by Cody Hodge

Created on: April 24, 2009

It is very rare that a slacker will receive favor while a competent worker will not get recognition from the boss. When you see this happen, it very rarely is because the boss decides one day that rewarding people who don't do work is a good idea. Chances are good that there are reasons why this person has been given some sort of favor by the boss, and it usually has nothing to do with a job well done. Here are a few reasons why a slacker may be given favor over someone who really does do a good job.

First of all, it could just be a motivational ploy on the part of the boss to get this person to try harder. Perhaps they feel that they have no reason to work hard, and that they would try if it would get them anywhere. I have done this myself, in an effort to get some people to work harder. I allowed them to do some extra jobs, and gave them some things to do in order to make them see what can happen if hard work is put in.

It could just be that some people need some kind words as a boost of confidence. I have seen where people will perk right up, and start working harder because someone said something nice about them. Maybe they are just shy, or don't have confidence, and so they don't go all out for you. A pat on the back, or a kind word can go a long way sometimes.

Perhaps the boss was told by his boss to give that person his favor for the day. Maybe this person is training to become a manager, and because of that they slack in their current position. Maybe it is the fact that they will be doing something else soon, or the fact that they are better with people then actual work helps them out. There is more to doing a good job than just technical skills, people skills are important too.

Sometimes the slacker just gets lucky, and the boss is there for his first day on the job. He doesn't know that this person is a slacker, and maybe this is the one day the slacker decides to shine. So the boss thinks that the slacker is doing a good job, and gives them some favor. Politics is a huge part of work, and if you can play politics you can shine on the job.

A slacker isn't just going to get the bosses favor because he feels like screwing with people. The slacker will probably get favor as a way to try and improve performance. It has never helped a business to neglect its best people, so don't feel to spurned if you don't get as much favor as a slacker does. It won't last, and chances are that person will be gone when you are one day running the show.

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