The impact of incentive schemes on employee productivity in the South African workplace

Abstract

The aim of this article is to determine the impact that various incentive schemes have on employee productivity in the South African workplace. A firm-based model is used to estimate the dimensional relationships (different skill levels, gender-mix, firm size, firm-sponsored training incentives) of the incentive scheme-employee productivity link. The main conclusions of the study are, firstly, that finance-based incentive schemes (especially performance-linked bonus schemes) have a greater positive impact on employee productivity for the higher-skilled segment, secondly, that non-financial incentives (especially consultative committee incentive schemes) have a greater positive impact on employee productivity for the lower-skilled segment, and, finally, that greater female participation in the workplace and the awarding of incentive schemes is important if general employee productivity is to be enhanced.

Keywords

• employee productivity
• finance-based incentive schemes
• non-financial incentive schemes
• firm-based estimation model
• dimensional relationships
• skill levels
• gender-mix
• labour