When I go into a job bright-eyed and full of hope – employers take full advantage of that hope until none of that remains. It's only when I get so fed up that I mentally check out that good things start to happen at work.
- Find ways to help the company save time and money while being promised a promotion? No promotion.
- Stop caring and refuse to keep doing others' jobs without proper compensation? Finally promoted.
- Go into a job excited to be there and hopeful? Treated as though you're stupid.
- Disengage from work and realize you don't need this job? You're a competent peer.
We reward the wrong things. I would much rather have an energetic and hopeful manager than one who is constantly disappointed in every one or mentally checked out.
Yet I've found that promotions/pay increases happen almost as a way to suck you back in more than anything else. They take your hard work for granted until they realize you're about to leave, but by then it's usually too late.