Sometimes it's funny, we live in a world that says "hard work is the key," but when we've worked hard... what we're given is the exit door.
You work overtime? Great. You think of ideas until you can't sleep? Cool. You become the most diligent employee, come in the earliest, go home the latest? Okay, congratulations... your salary is still the minimum wage, the bonus? Oh, we'll see later, depending on the condition of the company (which is actually profitable but pretends to be at a loss).
Meanwhile, on the other hand, the boss sits pretty, makes a Zoom meeting while on vacation in Bali, and says, "We all have to be more enthusiastic, for the sake of the shared vision."
Vision? Enthusiasm? Sometimes the ones who really work aren't visible. The only ones who are visible are those who are good at presentations and small talk.
Loyalty They Say If you ask, "Why aren't there more rewards for working extra?"
The answer is a template: "This is part of loyalty. You have to have dedication."
But we're never told who we're loyal to? To a system that never knows whether you work overtime or not? To a company that changes management every two years and throws people away like trash? Or to a spreadsheet that only contains numbers without feelings?
Tired, Bro. Tired. Humans are not machines. They can get tired, they can think, and they can get angry. And all of that slowly piles up. Eventually people become apathetic. Work for the sake of work, no passion, because they already know: "Why give more if the results are the same?"
So don't be surprised if many people resign. Not because they are lazy. But because they have realized: without incentives, hard work is just a decoration.
The conclusion is like this: If you want people to run, give them a finish line.
If you want people to be enthusiastic, give them direction and value.
If everything is flat—from salary to awards—don't blame them if they end up walking while drinking coffee, or even lying down while applying for other jobs.
Humans need a reason to survive. It's not just the words "thank you" that come out at the end of year meeting. Incentives are not just about money. But a sense of being appreciated. And if that's not there... well, sorry, welcome to the era of "work to survive."
