Employment relationships are transactional by nature. If you want special rewards, you had better be prepared to get your work done very well and very fast all day every day. You want to know every step of the way exactly what is expected of you and what can you do to go the extra mile and earn extra rewards. Right? Will there be bonuses for early delivery or exceptional quality? Will there be penalties for late delivery or work that fails to meet expectations? The ideal bargain is one that clearly defines the deliverables expected and a concrete deadline, as well as specific milestones that need to be reached along the way. Every penny of compensation - financial and nonfinancial - would be tied either to a specific milestone you control in the project or to the ultimate delivery by the agreed-upon deadline. In an ideal world, if you work smarter, faster, and better, then you get paid more money and get more flexible work conditions.
Does that mean that everything is open to negotiation? Of course not. In fact, if you are ever going to be in a position to negotiate special rewards and increased flexibility for yourself, the first thing you have to consider in any work situation is what is NOT negotiable.
What are the basic requirements of the job, the essential performance standards, and acceptable behavior? What are the basics for which you should expect nothing more than to be treated fairly and paid for your work? Those are what I call the deal breakers. You have to be very clear: "Here's the deal. For coming in to work on time, for not leaving early, and for getting a lot of work done very well all day long without causing any problems, what do I get?" You get paid. And you get to keep working here! Those are the basics of the employment deal. You should understand that doing your job very well, very fast, all day long is what you were hired to do. That's why you get paid a basic wage or salary. That's why you get the basic benefits. That's why you get to come to the pizza party.
Once you figure out what is NOT negotiable, and you deliver on that part of the deal consistently for some period of time, then you put yourself in a position to seize opportunities to go above and beyond and thereby earn more. You have to keep your eyes peeled for those opportunities. When they present themselves, focus like a laser beam on the value you bring to the table. What can you do here that is above and beyond? What can you do that is especially valuable? Then you might be in a position to negotiate for increased rewards and special flexibility.
