Orientation: In volatile and competitive business environments, organisations are faced with challenges to retain talented workers. Employees are increasingly leaving their jobs for a number of reasons, one of them being a perceived lack of adequate reward practices. Consequently, this has impacted on employee work engagement and confidence and trust in organisations.Research purpose: The study sought to determine whether there is a relationship between rewards, trust and engagement, as well as whether rewards are able to predict trust and engagement in the South African workplace.Motivation for the study: Organisations can no longer solely rely on extrinsic rewards to retain talent. Companies must draw on both extrinsic and intrinsic reward strategies to improve retention levels through endorsing higher levels of workplace trust and work engagement levels.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative, exploratory and cross-sectional research design was utilised. Non-probability sampling using questionnaires consisting of scales from the Job Satisfaction Survey, Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, Psychological Meaningfulness Scale, Basic Needs at Work Scale, Workplace Trust Survey and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were administered to a sample (N = 251) of South African employees in various industries within the Gauteng region.Main findings: Results indicated that there is a moderate-to-strong positive relationship between the three constructs, and that rewards are able to predict trust and engagement.Practical and managerial implications: The findings provide insight for behavioural practitioners to potentially draw upon when improving talent management strategies. Both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards are important factors in keeping employees engaged and ultimately retaining them.Contribution: The study provided insight into the influence that organisational rewards may have on workplace trust, work engagement and retaining employees. Findings contribute towards improving talent management strategies.
Orientation: In order to drive desirable behaviour, employees need to feel valued. It is, therefore, important to identify which rewards motivate employees and satisfy their needs.Research purpose: The overarching aims of this study were to explore how South African employees feel rewarded at work and to develop a model depicting how rewards can be categorised.Motivation for the study: There is a dearth of qualitative research on reward preferences, especially on the psychological façade of this construct.Research approach/design and method: Using a phenomenological research approach and in-depth interviewing techniques, 47 South African employees participated in focus group sessions. To analyse the data, a deductive and constructionist thematic analysis was employed.Main findings: The rewards construct is perceived to be multidimensional. Rewards can be categorised into three main categories: (1) extrinsic financial rewards (consisting of the total remuneration package), (2) extrinsic non-financial rewards (inclusive of good relationships, learning and development opportunities, organisational culture, communication, recognition, the physical working environment, feedback and work-life balance) and intrinsic-psychological rewards (encapsulating autonomy, meaningful work, felt competence, task enjoyment and challenging work).Practical/managerial implications: Outdated reward strategies should be re-evaluated to include all three categories of rewards. This means that there should also be a more in-depth focus on intrinsic-psychological rewards in the workplace.Contribution/value-add: This study highlighted the importance of using extrinsic (financial and non-financial) as well as intrinsic-psychological rewards to motivate employees and satisfy their needs. The insights gained from this research study can be used by future researchers and practitioners to construct modernised rewards frameworks.
Orientation: Research on reward preferences remains inconclusive. Total reward theories often do not take the role of intrinsic psychological rewards into consideration. Further to this, there are not only limited instruments available to measure reward preferences but also ease of access to psychometrically sound measures is further challenging.Research purpose: The aim of this study was to develop and validate an instrument to measure reward preferences in the working environment.Motivation for the study: Organisations require tools to enhance waning motivational levels in the workplace. The measurement of reward preferences appears essential to determine what employees ultimately want from their work to improve levels of motivation. Major limitations exist regarding current reward preference instruments.Research approach/design and method: Quantitative scale development procedures were employed to construct the 32-item instrument. Data were collected from South African employees (N = 639) and processed using both Factor and Rasch analysis procedures.Main findings: The factor analysis revealed a 3-factor structure (Non-financial rewards, Financial rewards and Benefits and growth opportunities). Items evidenced good factor loadings and dimensions demonstrated high internal consistency. The dimensions and overall scale performed mostly well in accordance with Rasch Model expectations. Based on the overall results, one can confirm that the new instrument has satisfactory psychometric properties.Practical/managerial implications: The instrument can help employers and scholars to measure, understand and explore what employees value and seek from the working environment.Contribution/value-addition: The study expands on limited pre-existing theory and empirical research pertaining to the measurement of rewards preferences. A unique and psychometrically sound reward preference instrument is provided for use by scholars and employers.
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