Some time ago, measured in years rather than months, I read an article discussing workplace relations etc. Part of it said that the vast majority of employees, consciously or subconsciously, kept a mental ledger of fairness in the workplace.
Being rostered off for important days weighed for example, against being asked to stay back late to get the important job done. And so it goes on.
Most employees have a reasonable ledger of fairness but not all. Once the ledger tips too far in favour of the employer, the employee starts to feel bitter and resents the extra effort that not only goes unrecognized & oft unrewarded, but starts to withdraw because they no longer perceive that they're in a give & take relationship any more.
Sad really. One of the simple things in life, giving an employee a pat on the back is ignored, in favour of gimmicks that allow management & HR gurus to convince them selves that they're doing a great job, when all the while most employees see through the charade, and the whole enterprise suffers.
