That office bullshit: Part One

Having been alive and on this planet for just over 146 years now, and having worked for about 137 of those years (I started young), I feel somewhat qualified to talk about the various workplaces I've had and give my thoughts and opinions knowing they're based on real-world experience.

I've had some interesting workplaces, and when I mean interesting I mean really bloody terrible, dysfunctional and toxic, but I've also had some really great workplaces filled with good people, the right culture and other elements I look for in a workplace.

I thought I'd share a few red flags, things I've come across that didn't sit well with me over a few of posts.

Praise with no action

Praise comes in many forms, from a thank you to other rewards like promotion, additional remuneration and support, job perks and so on. Sometimes it's ok that that small praise if shown but sometimes a little more is required.

I'm all for gratitude and praise like a simple "thank you" for a job well done but when greater results are achieved and consistently, I believe an organisation has to show gratitude and praise in other ways (when appropriate) such as pay increases, enhanced support like personal assistants and other support staff, to perks such as vehicles, gym memberships, paid time off, time-flexibility and so on.

Don't get me wrong, these things aren't an employee's right and should never happen without good cause, but a company not doing so risks losing good people.

I have never rewarded someone for low effort and poor results - I encourage them and then fire them if they don't improve. But rewarding those who apply themselves is something I feel is very important and a workplace (and leader) that doesn't do so is not a workplace I'm ever going to stay for very long; places like that rarely keep good people for long.

What do you think?

Have you had experiences of being praised but never rewarded for your hard work and results? How did you feel and did you stay with that employer long? Have you been a business owner who had an ethos of praising then rewarding?

Tell me about your experiences or comment generally below.