Abstract
The African proverb “to guess is cheap, to guess wrong is expensive” applies well to the discipline of compensation. Many organizations approach the topic in a haphazard and fly-by-the-seat-of-pants methodology only to be shocked that they cannot attract, retain and motivate talent. Which leads to the need for a good text to educate human resources professionals on the theory, principles and practices of the discipline.
Unfortunately, we have had to endure the umpteenth editions of texts that were written in the 1980s in a way that is confusing, poorly organized, and expensive. They seem to satisfy the needs of academics who may not have much depth in practice by relying on mind-numbing text and outdated concepts. Language has a habit of being “scholarly” and out-of-touch with the workplace.
Thankfully, we have a remedy in Dr. Greene’s book Rewarding Performance. It lends itself to the student and the practitioner in its layout, flow and language. It is a clear guide to how compensation strategies must be adjusted to align with new realities, and programs revised to ensure their effectiveness. The topic is approached in a way that is relevant to the challenges faced in the 21st-century workplace adding new perspective in the field. The inclusion of a new chapter on contractors and contingency workers is valuable at a time when organizations are dealing with a virtual/on-demand labor force to achieve their goals and objectives.
The partition of the chapters into three parts (Guiding Principles, Custom Strategies and Strategy Integration) enhances the experience for the practitioner/student to comprehend the topic and build upon it to create their own solutions. The final chapter on Sustainable Solutions does a great job of wrapping it up with concepts on how to adapt and maneuver in the face of change, the ever-present challenge of efficient and effective management of compensation programs.
Updated figures and PowerPoint presentations make the new edition of Rewarding Performance an essential resource for instructors and students of human resource management and compensation practices. The appendices on analytics are very valuable as compensation professionals must be versed in the utilization of evidence-based decision making to determine appropriate solutions to workplace challenges.
All that and an affordable price make this the 21st-century alternative to the legacy texts on the compensation discipline. It is ideal for both the student and practitioner who are seeking knowledge and guidance in the subject.