By Michael Orwick

“If you receive 95 per cent on the mid-term, I will give you the entire first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Blu-ray disc.”

When I ask my management students how many would work toward that reward, I don’t usually get anyone putting up a hand.  “You mean there are no Star Trek fans in the entire class?”

Then I get a couple who identify themselves as big Star Trek fans.  I ask, “Then why aren’t you interested in this reward?”  They answer, “Because we already have it.”

I try to explain the value of the reward to the class, which is about $110. Again, I asked for a show of hands for those who would work hard to that prize.  Again, I get none.  Then someone else says, “But I’ll work for the $110.”  Someone else says, “I’ll do it for $50.”  Once again, Star Trek teaches us everything we need to know.

If a reward is going to motivate someone, it has to be something they want.  That’s simple.  But what isn’t simple, is deciding what each individual wants.  This Star Trek invitation shows that something that is of great value to one may be of less, little, or no value to the other.  It also shows that if something is of great value to someone, they likely already have it, so it is worthless to them.  It is like finding out Betty really likes the music of Katy Perry so you run out and buy her a Katy Perry disc—chances are she already has it.

The reward has to be something that is desired by that particular person.  My wife’s workplace started offering rewards.  She received a “gardening set.”  Her co-worker received an MP3 player.  You see, the women received gardening sets and the men received MP3 players.  What a gender-ridiculous decision that was.  Guys like music, girls like gardening?  After all the complaining, things changed.  Suddenly everyone received electronics for rewards.  Well, that only works for those who a) like electronics, and b) like electronics but for some reason don’t already have what they want.  Now, the company awards points that you can save and use to buy from a catalogue of choices.  Better?

What’s the best reward you’ve received (or given) for work?  What made it special?

Michael Orwick, MBA, is a professor at the Okanagan School of Business at Okanagan College and a part-time management consultant. He is a member of BC HRMA in Kelowna and has been teaching management, marketing, and human resource classes for almost 10 years. Formerly a broadcaster, his personal experience includes both unionized and non-unionized environments.