THE MIRAGE CALLED EQUALITY

Equality is a fallacy. Nothing was created equal. The concept of equality is propagated by those who have no idea of the efficiency equation. Neither God nor man has found means adequate enough to equalise input and output. Newton’s third law of motion notwithstanding, equality exists only in theory. HR practitioners who advocate treating the workforce with the yardstick of equality is involved in something that actually does not exist and pursuing something detrimental to the growth and health of the organisation.

Consider two individuals holding similar positions, with the same job description and responsibility in the same organisation. The organisation expects both the individuals to put in equal work, with the same expected level of dedication. Since equality of labour and compensation is an accepted norm, both the individuals have to be compensated equally for holding similar job titles or positions. Despite what each individual may contribute, both would end up being remunerated equally unless there is an effective system of performance linked compensation. This is one of the reason that governmental organisations are often infested with incompetent inefficient ineffective staff. Why should one person work and contribute more than the other, when there is no incentive to do so?

Absence of accountability is a common phenomenon in an organisation where equality job positions and remuneration is enforced. Despite differentials in input, if returns are equalised, there is no incentive for an individual to invest more than the other is his job. It goes against the basic tenant of ROI. Highly competitive fields like marketing where performance is monitored by numbers and compensated appropriately, one finds that individuals perform better.

It is difficult, if not impossible, for a person to treat two different individuals equally. How hard one may try, inter personnel relations, organisational dynamics and other unspoken elements dictate how one treats the other. The ability of the superior to handle a subordinate and extract the required quantum and quality of work output would also differ from person to person. Positional authority necessarily may not ensure equal extraction of output. The skill with which situations are handled, subordinates controlled, motivated and monitored will differ from person to person.

It is only when there is a sense of inequality can there be growth, competition and fulfilment. HR practitioners must create a robust system which ensures adequacy in compensation and objective accounting of the job quantum associated to each individual. Superiors must focus on creating a sense of inequality amongst competing individuals. While inequality introduced must create differentials between individuals that spot competition and growth, care must be taken that it does not degenerate into institutional discrimination against some. This is a fine art and cannot be mastered without practice. Superiors must provide subordinates with opportunities for growth and the wherewithal required. The dictum of treating subordinates equally is neither practical nor advisable and necessarily need not be pursued.