagement is like saying the brain and the heart are less important than living.  Yeah… living is nice but I’m pretty sure we can’t be “alive” without either one. 

It’s Chemistry

Atoms are the building blocks of molecules- molecules build compounds.

Water is a compound, (H2O) and so is hydrogen peroxide(H2O2.) Same elements – different arrangement – different outputs.  I wouldn’t try drink hydrogen peroxide in lieu of water every day.

Engagement is a Compound  

The type of work I do, the freedom I have to do it, the rewards I get for doing it – these are all molecules.  The salary, the incentives, the office I sit in, the computer I use for work – these are all atoms.  The combination of atoms creates my work molecules which when combined form a work compound.  That compound can be good – or it can be bad.

Good Molecule = Engagement

Bad Molecule = Disengagement

Same atoms arranged differently give us different molecules and ultimately, different compounds.

Engagement isn’t more important than incentives and compensation – Engagement is the result of the proper combination of atoms and molecules to create a beneficial compound.

Some may say I'm picking nits but the reality is this thinking is what got us into problems before.  When we thought incentives would align behavior we put more of them in - and with bigger rewards.  We know that doesn't work.  

There aren't easy answers - it takes critical thinking and application of information to create an engagement strategy.  Don't look for simple, 140 word answers to your problems.

The sooner our HR folks get this the sooner we can stop creating bad incentives, and bad engagement programs based on some feel good “book of the month” strategy.  

I feel better now...