The debate over how best to motivate employees is an ongoing one that roughly divides into two camps of thought. In the first camp are those who believe that money is the greatest incentive in motivating workers. The second camp argues that making jobs more challenging is the key to sustaining motivation in workers, “Academics who study job motivation disagree on which is the greater incentive to productivity—money or challenge. Money—as in salary, bonuses, commissions, stock options, matching retirement investment fund deposits—has traditionally been considered the great motivator…But research now puts equal emphasis on ensuring that workers have feelings of achievement and recognition, responsibility, growth, advancement and an enjoyment of the work itself” (Chartrand 1). In reality, both money and challenging work seem required to most motivate employees and keep them motivated over time.
Because of the tight labor market keeping employees content is one of the primary goals of most companies. It is also one of the most challenging. To this end, many companies have taken the traditional route of giving incentives to employees in the form of money but with a new twist. For example, companies are spending money to motivate employees but in new and creative ways. For example, one firm called Assigned Counsel Inc., arranges free lawn care for executives who bring in large accounts and treats the executive and his wife to a dinner out when workloads are heavy. The company will also arrange for setting up home offices for employees who prove to be responsive to clients. The company argues that most companies are already offering private equity finance and other ways of adding to the income of employees, but the creative ones seem to have a more lasting effect and create more good will where employee memory is concerned. Arcnet, a wireless communications com
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