An Examination of Reward Probability and Delivery Delays on Employee Performance

ABSTRACT

The effects of delay to delivery of earned monetary rewards were evaluated in program support employees. During study 1, an immediate reward delivery condition was implemented. During study 2, employees were exposed to increasing delays to reward delivery (i.e., 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 days). Employees continued to respond at high levels up to a 32-day delay. Study 3 held the 32-day delay constant but also evaluated three different probabilities of receiving the rewards: 1.0, .5, and .1. Employees continued to respond during delays but decreased responding when the probability of receiving the rewards decreased.

KEYWORDS:

• Reward delay
• reward probability
• rewards
• human services

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.