User Power
Value/Post Ratio
137%
- Jun 1, 2019
- 219
- 300
What can motivate a great employee to work for a below-market salary? In other words, what would be a way to hire someone brilliant on a limited budget?
Some options I am aware of:
1. Equity / profit sharing / other forms of financial upside in the future. This is not always practical if e.g. enough equity has already been distributed.
2. Special opportunity: a brilliant individual contributor without managerial experience can be offered to lead a team. They make take a pay cut if they want to grow in this direction.
3. Special treatment: a brilliant individual contributor may be given opportunity to do things "their way". They may be allowed to try a new and risky approach (for a researcher, manager, coach), they may choose to work on something they are trying to master, they may be allowed to move to a particular city.
4. Personal branding: the employee may be allowed to advertise themselves which will bring to them financial upside in the future, or it may just bring them happiness. Examples: lead role in a movie/play that may become a big hit can launch a great career; a programmer working on an open-source project homegrown in a company may become well-known through conference presentations.
5. Social awkwardness. An employee may be brilliant, but a terrible communicator due to weak social skills up to and including autism/Asperger's or are just plain difficult to get along with. Maybe they insist on telling the truth in all circumstances, and that creates problems. Then their manager or somebody else can shelter them from the "real world" and in exchange pay them below-market salary.
6. Flexible schedule, part-time work, telecommuting. For example, someone building their own business on the side will only need a 9-5 job to survive. They may agree to, say, take 33% of the salary in exchange for only working 20 hours/week.
7. Opportunity to learn. Working with a particular coworker or manager who is at the top of their field can be extremely rewarding. Some people would take a pay cut to work with someone brilliant, as a learning opportunity or out of sheer excitement.
8. Sense of purpose. If the job has a social meaning, people can be willing to take a pay cut, particularly if other coworkers are doing the same.
Any other situations I may have missed? Any particularly interesting stories or experiences you would like to share?
Some options I am aware of:
1. Equity / profit sharing / other forms of financial upside in the future. This is not always practical if e.g. enough equity has already been distributed.
2. Special opportunity: a brilliant individual contributor without managerial experience can be offered to lead a team. They make take a pay cut if they want to grow in this direction.
3. Special treatment: a brilliant individual contributor may be given opportunity to do things "their way". They may be allowed to try a new and risky approach (for a researcher, manager, coach), they may choose to work on something they are trying to master, they may be allowed to move to a particular city.
4. Personal branding: the employee may be allowed to advertise themselves which will bring to them financial upside in the future, or it may just bring them happiness. Examples: lead role in a movie/play that may become a big hit can launch a great career; a programmer working on an open-source project homegrown in a company may become well-known through conference presentations.
5. Social awkwardness. An employee may be brilliant, but a terrible communicator due to weak social skills up to and including autism/Asperger's or are just plain difficult to get along with. Maybe they insist on telling the truth in all circumstances, and that creates problems. Then their manager or somebody else can shelter them from the "real world" and in exchange pay them below-market salary.
6. Flexible schedule, part-time work, telecommuting. For example, someone building their own business on the side will only need a 9-5 job to survive. They may agree to, say, take 33% of the salary in exchange for only working 20 hours/week.
7. Opportunity to learn. Working with a particular coworker or manager who is at the top of their field can be extremely rewarding. Some people would take a pay cut to work with someone brilliant, as a learning opportunity or out of sheer excitement.
8. Sense of purpose. If the job has a social meaning, people can be willing to take a pay cut, particularly if other coworkers are doing the same.
Any other situations I may have missed? Any particularly interesting stories or experiences you would like to share?
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum:
Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
