INTRODUCTION
1.1BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The administration of staff incentive scheme has now become a popular phenomenon of the total personnel policy of nay organization. The scheme involves those extra benefits which may not necessarily be money, which emanate from the kind relationship of the employer to the employees, to supplement their usual wages, from the to time which are at most times geared purposely towards the enhancement of worker performance in the organization.
This scheme, where in existence is very important to both the organization and the employees. From the employer’s point of view, it is anticipated that a good staff employees incentive schemes will induce the employees to work hard and improve their general attitude towards the organization. But for the employee, these benefits represent some additional right such as extra income, additional security or more desirable working conditions that should not required any additional effort.
In business organization, employers of labour have seen in staff welfare services, as the ability to evoke commitment and co-operation of the subordinates to contribute more to the achievement of the organization goals and aspirations. This discovery has led many employers of labour to the introduction of well packaged welfare services, with the sincere belief that a good staff services, scheme will induce staff to work hard and improve the general staff moral.
The situation remains relatively the same but for the difference in methods of payment and apparent change in emphasis. The appraised of the staff welfare scheme are defined as “something of value, a part from the agreed regular monetary payment of salaries and wages given to staff”. This will be used as the working definition for this research work.
Staff welfare services exist, in all cultures and in all organization and had existed at all times. They like different shapes and forms and attract different names.
In recognition of their worker need fulfillment functions, they are variously called “welfare services” welfare benefit employees “income” or simply “supplementary compensation” pay and non wage remuneration”. As non-taxable income and expense, they are beginning to be called “indirect compensation and on tax benefit”.
In the past, they used to be tiny bits and pieces of goodies that occasionally fell from the light tables of paternalistic employers ie when the top management, play a fatherly role of the staff.
Its should be noted that for the company to achieve its objectives her welfare services should be adequate competitive who tailored towards the real need of the staff are directly influenced by nature quality and quantity of welfare services offered because they compare themselves with their counterparts in the organization.
In my research work and analysis I have found that workers do prefer increases in welfare services to increase in salaries especially during the period of inflation and rising prices. Workers normally get frustrated and dissatisfied when welfare services are inadequate. But if the opposite condition prevails, workers have been observed to be satisfied and more committed to give off their best to the achievement of the company’s objectives.
2.1LITERATURE REVIEW
NATURE AND SCOPE OF STAFF WELFARE
DEFINITION
Staff welfare has been defined variously by various writers. Armstrong and Murus defined it as “item in the total package offered to staff over and above salary which increase their wealth or well-being at the same cost to the employer. In the words of Youder Ethel, “it is wide variety of services produced by companies for staff families. But Nwachukwu from his own perspective see it as “additions entitlements given to staff by management to supplement their wages.
Staff welfare have been commonly referred to as staff benefits or services. This distinction here is that benefits are where direct monetary reward accrued to the individual workers eg. pension leave pay and salary advance, while service involve no direct and unidentifiable monetary benefits e.g staff clubs, recreation facilities arrangement of reception hall and Christmas parties etc. other yet refer it to as fringe benefits.
As mentioned earlier, staff welfare exists in all cultures, even during slave trade period, and in all organization and had existed at all time except that they take different shapes and forms and attract different names. It is in the recognition of their workers need fulfillment functions that they are variably called welfare benefit, welfare services, employee income, they are being referred to as supplementary benefits, supplementary compensation or pay, and expenses, they are beginning to be indirect compensation and non tax benefit.