What is the term used to describe the amount of money paid to an employee for work performed?

The term that best describes the amount of money paid to an employee for work performed is "compensation." This term encompasses all forms of financial remuneration that an employee receives in exchange for their labor. It includes various components such as wages, salaries, bonuses, and any additional financial perks or benefits tied to employment.

While "wages" and "salary" refer specifically to types of compensation—wages typically implying hourly pay and salary generally denoting a fixed annual amount—compensation itself is a broader concept that captures the entirety of what an employee earns, including various forms of easier-to-quantify payouts, bonuses, and benefits. "Incentives" are usually considered a subset of compensation aimed at encouraging particular behaviors or reaching specific goals but do not represent the overall figure paid for work performed.

Understanding the context and scope of terms within HR and business management can help clarify their proper use in various scenarios.