Does Pay for Performance Really Motivate Employees?

1.  Why do many people believe that monetary rewards don’t motivate employees?  

2.  What does the research evidence have to say about the effects of monetary rewards on Intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and total motivation?  

3.  What does the research evidence say about the effectiveness of merit pay as an incentive system?  

4. Performance management is critical in making pay for performance work, but everyone hates it; what would make it more effective?  

5. How is technology transforming performance management, and are the changes for the better?  

Gerald E. Ledford, Jr., Ph.D., is Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Effective Organizations (CEO), Marshall School of Business, at the University of Southern California. Gerry’s areas of research focus include total rewards, employee engagement and involvement, the design of work, large-scale change, and HR Technology. He returned to CEO in 2012, where he was a key contributor from 1982 to 1998. From 1998 to 2003, he held leadership positions at Sibson Consulting. Since 2004, he has been president of Ledford Consulting Network LLC. He received a Ph.D. and M.A. in psychology from the University of Michigan. Ledford has authored over 100 articles and 10 books and he frequently speaks at professional events.