Job Vacancies And Jobs Search In Malaysia : Allyhunt

It is the time of the year again. Employees are waiting anxiously for the announcement from the management. Would there be a declaration of bonus this year? If yes, would it be the same as last year? Would it be better or worse? Would I be able to get the bonus on time to go for the holiday that I wanted or to get the I-phone that I have been craving for all these while? Or (and I hate this!) the management will once again make the payout only on the eve of Christmas?

If you are one of those lucky few, perhaps you won’t be in such predicament – I mean the lucky few that has been promised a contractual bonus, stated clearly in the appointment letter. Thus, you know for sure the bonus will be banked-in to your account accordingly. This is not an issue that keeps you awake at night.

But, not everyone is so lucky. Most companies do not provide contractual bonus and we slogged the whole year with the hope of earning some extra cash at the end of the year. Sometimes we got our wish but sometimes we don’t.

For the employers, the decision to pay bonus and how much to pay is a very critical one. Unfortunately, many do not see the consequences of such decision. A lot of employees would regard their hard work put over the past one year be rewarded handsomely and when their expectations are not met, employers should not be surprised to receive a white envelope from the employees immediately after the bonus payout. Bonus payout should not be less regarded as a staff retention strategy. In fact, if employers handled it badly, you may have a staff turnover crisis in no time. However, many employers may disagree and said, “Whatever amount you give, they will still not be satisfied. So, why bother?” To a certain extent, that may be true. So, does that mean there is no solution to this important event?

Perhaps good communication may just do the trick. I think it is absolutely important to explain the rationale behind each payout to individual employees. If the performance of the employee is not the issue but the financial performance of the company is, let the employee know that it is not because his hard work and contribution had not gone unnoticed. And it is always wise to keep track of your staff performance and communicate to them via a “Staff Performance Appraisal” exercise. The problem usually lies with our different perceptions and expectations. You may be staying late in the office but your employer may not equate to hard work. Good communication does matter after all!

Employers and employees, do you have an insightful comment to share?