Wage vs Remuneration
Between the words wage and remuneration, there is a difference. On a general note, both words are used when referring to a payment, mostly in the industrial setting. First let us define the two words so that a basic understanding of the terms can be gained. A wage is a fixed, regular payment for work. On the other hand, remuneration refers to a payment made by an employer at the completion of a particular task. A wage is often associated with manual labor and not with remuneration. This is one of the differences between the two words. Through this article let us examine the differences between the two terms by gaining an understanding of the terms.
What is Wage?
First let us start off with the word wage. The word ‘wage’ refers to a fixed regular payment. It is usually paid daily or weekly by an employer to an employee. It is important to know that wage is paid to an unskilled or a manual worker or a laborer for that matter. It is traditionally believed that wage is paid for a kind of work that involves muscular effort such a pulling weight, lifting burdens, rowing a boat and the like. For an example let us take the 18th century England when industrialization first began to emerge. During this period, a number of factories were set up in which people worked as laborers. These people were paid wages on a daily basis or a weekly basis depending on the number of hours they worked and the targets that they covered. This highlights the nature of a wage. It is interesting to note that the word ‘wage’ can be used both in singular and plural without the meaning being changed. Now let us move on to the word remuneration.
What is Remuneration?
Unlike a wage, Remuneration is paid to a skilled worker or an employee by the employer for completing a given task successfully. It is important to know that a remuneration is not usually paid for manual work. It is interesting to note that remuneration is given to tasks and work such as writing an article, delivering a radio talk, conducting a TV show and the like that involve skills and creativity. No skill or creativity is required to collect wages. Sometimes the word ‘remuneration’ is used in the sense of a reward. It also implies the meaning of pay for services rendered. Sometimes the word is used to indicate a kind of compensation for the work rendered. The word ‘remuneration’ is used only in the singular. These are the differences between the two words. Now let us summarize the differences between a wage and remuneration in the following manner.
What is the Difference Between Wage and Remuneration?
• Wage refers to a fixed regular payment made daily or weekly to an employee whereas Remuneration is paid to a skilled worker or an employee by the employer for completing a given task successfully.
• Wage is paid to an unskilled or a manual worker or a laborer for that matter, but remuneration is not usually paid for manual work.
• Wage is paid for a kind of work that involves muscular effort such a pulling weight, lifting burdens, rowing a boat and the like, but remuneration is given to tasks and works such as writing an article, delivering a radio talk, etc.
• The word ‘wage’ can be used both in singular and plural without the meaning being changed. On the other hand, the word ‘remuneration’ is used only in the singular. These are the differences between the two words.
Image Courtesy:
1. “RAILROAD WORK CREW IMPROVES THE TRACKS AND BED OF THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND SANTA FE RAILROAD NEAR BELLEFONT, KANSAS… – NARA – 556012” by Charles O’Rear, 1941-, Photographer (NARA record: 3403717) – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2. “Receptionists” by Evan Bench from Paris, France – Reception. [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
