In a previous post, we discussed some of the benefits of a team-based incentive plan, whereby bonuses are awarded based on the success or shortcomings of an entire team and not on specific individuals. In this post, we’ll look at some of the drawbacks of this approach. Show Free Riders … Or the Perception ThereoWhen a group of individuals is working toward a team goal and splitting the rewards of achieving that goal among themselves, it’s always possible that some members will free ride on the efforts of others. Even if everyone is giving it his or her all, there may be some who feel they are carrying a disproportionate amount of the load. Revolt by Top PerformersWhether accurate or not, some top performers may feel they would be far better off if their incentives were based on individual performance instead of team performance. Management Might Lose Sight of Individual PerformanceWhile team performance is important, evaluating teams as a whole creates a risk that managers will lose sight of individual performance. Just because teams are being evaluated as a whole doesn’t mean that managers shouldn’t be paying attention to individual development and contributions. For example, a quiet member of a strong team might not be getting the personal attention he or she needs to help him or her develop personal skills that will ultimately benefit the team and the organization as a whole. In this post and a previous post, we’ve looked at some of the pros and cons of team-based incentives. It’s impossible to label one superior to the other because both have benefits and drawbacks depending on the situation. Knowing what those are will help an organization determine which is appropriate and when.
Busch, whose remarks came at a recent BLR-sponsored webinar, is owner of HR Compensation Consultants, LLC. Here are her suggestions about team and individual incentives. What Are Team-Driven Incentives? Team-driven incentive are intended to foster a collaborative environment in which team members are focused on helping one another. They are:
Types of Team-Driven Rewards
Individual Performance Measurements
Are class action lawyers peering at your comp practices? It’s likely, but you can keep them at bay by finding and eliminating any wage and hour violations yourself. Our editors recommend BLR’s easy-to-use FLSA Wage & Hour Self-Audit Guide. Try it for 30 days … on us. Advantages and Disadvantages of Individual Incentives Advantages
Disadvantages
Advantages and Disadvantages of Team Incentives Advantages
Disadvantages
Is there a time and place for both types?
Examples of when team-driven goals may be the way to go instead of individual rewards: Team-Driven
Individual
Team incentives, individual incentives, recalculation of overtime—just a few of the numerous wage and hour challenges all comp pros face. Wage and hour should be simple, but it’s just not. Complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is one of the most confusing and challenging things comp managers have to do. How can you tell if they are doing it right? There’s only one way to find out what sort of compensation shenanigans are going on—regular audits. To accomplish a successful audit, BLR’s editors recommend a unique checklist-based program called the Wage & Hour Self-Audit Guide. Why are checklists so great? It’s because they’re completely impersonal, and they force you to jump through all the necessary hoops, one by one. They also ensure consistency in how operations are conducted. And that’s vital in compensation, where it’s all too easy to land in court if you discriminate in how you treat one employee over another. Experts say that it’s always better to do your own audit and fix what needs fixing before authorities do their audit. Most employers agree, but they get bogged down in how to start, and in the end, they do nothing. There are, however, aids to making FLSA self-auditing relatively easy. What our editors strongly recommend is BLR’s Wage & Hour Self-Audit Guide. It is both effective and easy to use, and it even won an award for those features. Here’s what customers like about it:
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