Translating an organization's mission into action.
The Centre’s performance management research and thought leadership activities are led by SAF Associate Professor Adam Presslee. |
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Thought Leaders
Motivational Effects of Non-Cash, Tangible Rewards
Summary
Adam Presslee is a professor at the School of Accounting and Finance and co-director of the CPA Ontario Centre for Sustainability Reporting and Performance Management. Alongside co-author Willie Choi from the Wisconsin School of Business, he is researching the effects of non-cash, tangible rewards, such as gift cards and merchandise, on employee motivation. Their research explores when and why these new rewards are more effective in motivating employee effort than traditional cash rewards. Tangible rewards were found to motivate greater effort because they differ from cash rewards in four attributes – they are less fungible, spent on pleasurable wants, viewed as more novel, and paid out separately from salary. Firms seeking to increase employee motivation and performance are advised to consider these attributes when they choose what types of workplace rewards to offer.
Algorithmic Compensation in Incomplete Contracts
Summary
In this video, we interview professor Wenqian Hu from the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) at the University of Waterloo to learn about her study on algorithmic compensation schemes in incomplete contracts. Using a controlled lab experiment, Hu aims to answer two questions: whether it is trust or rewards that cause a loss in productivity in incomplete contracts, and how algorithmic compensation schemes affect employee productivity.
The Implementation of Voluntary Furloughs in Professional Firms
Summary
In this video, professor Kelsey Matthews, from the School of Accounting and Finance at the University of Waterloo discusses her research regarding the implementation of voluntary furloughs in professional firms. Alongside her colleagues, Leslie Berger and Lan Guo from the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, Matthews seeks to understand what factors influence professional employees’ decisions to accept or decline a voluntary furlough invitation. This research sheds light on the reluctance of professional employees to participate in voluntary furloughs. Watch the interview to explore this topic further!
Compensation Discretion's Role in Target Difficulty and Target Setting Effort
Summary
In this video, professor Tyler Thomas from the School of Accounting and Finance at the University of Waterloo and professor Rachel Martin from Utah State University look at how the discretion that managers have over employee compensation affects their target-setting process. In an experimental study with experienced business professionals, they explore what happens when managers can decide on compensation after seeing results, and how that level of discretion affects the difficulty of the targets they set as well as the level of effort managers put into setting those targets.
Why People Ask the Question They Ask
Summary
In this video, we interview Matt Bamber, a professor of Accounting at the Schulich School of Business, York University, to discuss his study on conference calls – specifically the question-and-answer section of a conference call, where analysts pose questions to management and they provide responses. In his study, Bamber aims to uncover what questions people are asking, why they are asking them, whether people agree on what a high- or low-quality question is and why there are low-quality questions in the first place. Bamber also discusses an important performance management issue that practitioners are facing: the power of AI tools now and in the future.
Dark Data's Impact on Planning Process for Businesses
Summary
In this video, we interview Ewelina Forker, a professor of Accounting at the Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison, to explore her research collaborations and study on how organizations harness the expertise and knowledge of their employees using organizational dark data. With the huge volume and variety of data that organizations possess, they must manage and consider the interdependencies between human judgment and insights with machine technologies. Forker aims to investigate whether this dark data can be useful to improve the forecasting and planning process for businesses.
Diversity Training
Summary
Graduate students in the ACC 690 course were tasked with a project to determine the biggest challenges CFOs anticipate facing in the near future, centred around helping employees execute strategy. Four students in ACC 690; Alyssa C, Abirna G, Terra R, and Zenab Z, created an educational and fun video based off their article on how 'diversity training isn’t enough'. In their article they explore what fairness is in the workplace environment, as well as why diversity, equity and inclusivity training in the workplace can be ineffective, challenging, and important. Their article explores what employers should do to better their diversity training and the consequences that can occur if they fail to do so. Their article 'Diversity training isn't enough' (PDF) retrieves examples and studies on their topic from many quality journals and sources.
Recruiting Using AI
Summary
SAF graduate students from ACC 690; Tracey C, Nervana F, Mihiri F, and Amber H, created a video that relates to and reflects upon their article on the usefulness of AI in human resources departments, and how it can change the role of humans. The students explored multiple surveys, research articles and case studies to find the opportunities and challenges that come with using AI tools. Their video also covers the limitations that occur when AI tools are used in certain situations for recruitment processes. Learn and see how AI tools can impact the workplace and more specifically human resources management jobs: 'Revolutionize Your Recruitment Process Through Unleashing the Power of AI' (PDF).
Four-Day Work Week
Summary
Four SAF graduate students, Stephen C, Edward K, Xavier M, and Jack W from the University of Waterloo ACC 690 class, introduce the four-day work week in their funny and educational video based off their article “The Power of Four”. In their article and video, they discuss the mental health and wellbeing of employees in the workplace, and how the implementation of a four-day work week has had a positive impact on employee performance and has improved their work life balance. The students back up their four-day work week strategy by collecting research from multiple sources and exploring several potential benefits of their four-day strategy, such as improved employee motivation and productivity. If you want to explore and learn more about this four-day work strategy and its effectiveness, read their article: ‘The Power of Four: Toppling the Conventional 5-Day Workweek’ (PDF).
