re: #542 Obdicut

I don’t know. I have no plan. But I’d like to recognize their existence.

I just got a bonus at work— even though they know I’m leaving— because they want me to continue doing contract work for them. Almost a bribe, really. it makes perfect capitalistic sense; I’m a great performer.

However, one of my co-workers had his wife get into a terrible accident, after which she’s become addicted to painkillers and, frankly, her personality has changed and she’s now unreliable and occasionally violent. He still comes to work every day and does a good day’s work, despite dealing with a tragedy I can’t even comprehend. I feel he should be rewarded for that. At the same time, I should be, for capitalistic efficiency’s sake, rewarded for my output.

It is a dilemma. And of course one of the best ways to fix it is on the individual level, by recognizing and helping out those who are meeker or awkward or unpleasant. I can’t think of any systematic fix.

Obdi - there are ways to “reward” employees other than additional money.

For instance, perhaps the employer, knowing of the circumstances, will be a bit forgiving if this guy has to be away from work for a bit and his attendance falls. Or perhaps they have an Employee Assistance Program that can give him some support.

My employer would allow people to donate some sick leave to co-workers who had some sort of catastrophic illness and exhausted their sick and vacation leave, so they would be able to continue to receive a paycheck.

All of these things are “rewards” that don’t involve a bigger paycheck.