Strategies for control : A large part of motivating employees involves the system of rewards that is developed by the organisation. Many theories have been developed that attempt to explain how individuals are motivated to act and what they expect to receive in return. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory segments human needs into five categories and has been extensively used by organisations as a model when trying to understand what motivated employees and how to properly reward them. The drawback with Maslow’s model and other theories is that employees are all unique individuals and their characteristics cannot always be grouped together. People seek and receive enjoyment from a variety of sources. It is difficult to explain why some individuals may engage in occupations that are hazardous and put themselves at risk when they could have a safer workplace. No matter what the reward is, employees must have the appropriate ability to perform the job, as well as a clear definition of their role in order to stay motivated. Without these elements in place the employee may not be able to distinguish the link between their performance and the reward. It is important to realize that individuals seek out and desire rewards from their job, but it is not possible for organisations to design a unique reward system for each individual. This is due to the uniqueness of employees and the complexity of motivation. A difficulty of developing adequate rewards stems from the different concepts of what actually constitutes a reward. One employee may receive greater satisfaction from increased pay while another may received greater satisfaction from public recognition. A complete reward system must address this complexity by incorporating the financial aspects with the non-financial aspects such as equity, self-fulfilment, recognition, and development. A proper reward system will help the organisation to attract and retain highly skilled individuals for long-term success. Performance measurement: When discussing a rewards system, it is assumed that employees will be paid for coming to work and putting forth effort. However, performance measurement is based on the belief that simply being busy at work does not mean that employees are producing results. Companies are not in business to pay employees; they are in business to create a quality product and make a profit. If employees are not producing the results that are desired, then certain rewards may be withheld or punishments may be enforced. The purpose of a performance measurement system is to reward excellence and employees that are producing, not simply trying hard. For the organisation to truly be effective, it is important that it monitor and measure employee performance. This will provide feedback and information to employees regarding their performance so that they can make improvements, if needed. The employees will also have a better understanding of what they have to do and also how well they are supposed to do it. The premise to pay for results seems to be logical at first and many occupations, such as sales, utilize a full pay-for-performance reward system. However, having a reward system that is based completely on performance is difficult because of the employee appraisal process. It is not easy to measure employee performance accurately and objectively, so this process must align the employee performance plan with the strategic goals of the organisation. Employees must know exactly what they will be measured on so that they have the opportunity to meet or exceed expectations, and also so that they see how their performance is working towards meeting strategic objectives. Another drawback with a performance-based reward system is that not all elements can be controlled by the individual. Companies are requiring that employees work in groups or complete projects as teams on an increasing basis. Individuals within a group can only control their individual actions, so it may be unjust to give credit or blame for a group’s performance to an individual employee. Instances such as these can create frustration for employees if rewards are withheld for actions beyond their control.