As suggestions are made that doctors should have incentives not to refer patients to hospital, it's worth considering the soft incentives - like pride in a job - that actually get things done.
If there is one clear message that seems to emerge from recent news, it appears to be that no-one does anything unless there is a financial incentive. We are led to believe bankers require large bonuses in order to perform, that top flight managers need to receive £ multi-million pay-offs and now that doctors might benefit from an incentive not to refer patients to hospitals.
Something is being lost either in the communication process, in the search for attention grabbing soundbites, or – and I do hope it is not the case – in humanity.
Let’s get this straight. Companies are in business to make a profit. Doctors train in order to heal people. We all enjoy the financial incentives that, from time to time, might come our way.
Money is important and people should be (appropriately) rewarded but so too are standards. Admittedly not all but the majority who have built successful careers, in whatever walk of life, have done so because they are driven, enjoy what they do and are committed to doing it well. They take pride in a job well done.
Interrogate the research among those companies deemed best to work for and you won’t find the size of the salary package, bonus or incentive is by any means the only reason why people join and stay.
So maybe it’s time we communicated more about the ’soft’ incentives that actually help to get things done.
October 2nd, 2009
