A gift with thoughtfulness: A field experiment on work incentives

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Cao, Cangjian; Li, Sherry Xin; Liu, Tracy Xiao
• 署名单位: Tsinghua University; University of Arkansas System; University of Arkansas Fayetteville
• 刊物名称: GAMES AND ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0899-8256
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2020.07.014
• 发表日期: 2020
• 页码: 17-42
• 关键词: Thoughtful gift; gift exchange; RECIPROCITY; reference dependence; field experiment

摘要

We conduct two field experiments to investigate whether and how different forms of monetary gifts influence workers' performance in the workplace. Temporary research assistants are surprised with a monetary gift after completing a pre-announced task and decide whether to work on an additional one. We find in both experiments that the impact of gift type on workers' productivity is contingent on the gift amount. Specifically, for the larger but not the smaller gift amount, a more thoughtful presentation of the gift cash enclosed in a red envelope outperforms plain cash by increasing workers' overall productivity, willingness to participate, and work quality. More importantly, these effects prevail under an unappealing pay scheme in the task, as workers are more likely to perceive the thoughtful gift as the employer's appreciation, which counteracts the negative income effect stemmed from reference dependence. (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.