In my very first blog post, I shared some practical tips on how to land a job offer and touched (very briefly) on salary—but mostly the monetary side of things. Since then, I’ve realized there’s another dimension to compensation: the kind that never hits your bank account but definitely affects your life – and it’s called emotional salary.

Ken Coleman explained it well on The Ramsey Show:

An employee’s emotional salary is the measure of whether they feel rewarded at work beyond pay. This is the non-monetary aspects of the job like the culture of an organization, the opportunities for growth and development, work life balance and meaningful recognition.

To be completely honest, back when I was still a student on the verge of accepting my first job offer, the idea of “emotional salary” wasn’t even in my vocabulary. My focus was entirely on the physical salary (in good ol’ South African Rands) and the kind of life it could help me build—finally eating something that didn’t come in a plastic packet, having a little financial breathing room… and yes, saving up for an engagement ring. That was genuinely a goal at the time. I’d just put everything I had into earning my Engineering degree over four intense years, so in my head, a solid paycheck felt well earned. And to be fair, that first job helped me get my foot in the door. But if I could go back and offer younger me a little advice, I’d say this: look beyond the numbers. Because the emotional stuff—culture, growth, balance, recognition—can quietly make or break your day-to-day happiness.

Simon Sinek shared a similar perspective on Diary of a CEO:

If I got one thing right as a young person, it’s that I always chose jobs based on who I would work for. I didn’t care how much money they would pay me, I didn’t care about the glits and glam. Even though I made less money than most of my friends in the short-term, I got an education and a care and a love from somebody who took me under their wing. I learned leadership from great people.

So here’s a question worth asking: How’s your emotional salary? Are you genuinely fulfilled when you factor in your job’s culture, opportunities, balance, and recognition? Or are the perks costing you more than you think?

Just recently, I overheard someone talking about his new job, which ended up requiring far more travel than he’d anticipated. Sure, the company promised him a generous salary and the latest Tesla model—but conveniently left out how often he’d be on the road each week. This is a prime example of something that can quietly chip away at your work-life balance.

To be honest, I’ve yet to work for a company that provides me with all of the above plus an attractive (physical) paycheck. If you happen to be one of the lucky few, then I’d say hold onto your job for as long as you can 😊 Here’s a look at how things played out for me so far:

• The first company that I worked for didn’t offer the best culture, but there were plenty of opportunities for growth. Work life balance didn’t really exist but if you were lucky enough, you’d get the recognition that (you felt) you deserved.
• The second company that I worked for didn’t have any culture really, but also plenty of opportunities for growth. Work life balance was a bit more normal and I would rate the recognition similar to the first company that I worked for (OK).
• The third company that I worked for had a better culture and plenty of opportunities for growth. Work life balance was OK and recognition was also OK. But I wasn’t earning nearly as much as I could and for some reason this bothered me a bit.
• You get the picture right? It’s really difficult to find a company that ticks all of the boxes.

In my current role, I don’t manage HR formally. But I do lead a product team—and I’ve learned that building a winning product starts with investing in the people behind it. What makes it challenging is that I don’t necessarily have the power to give them a raise or nice bonus at the end of the year. So what to do?

Thankfully, money is just one aspect of a job and as a leader, I can focus on the non-monetary aspects of a job like the culture of our team, the opportunities for growth and development, work life balance and meaningful recognition.

Here’s what’s worked for me so far:

1. Build a strong culture that people believe in

Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” And I’ve come to realize just how true that is. Culture isn’t just a vibe—it’s the glue that holds a team together.

If you’re looking to level up your team’s culture, I highly recommend The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle. The insights from this book helped me shape better environments in both my teams by focusing on things like:

• Creating a safe environment for all, fostering a sense of belonging
• Being physically closer to one another, enhancing connection
• Actively inviting input from team members
• Seeking simple ways to serve the group

2. Recognize others for their unique contributions

Frequent and meaningful recognition is a critical driver of emotional salary. If you don’t feel recognized, you are only continuing to hurt yourself by staying in an organization that does not recognize you for your unique contribution.

In my teams, we’ve introduced playful and heartfelt ways to show appreciation, from “Player of the Sprint” medals to spotlighting individual contributions. Little gestures with big impact.

3. Foster genuine relationships

If you are like me and happen to work with offshore colleagues, this may be challenging. However, start being creative because not being close to one another is not an excuse for neglecting relationships within your team. 

Although it may feel like you’re constantly giving during the early stages of building a relationship—pouring your heart and soul into it—it will eventually pay off, and you’ll begin to see a positive return on investment.

4. Clear feedback loops all the time

Psychological safety is the backbone of great team culture. When people feel safe, they speak up. They give feedback. They grow.

One thing I always encourage: appreciative feedback. It reinforces strengths while still opening the door for growth (more on this in this blog post).

5. Give them a path for growth

One of the first things I ask new team members is: What are your aspirations, and how can I help you get there? As a leader, it’s important to know these things so that you can provide support as and when needed. Without a clear path for growth, it’s only a matter of time before other opportunities start to look more appealing.

If you’re able to offer even a few of these elements consistently, you’re making regular deposits into your team’s emotional salary—and that investment pays off. People stay longer, engage deeper, and show up with purpose. With patience and intention, you’ll build a team filled with highly motivated individuals who care about doing great work.

Have you ever found yourself accepting a job purely for the paycheck—only to realize something was missing? Or have emotional factors always guided your decisions? I’d love to hear your story.