The fallacy of the work assignment: why hard use is often not rewarded

In the world of work, which is constantly talking about commitment, commitment and performance, there is a deeply rooted conviction that many people take over without reflection: the assumption that effort and effort will ultimately always pay off and that the person who works hard at some point also the deserved recognition, promotion or an appropriateremuneration is received. However, this belief, based on an idealized idea of justice, is often an illusion in reality, which all too often proves to be deceptive. Many people invest all their strength, work overtime, take on additional tasks and tirelessly work for the success of their employer, hoping that theirstruggle to bear fruit someday. But in most cases, experience shows that exactly this behavior is rarely rewarded with the expected reward or appreciation on the part of the superiors. Instead, one is often exploited, praised or simply overlooked, while one pays the price for a false belief, which is considered a dangerous fallacyhas exposed. This phenomenon can be observed in numerous industries and professions and not only leads to frustration, but also to a considerable loss of motivation and self-esteem among employees.

Belief in automatic recognition

The basic idea that hard work always leads to fair consideration is a belief deeply rooted in human thinking. It is an idea based on the assumption that justice prevails in working life and that those who make a special effort also receives the deserved recognition in the form of praise, promotion or financial reward.This belief is so firmly anchored that many people invest all their energy in the belief that effort will eventually pay off. But reality shows again and again that different rules apply, especially in hierarchical structures and in companies in which power and influence play a major role. Often it is personal sympathy, political games orSimply luck, that decides whether someone is rewarded for their achievements or not. The consequence of this is that the vast majority of employees work in the hope that their efforts will eventually bear fruit, although the likelihood of this actually happening is getting smaller and smaller. The constant hope of a reward means that many of theirCrossing your own limits, pushing overtime and exploiting yourself just to give the impression of fighting tirelessly for the success of the company.

Manipulation and the illusion of fairness

In many cases, this conviction is an illusion that some managers use in a targeted manner to keep employees in a state of constant expectation. They play with the hopes of the employees, stirring up the feeling that their work is seen and appreciated, although in reality only one’s own interests are often pursued. These bosses who understandGaining the loyalty of their employees through small concessions and apparent recognition are often masters of manipulation. They give the impression that only the hard work of the employees ensures the success of the company while they themselves do in the background and expand their influence. This type of leadership creates a climate in which employees tirelesslytake over, which they actually don’t want, in the hope of a better future, but mostly just a wishful thinking. The feeling of being needed is maintained by constant praise and small rewards, while actual appreciation for the work done often does not materialize. The employees work out of a sense of obligationthey are taught by manipulative managers and overlook the fact that they are constantly exploiting themselves without the situation improving in the long term.

The personal experience report of a worker

I myself have experienced this dynamic in several employment relationships and have repeatedly had to realize how quickly one can fall into a trap based on false assumptions about justice and reward. One of my first jobs was at a production company where I was employed as a so-called “fixed free”. This term sounds harmless, but hides oneForm of employment where you are officially employed but have no security, fixed remuneration or regulated working hours. The salary is uncertain and often fluctuates, there is no vacation, and all social security, health and pension insurance must be covered by yourself. This system is a form of exploitation designed to protect the employer whileemployees have to insure themselves at their own expense. The head of this company was a passionate advocate of this system. She managed to create an attitude of gratitude and happiness in us, to be able to work for her at all. You felt so integrated into the community that you even had a bad conscience if you didn’tworked overtime. It was a kind of psychological game based on manipulation and that made us think we were indispensable and would have to give everything to secure the company’s success. It was clear that the actual working conditions were anything but fair.

The influence of a manipulative boss

The boss was a skillful manipulator who knew exactly how to control our feelings. She managed to get us to work overtime by constantly praising, the feeling of belonging and the fear of loss of work, without really realizing it. It was the impression that our work was essential for the success of the company and that we only through ourConstant willingness to do more that could save the company from downfall. This feeling was reinforced by the fact that we could hardly afford to set limits because we were afraid of not being needed any more. After a year and a half we realized that we were in a psychological prison from which we were only through the courage, ourplace to give up, escape. Experience clearly showed that there is not always justice in the world of work and that some managers are using their power to capture employees in a system of long-term exploitation. It is a bitter realization that honesty and fairness are unfortunately not a matter of course, but sometimes just empty words,abused by manipulative people.

When the boss is forgetful and perceives little

Another example makes it clear how different bosses can be and that not everyone intentionally manipulates. There are those who appear friendly, but are very striking in their forgetfulness and inattention. Such a boss was my former superior, who kept giving me tasks and asked me to help with presentations. He was like thatForget that he hardly noticed what I had already prepared for him. When I said that I had done the last ten presentations completely alone, he was just amazed and hardly seemed to show a spark of perception for my work. He probably wouldn’t take a look at the presentations I had made for him and would hardly noticeif I prepared more. His forgetfulness was so pronounced that he hardly noticed how much work was in the presentations, and he didn’t seem to have any real interest in the matter either. This is because there is no account to deposit into to get a reward at some point. Working life is not a game in which one can take a look at the balance sheetcan pull, which turns out positive. It is pointless to constantly do more and hope that this will pay off at some point because the Karma account remains empty in the world of work. It is important to internalize this knowledge so as not to overtax yourself and not to hope for a reward that may never come. Rather, the work should be based on its own valuesand aims are based and not on the false hope of eventually being rewarded if you give enough.