A pay rise only leads to short-term satisfaction before the rut sets in again, according to a new study.
A pay rise only leads to short-term satisfaction before the rut sets in again, according to a new study. With a rise comes a re-evaluation of status and you soon begin to start comparing your levels of pay to colleague’s again.
However workers who are happy with their pay are less likely to have work and family conflicts, according to researchers.
Scientists say how much a worker actually earns is just as important as how satisfied they are with their pay in determining their happiness.
Professor Amit Kramer, of the University of Illinois, said: 'Pay, as you might expect, is a relative thing.
'I think most people would agree that a certain level of pay that allows you to meet your needs is critical. However, beyond that level, relative pay becomes an issue and with it, perception of pay or pay satisfaction.'
But once workers achieve a sufficient level of pay, they shift their focus from what their pay allows them to do to other focal points - such as how much their colleagues earn.
Professor Kramer explained: 'It becomes ‘my pay’ compared to others; ‘my pay’ compared to the effort I invest; ‘my pay’ compared to the things I give up and miss in life for the opportunity cost of working.
And the study reveals the effect of a pay rise on pay satisfaction only has a moderate relationship that does not last very long.
As an example, when employees change jobs, they re-evaluate their pay and are more likely to change their pay satisfaction, not necessarily because they get a raise, but because of the social aspect of pay.
And even workers who earn a lot have high levels of family-work conflict because they also perceive inequality among colleagues.
Professor Kramer said: 'If employees perceive work as a sacrifice they have to make, then the work environment itself is not ideal.'
He believes employers should understand the sacrifices their workers make and offer different work arrangements and policies to compensate.
最新研究显示，加薪给人带来的满足感非常短暂，不久就一切如旧了。员工加薪后，会重新评估自己的状态，不久就又开始和同事比较薪酬了。
但研究人员也表示，对自己薪酬满意的员工能更好地平衡工作与家庭的关系。
科学家表示，在决定员工的幸福感方面，员工真实的薪酬和员工对薪酬的满意度同样重要。
伊利诺伊大学的阿密特-克雷默教授说：“可能和你想的一样，薪酬是个相对的事物。”
“能满足你生活需要的一定水平的薪酬很重要。我想大多数人会认同这一点。但除了这一标准外，相对薪酬就显得很重要了，还有对薪酬或薪酬满意度的感知。”
一旦员工的薪酬足够多，他们就开始把关注点从薪酬能让他们做些什么转移到其他方面了，比如其他同事赚多少钱。
雷默教授解释说：“这就会转变成，我的薪酬和其他人相比怎么样；和我的投入相比怎么样；和我在生活中为工作的机会成本所放弃的相比怎么样。”
研究还显示，加薪与薪酬满足感之间仅存在相对关系，而且不会持续太久。
比如，员工跳槽后会重新评价自己的薪酬，他们的薪酬满足感更有可能改变，这不是因为他们加薪了，而是因为薪酬的社会效应。
高薪酬的员工也会感到工作和家庭之间冲突很大，因为他们也会觉得员工之间存在不平等。
克雷默教授说：“如果员工觉得工作是一种必须的牺牲，那这种工作环境很不理想。”
他认为雇主应该理解员工做出的这种牺牲，并提供不同的工作安排和政策来给予补偿。
rut: 老一套，惯例
opportunity cost: 机会成本