Problem: Develop Your Career Potential

Cut Your Costs, Not Your Morale Management textbooks abound with discussions of the importance of honest and open communication when disseminating negative information to employees.111 One study suggests that the best way to ruin morale and motivation is to spring bad news on employees without explaining the reasoning or rationale. Yet, despite the need to maintain a high level of motivation and morale during a receding economy, many companies cut perks without communicating the need to their employees. During the high-tech boom at the end of the 20th century, many companies implemented programs to increase productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Some of the perks provided were minor, such as free soft drinks, catered lunches, snacks, and tickets to events such as a baseball game or the opera. Other free perks were more extravagant, such as concierge services to run errands for employees, service their vehicles, and pick up their laundry. Some firms even provided their employees with in-house massages and annual Caribbean cruises. Obviously, cutting these non-value-added expenses can save tremendous money for a struggling fi rm. In fact, many firms cut out both the extravagant perks and the basics as a way to conserve much-needed cash. Cutting perks, however, doesn't have to be forever. Perks can be powerful motivational tools that companies can reintegrate into their performance reward systems. For this assignment, consider your own budget and expenses in terms of revenue and perks. Imagine that like so many companies, you experience a cash crunch. Your revenue (income) shrinks 25 percent, so you must trim some fat from your budget.

Exercises: 1. First, you will need to review your expenditures. What "perks" have you built into your budget as a student? (Think pizza and beer.) Make a list of all your non-value-added expenses. This includes anything not directly related to your studies (like books, tuition, enrollment fees, pens, paper) or your fixed expenses (like rent, car payments, insurance).

2. If you experienced a 25 percent reduction in your income-as numerous firms did after the tech bubble burst-which perks would you eliminate? In addition, are there items that you previously considered necessities that you could cut out? An example would be selling your car (thereby eliminating car payments and related insurance) and taking public transportation or catching a ride with a friend. What about getting a roommate, moving into the dorms, or living with your parents?

3. Often employees develop a sense of entitlement about perks, and when the perks are trimmed, great dissatisfaction can result. Companies even lose employees when perks are cut. In this exercise, let's consider that cutting out your non-value-added (that is, fun) expenditures may put a crimp in your social life. In fact, you may have trouble staying in the loop. What can you do to "retain" your social friends as you cut down on your personal perks? Do you think that "retention" will even be an issue for you? Why or why not?

4. Once you have taken the ax to your perks, how can you reincorporate them into your budget, this time as motivational tools? Which perks would motivate you to have perfect attendance in class? To make an A? Straight As? Be creative. The purpose is to see if you can modify your own behavior by using your perks.