Overachieving but Undervalued? The Truth About Performance Punishment

Terms like nepotism, understaffing, and favoritism are familiar to most people, but have you ever heard of ‘performance punishment’? This concept highlights a troubling workplace trend affecting numerous individuals across the United States. While not as widely recognized as the others, its impact can be just as harmful. But what does performance punishment really mean? Is it something you should worry about? And more importantly, could you unknowingly be experiencing it right now? Let’s break it down and explore what you need to know about this phenomenon.

A Good Work Ethic

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Ask any employer, and they’ll tell you they want to have the hardest workers money can buy. It makes sense. People get hired so they can do work. If you have a very hardworking person, the work gets done sooner, better, and at a better price.

It’s not surprising that hard work became one of the most touted ethics for employers to ask for. But, what happens if you’re too good a worker?

Too Productive?

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Let’s say that you’re a workaholic. You love to work and get your heels into it, so to speak. You are, without a doubt, the most productive worker on your team, the first one to arrive in the morning and the last one to leave. In a healthy work environment, this would translate into a better paycheck and a promotion. Unfortunately, many (if not most) employers aren’t like that.

Performance Punishment, Explained

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Performance punishment is a term for the phenomenon of being quietly punished for your high productivity. This is the term that covers that feeling when employers give an ultra-hardworking person a pat on the back and then quickly hand them more work. They do not give their hard worker a raise, a break, or a promotion.

Nope, their “reward” is more work and an expectation to continue to perform well above the standard.

Punished For Working Hard

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At first glance, performance punishment seems more like a matter of overlooking top talent. However, it’s a quiet way to hurt someone who’s trying to stand out and get acknowledgment for their work. Employers demotivate their top performers by not rewarding hard work and just expecting that person to do the job of two or three people.

Imagine if you were putting in extra hours, only to see the person who does less than you snag the promotion you were eyeing. That stings, doesn’t it?

Serious Issues

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If you’ve ever experienced performance punishment, you know how demoralizing it is and how it can affect your mental health. It doesn’t just hurt you. This kind of treatment can make you question your worth, make you feel resentful of other employees, and even harm your physical health if you continue to overwork yourself. No matter how you look at it, it’s bad news.

Bad For Employers

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Employers might get a temporary boost in productivity from hard-working individuals, but if they practice performance punishment, it won’t last and will have negative consequences for their businesses. Workers who are hit with this treatment typically get demotivated, depressed, and burnt out. As a result, they tend to leave for greener pastures or buck their workload sooner rather than later.

A Critical Mistake

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Performance punishment often starts when an employer thinks he’s saving money by keeping the overworking individual in their role. They start to rely on that person to deliver way more than the average worker. This becomes a major problem when the worker leaves, burns out, or cuts back on work.

In some cases, employers rely heavily on their high performers to the point that their business fails when that worker leaves.

A Bad Message To Others

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If you have watched performance punishment happen in an office, chances are you made a quiet mental note to keep your work output low. Or, in some cases, you might have gotten a quiet warning from a coworker who didn’t want you to fall victim to this type of exploitation. A workplace that punishes performance is a very demoralizing, even depressing, place to work.

Prevention Is Key

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The best way to avoid performance punishment is to observe other people’s work and try to follow their pace and quality, even if you are capable of doing a lot more. Of course, if you notice your employer rewarding those who go the extra mile, you shouldn’t worry about performance punishment.

Gauging the leadership style of your new workplace and asking others about their experience is the smart way to avoid this happening to you.

Already Punished?

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Oof. That’s bad, but there are ways to get away from this. Do not let the punishment or lack of praise hurt you. Instead, scale back the work you do and start applying for new jobs. When you are close to getting a job (or if you got an acceptance letter), wait until everything has been confirmed.

Then, ask for a raise or a promotion. If your boss says no, quit. If they say yes, then you can choose whether you want to stay or leave.

A Sign Of The Times

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Messed up as it is to say, performance punishment is a symptom of a much larger, society-wide issue. It’s a sign of how much we’ve gotten used to exploiting people. If we want to make any progress in workplace health, we’re going to have to reward those who go the extra mile, whether through a promotion, higher pay, or any other way. It’s just that simple.

Stop It

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You can do a few things if you’re dealing with performance punishment at work right now. First and foremost, stop working so hard. Let’s be honest: people who work hard do so to get something in return as it should be. If you are working extra hours but don’t get the recognition you should get, just stop it. Be honest with your boss, explain your reasons clearly, and start working like everyone else.

Talk It Out

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If you want to continue to do your best possible for the brand you are working for but feel that your efforts are not being valued, you can also decide to talk to your employer. Prepare a list of all the extra tasks you’ve been performing and all the extra work you’ve been putting into this role. After this, ask for a promotion, a raise, or whatever else you think you deserve.

Acceptance

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Keep in mind that it won’t always work. Sometimes, you may ask your boss for a raise in light of all the extra work you’ve been doing and receive a strict ‘no’ as an answer. When this happens, we often hold a grudge, but this is not helpful for anyone involved. Instead, practice acceptance. If your employer doesn’t value your extra work, that’s only his choice. Try to maintain a positive attitude, but stop doing extra work.

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