The mutual reward theory can be used to identify working relationship deficiencies between individuals. The mutual reward theory says that if an individual in a working relationship perceives a discrepancy or "imbalance- in the amount and quality of the information he or she receives and the amount and quality he or she gives, the individual is less motivated to maintain the relationship (White, K.W. and Chapman, E.N., 1997, Organizational Communication). If a person is involved in a difficult working relationship it can affect their productivity and performance and they may be inclined to resign from their position. Either outcome would not be beneficial to the employee or the employer. .
For example, if you are employed by a racially diverse organization where there is an organizational culture that places a high emphasis on maintaining good working relationships and equality, the mutual reward theory can be 100 percent effective. The following graphic illustrates the basic component for any reward theory.
There are times, of course, when one employee may be overcompensating for another employee lack of communication skills. This can leave the employee feeling exhausted and uncomfortable. For example, as a marketing coordinator at a local engineering firm, I am constantly developing new relationships with engineers and architects. There are times when working with an engineer that I am faced with individuals who may have a difficult time verbally articulating information. When faced with this challenge I must find ways to develop high quality marketing materials with minimum information. This can be achieved through various forms of communication such as:.
E-mail,.
Voice mail,.
Inter-Office Memorandums,.
Meeting Agendas, and.
Meeting Notes.
All of these forms of communication provide alternative means of communicating with the engineers. This has proven to highly effective and alleviates the irritation threshold that can come in play when there is lack of communications between co-workers.