The basic principles of management are pretty much given. When signing on board with an organization, an employee is likely to have certain expectations. Managers generally commit to honor these expectations the very first day one is employed.

Salary and other earnings, of course, is the primary expectation. Clearly defined lines of authority is a second one. To whom does one answer? Who are one's horizontal peers necessary to accomplish assigned duties? Further, employees expect well defined position descriptions in order to adequately know their place within the organization.

Oft times, managers today so misalign these latter two expectations, shrouding them in a cloud of mystery. Hence the first reward has to be a complete demystification of who is managed by whom and what the 'details of a project are so that a worker can begin to get the true "feel" of the organization and its purpose. But what comes next?

An employee has done a great job on a difficult project, how should management say thank you? As an old song goes, there must be fifty ways...

Overworked praise tactics for successful employees hold little thunder in today's workplace. To have been recognized as a cut above the rest, such valuable workers are obviously intelligent. And they must be rewarded as such.

Rewards are tools for motivating future good work. Future good work builds and sustains profits. Profits matter. Should management fail to engage more substantive motivation tactics, it misses the chance to build on that employee's immediate success. Motivational rewards today must mean something to the one receiving recognition.

Along with acknowledgment of a job well done-not the same as praise-managers can offer several incentives for future good work.

Monetary rewards like spiffs and bonuses are favorite pats on the back among employees. A lunch on the boss, with the boss, for all team players can go a long way. A deferred commission on the success of the team's next two projects is extremely motivating and extremely rewarding.

In the film Wall Street, Michael Douglas mentors Charlie Sheen to always be selling. Good advice not only for aspiring company up-climbers but for their managers as well. Sure you have that great worker doing his or her magic for you. But now that the employee is working in your organization's behalf, a manager must always be selling. Selling the employee to stay.

So what's the best way to reward employees? Keep motivating, keep selling,and keep adding money to their pockets. In the long run, your investment will pay for itself many times over.

So go ahead dangle that carrot. You'll be glad you did as you dance all the way to your own bank.

Learn more about this author, Pat Dowdy.
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