One experience that I have had while working for a retail store that is not corporate level but still has a chain for store in the Pacific Northwest, was decreased effort for the amount of compensation I was getting from the work that I was doing. I worked in the sporting goods section of this store at this particular location and was always excited to come into work and do what needed to get do in my department and sometimes helping other departments when needed. I originally did not care about how much I was getting paid, however, when I asked for a raise and used my willingness to help other departments once my department’s work was done, I was met with, “we didn’t ask you to help the other departments, we pay you to make sure the sporting goods department looks and runs exceptional in our store. After hearing this and getting declined for my raise, my behavior toward this store and my work that I was doing changed.
I was changing myself not as excited to go to work anymore and not wanting to rush to get my tasks completed since if I did, I would have nothing else to do in my department. I didn’t feel like it was important to help other departments in the store, and even caught myself saying, “I don’t get paid to do that” a time or two to individuals from other departments when they asked why I don’t help out as much anymore. I don’t think it was the compensation that made me act this way toward coworkers and my job. I believe it was the manager of the store that made me behave like I did because it felt like my hard work went unnoticed at all. I think this happens more often than not in today’s world as well, where workers do not feel appreciated.