As you rise up the corporate ladder, a variety of tangible and intangible benefits come with the increased responsibility. These can range from the aid of an administrative assistant (or several), to a company car, to upgraded travel, to the ability to spend a greater discretionary amount of money on the tools of your job, to better technology (for example, only directors and above get iPads in company X).  Often we refer to these as the "perks" of the job. The generally idea is that the Executive's time and experience is more valuable and, hence, extra spend on the executive to may the most of their time and expertise is well worth it.

However, the perception of Perks in a time of economic austerity can be detrimental to the morale of a company, division, or group. Few outside the executive circle understand the stress of the position (assuming said executive takes the responsibility and accountability of their position seriously). To them, as they are facing budget cuts, reduction in staffing, demands to "do more with less", it only seems that "Management" is wasting company money on Perks for themselves while the "workers" suffer.

If you have been watching the world stage for the last year, this same theme of leaders at the top living in excess while workers suffer austerity has played itself out in revolutions through the Middle East and surrounding areas and, currently as some would claim, the root of the unrest in Great Britain. Now, I am not suggesting that employee riots are around the corner, but at the same time, it is no longer as far fetched as it once might have been. The disparity in some companies, when combined with the general political anger at the economic disparity in the world, can lead to rapid and sustained defection of the talent pool. Top performers may be insulated from internal corporate belt-tightening, but that doesn't mean they are not affected by the poisoned climate of worker unrest and, as top performers, it is easier for them for find a "friendlier" place to work.

Managers and Executives at every level should reflect on and self-audit the perks they receive and take advantage of in their positions. Real gestures of self-regulation by top leadership or even by a single employee's supervisor can make substantial differences in company morale when widely applied across the entire company. The Executive who flies First Class on the company does so typically for a reason - the time on the plane is spent working OR they need to be fresh and alert to make multi-million or multi-billion dollar decisions when they land. Still, most of use at a senior level easily collect enough points on our various personal cards for our own first class upgrades OR could readily pay for our own upgrades out of our annual bonuses. Give the Executive only iPad or Blackberry or whatever to an employee in a business area that really needs the resource and buy your own. A little more self-sufficiency on every leader's part will not save the company the kind of money that causes layoffs, but it will make the majority of the employees in the company feel you are part of their team and that can have a world of impact on the productivity and growth of the company.

Review your perks today for better unity throughout your company.