At my job there are four main roles that I have to assign people to do everyday, as Sup. There's one specific role people generally dislike as it requires dealing with customers significantly more than the others. We discussed in the management meeting how to generate more interest in filling this role and also boost sales by using an incentive (sell X products, get Y thing free). We all agreed this was a good idea that we'd move forward with.
Fast forward a week, and the incentive is an incredible success. People were openly volunteering to do that role, and we sold completely out of the products they wanted to upsell almost immediately. Everyone was stoked and started asking what the challenge was every morning.
Now, the other day we have another manager meeting, and immediately the other Sups and the managers start grumbling that “everyone keeps asking about the incentive” and “they should just do it because it's their job”. Big boss says “we can't just be handing stuff out left and right” (we can, the store makes a stupid amount of money), and how we should only give out rewards if somebody sets and all time record. I jump in that I disagree, and that people will become unmotivated if the incentive is unattainable. I'm instantly overruled and now the incentive is gone.
Why the fuck are morons running the world? It's not even just that it improves morale, it boosted sales tremendously! It's good for employees AND the store, but God fucking forbid you have to hear someone excited about the incentive program that you started. Now I get to deal with staff that had their morale cut, and bitching from management that sales are down.
Stupid fucks.