In the recent flurry of theories about the pros and cons of safety rewards and incentives, the most serious danger has escaped our attention. Dan Pink’s recent book, “Drive”, renewed the debate and drove many of us to re-read Alfie Kohn’s controversial work, “Punished By Rewards”, which argues that typical workplace incentives undermine inner commitment. Both the proponents and critics of safety incentives can cite details in which such programs work, or don’t.
But here is what is missing in the debate: the failure to identify and address organizational influences on behavior.