When they say it's about pay, it's true.

• Author: Marshall, Jeffrey
• Position: WORKPLACE - Employee survey - Brief article

Almost three-fourths of employers surveyed recent by Sirota Survey Intelligence (SSI) believe that praise can serve as a substitute for higher pay. Wrong, says the research firm.

"Neither praise nor money alone are sufficient to satisfy employees," says David Sirota, chairman emeritus of Sirota Survey Intelligence and co-author of The Enthusiastic Employee: How Companies Profit by Giving Workers What They Want (Wharton School Publishing). "There are three basic goals that the vast majority of employees seek from their jobs. These are: pride in one's work; positive and productive relationships with one's co-workers; and being treated fairly in pay, benefits and job security."

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"Most workplace mythologies are based on half-truths--which make them so difficult to dispel," says SSI President Douglas Klein. "For example, it is, in fact, true that poor immediate supervisors have a strong negative impact...