Discussion on:

Cash Reward From CEO: Is this OK?

During the course of doing a inhouse project, I was offered a small cash reward.
I refused to take the cash because I was not doing it for the money. I was deriving satisfaction out of creating something useful to the organization.

Is this part of American corporate culture? Do you think the CEO thinks favorably of me?

The bonus is a part of the American culture, but yes is a very simplistic answer to a much more complex interaction.

The American work culture encompasses a range from entrepreneur - compensation is fully at risk and amount driven fully by success, to piece work rate - a set amount per piece (unit of product, unit of time) delivered regardless of success. Most companies operate between these two extremes by paying both a salary or wage and some kind of performance based bonus.

As to whether the CEO was favorably impressed by your refusing a performance bonus depends entirely on the CEO. He may have gained respect for you, or may have felt you cost him prestige by refusing a compliment from him, or may not care at all one way or the other.

Well, it was kinda a dinner amount. Not hundreds of bucks I would have refused it even if it was in hundreds. My self respect would not have accepted 'cash' rewards. If he had mailed some dinner coupons or gift voucher that would have made it look different, right?

$ or coupons would equal the same thing... Now taking you to dinner would be another way, and allowing you two to talk about the project and get to know each other a little bit better.

Do you work for free also??

Sorry!

In most American corporations, this would be known as a spot bonus. This is in recognition that you (at least in the CEO's mind - which is significant by itself)did an outstanding job. Accepting the cash should in no way diminish your self-respect. Usually spot bonuses are given if someone in the power to grant them feels that an employee has done a great service to the company, or has gone over and above what his normal duties are. Spot bonuses are normally granted for a specific event or project, as opposed to performance bonuses that are normally granted for consistant, long-term, exceptional performance.

I'm sorry, but I don't see the distinction between a gift certificate (which you would have accepted), and cash (which you feel doesn't meet your sense of propriety). Either way, you are realizing monetary gain. The CEO, in his decision to give you cash, was merely acknowledging the fact that giving you a gift certificate limits where and how you can spend it. Giving you cash gives YOU the ability to decide how and where it will be spent. Giving me a gift certificate to the local steak house is going to mean a thing to me if I refuse to go there because I've experieced poor service there before. But cash would be very welcome if I have a larger than normal credit card bill this month.

Hope your CEO wasn't offended. Next time take the cash.

Infact I was thinking the same thing about the flexibility. Being a veggie, I would not have gone to the 'steak' house.

I agree that there is monetary gain in both cases. But still, I consider cash being inappropriate.

I did not mean to offend anybody and hope I did'nt so.

if you made a good impression or a bad one (or neither) by refusing the small bonus. You were likely viewed favorably beforehand, however, or the bonus would not have been offered in the first place.

Although people do derive satisfaction from a job well done, working for compensation is certainly the norm. I don't know of anyone (except retired folks who volunteer for things) who works for satisfaction in lieu of compensation. I would guess that this particular CEO thought you went a little above and beyond, either in scope or time, and just wanted to reciprocate.

I think I would have graciously accepted it with my thanks.

Yo-Dude or Dudett - Do what the Song says man - "Take the Money and run"... Dam. When it comes down to rug cutting time and they start doing layoffs. You will be just another spot of blood on the cutting room floor..

Yes - Oh Yes - it feels good to do something that is of High Value to the Corporation ... That is why they offered you the Cash ...

But the Corporation sees you for what you are worth at that moment in time... 2 years down the road you may just me another squirrle that becomes road kill in the high speed world of downsizing...

- Go On - Take the Money and RUN.... To the Bank

I agree if it was a big enterprise or organisation. Say if I was working in Oracle or MS, and they offered 5 bucks to me, I might have accepted it :-))) We are faceless in those organizations.
But in smaller organizations, things don't work exactly like that. Relations are to be maintained. Things are usually more on the personal level than just a name in the enterprise mailing lists.

What you say during the time of lay-offs does make sense.

I might have added value and done some thing tremendous. Well, honestly tell me how many times we have helped our friends on some techincal stuff. Do we expect anything in return. Nope, we do this because we are human beings. Out of kindness, friendship....Sometimes we do out of loyalty. To me just a pat on the shoulder would do for small things.
Ofcourse if I save million dollars to the company, I might expect something more than a pat

You didn't say it was a small family firm - normally CEO's are in large corporations that have no loyality to the employee.

But if you where working for a friend or a small family firm - then I would of done the same thing... Thanks but - it was enough to know I saved the Company XYZ dollars - and added some value...

But if it was a large corporation - take the cash -

...As long as he's not implying any kind of pet ownership or future ties to the money then it is simply a reward. You should have taken it after meeting with him about it.

This is a common practice used by many companies as an immediate reward for a job well done.

If you put in extra time, or completed the task ahead of time, think of the cash as recognition of your efforts, and informal compensation.

As to what your CEO thinks of you at this point depends on his reaction to your refusal to take the money.
His body language at the time is your most important clue.

Chas

Depends what he expected for the money and HOW NMUCH money he was offering.

Maybe he does think "favourably of you"

Next time, hide a camera, take the money and threaten to expose him if he doesn't pay the big bucks!

As for American corporate culture, any American corporation "I've" worked for, not all you guys just me, has been a cleless windbag of a waste of time. They were the dumbest people with the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of. No wonder they only lasted two years before the FCC fined them into bankruptcy. The others just went ******* up (sorry Mr. Banker) in no time for their lack of customer service.



SEGUE: As a call center manager (in the early 90's)I found that many US companies were hiring Canadian call centers to market products into the US. Now in MANY cases this is illegal (ie: phone services, credit cards etc.) but they did it anyway. I ALWAYS wondered why? Logistically, the rates would be cheaper in the US, I worked with the CRTC and FCC for a while on a few projects but I don't think the FCC is as rigid as the CRTC (Canada's TV and telephone regulating body).

Oz:
Jerks are found everywhere not just in US. You name a country on the map you can find some.

Your generalization of Americans being dumb is pretty myopic. For the records I am not an American.

You need to take the time to read the posts, then you may actualy understand them.

"As for American corporate culture, any American corporation "I've" worked for, not all you guys just me, has been a cleless windbag of a waste of time. They were the dumbest people with the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of. No wonder they only lasted two years before the FCC fined them into bankruptcy. The others just went ******* up (sorry Mr. Banker) in no time for their lack of customer service."

Where in this statement do I say that people in the US are jerks? In fact I even said "any American corporation "I've" worked for, not all you guys, just me"

Didn't you get the fancy book learnin' at yer skewal?

...well my school was nothing fancy and neither did we have fancy books. I heard you loud and clear.
All I was saying was not all Americans are dumb. I saw your attempt to tell us that it was just your experiences.

BTW, the thing I am guilty of is, using the word 'jerks'. I used it pretty loosely to encompass 'dumb' people.

Hey you guys: Thanks for your views and explanations of spot rewards.

After few email exchanges with the CEO everything is looking rosy. He thinks I am the greatest - Ofcourse I am LOL.

As I said, it was the cultural differences that brought about this situation .

thanks!!!

I work for Dept. of Navy as a civilian and I sure would like to see a supervisor do that for us sometimes. Sounds like you have a good manager that rewards good efforts.

To bad most Govt. supervisors aren't like that.