Enhancing Productivity through Total Reward Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2664-3731/10731Keywords:
total rewards, training and development, employee performance, employee productivityAbstract
Employee productivity remains a key challenge within the South African financial services sector, where high-performance demands and competition for skilled employees place increasing pressure on organisations to sustain effective work outcomes. Total rewards are increasingly recognised as a strategic mechanism through which organisations can support employee motivation and productivity. This study aimed to explore how employees in the financial services sector experience and interpret total rewards and how these experiences influence employee productivity. The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research approach. Thirteen employees from a financial services organisation were purposively selected and participated in semi-structured interviews, and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that employee productivity is shaped by a combination of financial and non-financial reward practices, including compensation, benefits, career development opportunities, well-being initiatives, and recognition. Employees perceived productivity as a reciprocal response to reward practices that signal organisational support, fairness, and appreciation. Practically, the study provides insights for policymakers, managers, and human resource practitioners seeking to design holistic total reward systems that enhance employee productivity and retention. The study also contributes to the literature by providing qualitative, context-specific insights into how total rewards shape productive work behaviour within the financial services sector.
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Accepted 2026-02-11
Published 2026-03-16
