SALARY, incentives and job satisfaction are important aspects in creating motivation at work. A salary is the sum paid to an employee for a normal working month.
Many employees receive other benefits in addition to their basic salary. However, there are those who receive a salary without incentives. But usually their salary is higher than those who earn a salary with incentives.
Some of the incentives include housing, medical care, airtime, fuel and access to loans. But sometimes, many a workwer is faced with the dilemma of choosing between a low-paying job that has incentives and one where they would earn handsomely.
What should one do if they are faced with such a situation? Julius Kateega, a human resource consultant with Competitive Choices, says it depends on the needs of an individual.
“It is important to first weigh your personal expenditure. How much do you spend a month? If you are single and you don’t fall sick often, you don’t need a medical scheme and a big house.
You need a small house with just a seating room, bedroom and a kitchen. Why not to go for a high salaried job and save your money for other things,†he argues.
However, he said if one has a family and children, a job with incentives would be a better option. This is because even if you choose a highly paying job, you will have to spend on things like rent and medical bills for the family members, he adds.
For Lydia Tamale, an administrative assistant in town, a well-paying job without incentives is the best bargain.
“In most cases, you find that you already have some of the incentives the company offers, for example, housing and medicare.
“If I own a house and I am covered by my husband’s medical scheme, why should I go for a low-paying job with such incentives?â€
She adds that sometimes, the incentives given by companies are not that important to some people. For example, some companies give airtime on landlines and mobile phones.
You find that you don’t need all the airtime, but because it is a company policy you have to take it, she argues.
“Every month the company sets aside money for my medical bills. But I don’t remember the last time I went for those services, but if I am given that money monthly, I can do something important out of it,†Tamale explains.
She says a person with a well paying job can invest the money to generate more that can assist her in case of sickness.
Tamale argues that incentives tend to ‘cripple’ people’s minds. “Someone gets used to finished things and cannot think of developmental things on their own.
“That is why there are many government workers without their own houses just because they are enjoying free shelter from government estates,†she explains.
If one is given money in cash, she adds, they can plan for it according to their needs. You will save the money, buy land and build your own house.
Dan Ayebare, who works with a corporate company, says it would depend on the number of the incentives offered.
“If it is a variety of incentives, I will go for it because I am sure that the most areas where my money spent are covered.â€
Frederick Wamala also sees a low-paying job with incentives as a better safeguard in case tragedy falls.
“You may get a chronic disease that requires a lot of money and use all your savings. But if you are on a company’s medical scheme, the expenses can be covered,†he notes.
Edward Mutabazi, a human resource consultant at the Uganda Management Institute, says the decision on the two depends on the person.
“Most people, especially the young, look at how much they would earn, but experienced ones look at incentives,’†he says.
He argues that sometimes when you add up all the incentives, you may find that you are earning more than the one earning a high salary.
However, with the taxes deducted from employees salaries, especially Pay As You Earn, it is better to go for a job with high incentives, experts argue.
You may be getting sh5m, but your take home is about sh3.5m. Incentives are not taxed.
All that money is taken from you.
However the incentives are not taxed. If you decided to go for the job with incentives you can benefit from there.
When little is more
