Compliance vs. Contribution

Not all companies are made the same, so learn how to spot the right match for you.

Let’s face it: Rewarding people is a tough job.

Organizations have been dealing with this ever since, looking for ways to bust their productivity, getting concepts from the academic world, military and politics.

All of them claim objective judgmental processes which in reality are subjective and arbitrary, biased by personal relationship, influenced by the belonging group:

Filtering out all communications around diversity and inclusion marketing exercise, excluding awards on the quality of their working environment, and downgrading employee’s survey under the flag “ we care”, organizations will privilege in their inner appraisal processes one of these two abilities:

Compliance or Contribution.

One of the two. The rest is rhetoric or genuine misperception (an institutional prejudice rooted back in time).

What makes the choice?

Several biases, once mold together, will push organizations toward adopting one or the other.

Let’s see some of them:

Maturity (age bias): The need for compliance grows with time. In the early stages there are fewer processes, more enthusiasm and willingness to experiment. As the organization needs to position itself, it will survive if it conquers market, reputation, and visibility. “ I know how” is a competitive advantage over the “ I know who” and awarding contribution sets a direction in the company direction. After time, a consolidated management style based on institutional prejudice will push to higher consideration employees that will act as per management’s request, no matter how valuable is the request and how effective is the result.

Industry (knowledge bias): The higher the barrier at the entrance, the strongest is the reluctance to price contribution. I do recall a case of an employee in a manufacturing organization who proposed a small technical change in her production line saving 1.5M USD in scrap: she got awarded with a check of 1000USD and a public ceremony (that was it). Industries with high barriers have also a very high consideration of themselves asking gratitude to their workers just for the fact of associating with the brand (intangible bread of salary negotiations).

Business cycle (wealth bias): Organization in positive business cycles have less possibility to price contribution as they do not have clear ways of identifying best performers. During bad times, the need for survival and contribution will prevail. An example? Many Wall Street brokers who will make millions during high stock market performance, will pack their things in a box when the market crashes.

Size: (connection bias): The smaller is the organization, the more recognition will move toward contribution, as it is easier to get visibility for own results. In larger organizations, networks localize and multiple layers will share the same good or bad outcome. It becomes easier for appraisers to uncouple performance from individuals, and compliance aspects will prevail as a criteria for awarding.

Background (cultural bias): Assertive background will have always a tendency to price compliance as an element of identity. In individualistic background, contribution will prevail.

Conclusion.

Before joining for a job, ask yourself on what does the company base a career (on “know how” or on “know who”) and if does that matches what you want.

Thanks for reading my article, if you still have few minutes you might want to take a look at:

Advice to someone who is looking for a dream job

The One Question You Need to Ask Yourself When Applying For A Job!

Meritocracy is just a belief and we buy it no more

Thanks for reading. Tweet me @flavalib and let me know you read this!

________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: Views or opinions represented in this article are personal and belong solely to the article writer and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the writer may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated.

_________________________________________________________________