‘Literally nothing is less insulting’: Employee in a fury after their company decides to replace pay raises with ‘goodie bags’

An employer recently decided to replace expected pay raises with token goodie bags, and the internet is having a field day with the absurdity of it all. This situation, which went viral on Reddit, highlights a growing disconnect between what management thinks constitutes employee appreciation and what workers actually need to survive. 

The post, which appeared on the subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating, featured a photo of the bag’s contents. It included a bottle of water, a packet of crackers, a single piece of candy, a pen, and a retractable measuring tape. You can imagine the frustration this caused when employees were likely hoping for a meaningful adjustment to their base pay.

Per Daily Dot, the reaction online was swift and overwhelmingly negative, with the post racking up more than 7,500 upvotes. It is clear that this sort of gesture hits a nerve, especially when you consider that many employees are currently struggling with stagnant wages and the rising cost of living. One Reddit user, RaptureRising, summed up the general sentiment perfectly by saying, “Geez, doing literally nothing is less insulting than this.” 

As one user pointed out, it looks like the company just raided the break room

It’s wild to think that someone in management actually signed off on this, but it is not an isolated incident. The thread became a massive dumping ground for people to share their own horror stories regarding workplace rewards. One user pointed out the sheer lack of value compared to corporate profits, noting, “My employers NET earnings in Q1 was over 5B$…. For employee appreciation week they gave us a lanyard….” 

The specific contents of the goodie bag were also mocked relentlessly. One commenter even joked that the measuring tape could be used to track the “weight you’ve lost from poverty hunger.” Another user, louisvillejg, stated, “This is the stuffed animals they gave out at the Olympics to the people who didn’t win.” 

Some of the other stories shared in the thread are even more depressing. One person recounted receiving a 15-cent hourly raise during their second year at a restaurant job, while another described a one-dollar annual raise as the only form of recognition they received all year. 

There was also a bit of sympathy for the middle management caught in the middle. Nailfoot1975 wrote, “The poor manager that had to hand these out and pretend to be thrilled.” However, that sympathy did not extend to the company’s decision-making process. 

Many users suggested that the original poster should not feel any obligation to provide two weeks’ notice when leaving for a better job, while others simply suggested, “unionize.” One user, Massive_Mongoose3481, suggested a different approach to the situation by saying, “Reward their generosity with a reduction in productivity.”

As of right now, the company behind these goodie bags has not been identified, but absolutely no one is going to see them in a good light after this. When employees are working hard, they want to see it reflected in their paychecks, not in a plastic bag containing a single piece of candy. Any compensation has to match the work or trouble incurred. Employees also deserve respect, so it’s not only about compensation; promotions are a big deal, too.