CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
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, and Walton, 1984).
A well designed and functional reward system is an efficient way to increase employee work motivation. The appropriate type of reward is developed in accordance to the company's reward philosophy, strategies and policy. However, it might be challenging to find the right way to combine the company’s integrated policies and practices together with the employee’s contribution, skill and competence. (Armstrong, 1999).