When Hard Work Gets Punished
When an employee solves a crisis, the company piles on more tasks and blocks their promotion. Competence becomes an obstacle to career progress.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The penalty for effort happens when taking on more responsibilities without a change of role or pay closes the door to promotion. The competent employee becomes too valuable where they are to be moved.
## The one who solves problems and the one who just gets by
Two people in the same position. One handles emergencies, sorts out issues others avoid and steps up whenever there's a problem. The other does the bare minimum, without complicating things. Six months later, the first has accumulated twice the responsibilities. The second has time to train, take part in other projects and become visible to management.
When a promotion opportunity comes up, the competent one is told they can't be spared from where they are. The job goes to the other. Professional competence thus becomes the main obstacle to getting ahead.
## The exception that becomes the rule
The first time someone solves a crisis, it's brilliant. The fifth time, efficient. The tenth, they're just meeting expectations. If the eleventh time they say they can't, they're suddenly seen as uncooperative. The value of the work changes when the exceptional is taken for granted.
That shift comes at a cost. The company stops paying for or recognising the extra effort and builds it into the role as if it had always been there. The worker takes on more of the load with no reward other than maintaining their fruta.
## What the rest of the team learns
The problem isn't just for the person carrying twice the load. Everyone else watches and learns. If hard work leads to more work and fewer promotions, the rational response is to look busy without solving problems. A company that rewards effort with more work shouldn't be surprised when the team stops making the effort.
The underlying question is whether this stems from bad managers or from a system that makes visibility more profitable than problem-solving. In many cases, the two reinforce each other. Any employment decision of this kind should be discussed with an HR professional or a legal adviser.
## The one who solves problems and the one who just gets by
Two people in the same position. One handles emergencies, sorts out issues others avoid and steps up whenever there's a problem. The other does the bare minimum, without complicating things. Six months later, the first has accumulated twice the responsibilities. The second has time to train, take part in other projects and become visible to management.
When a promotion opportunity comes up, the competent one is told they can't be spared from where they are. The job goes to the other. Professional competence thus becomes the main obstacle to getting ahead.
## The exception that becomes the rule
The first time someone solves a crisis, it's brilliant. The fifth time, efficient. The tenth, they're just meeting expectations. If the eleventh time they say they can't, they're suddenly seen as uncooperative. The value of the work changes when the exceptional is taken for granted.
That shift comes at a cost. The company stops paying for or recognising the extra effort and builds it into the role as if it had always been there. The worker takes on more of the load with no reward other than maintaining their fruta.
## What the rest of the team learns
The problem isn't just for the person carrying twice the load. Everyone else watches and learns. If hard work leads to more work and fewer promotions, the rational response is to look busy without solving problems. A company that rewards effort with more work shouldn't be surprised when the team stops making the effort.
The underlying question is whether this stems from bad managers or from a system that makes visibility more profitable than problem-solving. In many cases, the two reinforce each other. Any employment decision of this kind should be discussed with an HR professional or a legal adviser.
Also available in: Deutsch
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (7 replies).
More summaries
-
Low wage incentives in Spain discourage workers from promotions
A monthly difference of 250 euros for taking on more responsibility is hollowing out middle management in Spain, making professional effort less profitable.
-
Palma Schools Hit 37°C as Vox Rejects Air Conditioning
Palma classrooms reach 33-37°C. Vox opposes AC in schools, citing 'culture of effort'. Royal Decree 486/1997 sets 27°C max for sedentary work.
-
Hard Work Doesn't Pay Rent: Divisive Thesis
A 35-year-old worker argues effort without efficiency is useless, claiming savings allow a minimal lifestyle. The debate over meritocracy continues.
-
Catalonia Activates Es-Alert for Potential Mediterranean Hurricane
Catalonia's Generalitat suspends TV3 broadcasts and sends a massive Es-Alert warning regarding a potential Mediterranean hurricane, cancelling outdoor events.
-
Image goes viral worldwide: man seized to die as two Jewish onlookers watch
Ukraine is drafting men by force: what does this mean for its economy and the war? An analysis of an incident in **Odesa**.
-
Berlin father withdraws knife-point iPhone robbery report to spare migrant deportation
Knife-point robbery in Berlin: father withdraws report against undocumented migrant to prevent deportation. A case raising economic and social dilemmas.