We often associate the workplace with the employer-employee relationship, and in some instances, we overlook the underlying measures that hold together this bond. There’s definitely something that keeps employees loyal to their bosses, or at the very least cooperative members of the workplace.
French and Raven (1959) discussed the five bases of power and they explained how important it is to acquire as many bases as possible to become effective leaders. What most appealed to me, or should I say stood out to me, was the “reward” base of power. A business expert stated that bonuses are intended to foster goodwill with employees as well as promote positive company culture (Half, 2020).
We often hear many people waiting for the day they hear the word”bonus” from their boss. Obviously, a bonus is a one-time thing, but it holds so much promise and reward for its attainer ( the employee), to the point where the employee is willing to keep his/her job for at least another year. From a psychological standpoint, this is labeled as the ability to influence by providing a pleasant outcome, or the reward base of power. In such a scenario, the employer was not only guaranteed to keep his/her employees for another year, but he/she was also able to ensure that they’re being “productive employees”.
At the same time, the employer also gets to attain power in the workplace through the use of the other four bases of power. Clearly, a boss holds a legitimate status at work and is therefore revered.With the knowledge and expertise that they hold, employers can often exercise power by being the “expert” in the field. An employer that also displays such expertise with respect and credibility is more likely to be influential in the workplace. Finally, if all else fails, there’s always a method for attaining power through the use of punishment or negative consequences.
The takeaway from this is that it’s often useful to employ different methods of power in the workplace. Yet, the use of the reward base of power is a good guarantee for a productive workplace.
References:
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology : Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. ProQuest eBook Central.
Half, R. (2020, December 11). A year-end bonus can deliver many returns. Retrieved March 06, 2021, from https://www.roberthalf.com/blog/management-tips/how-to-decide-whether-to-award-a-year-end-bonus-or-not