We live in a society where hourly employees are punished for working faster than their counterparts, often being rewarded with more work for the same pay. So what compels hardworking employees to go above and beyond? Not much.

Nobody wants to disappoint their parents– especially their mothers. In fact, it was ingrained deep into our psyche at an early age that when our parents got mad at us, that was sort of okay, but if they were disappointed in our rebellious behavior, there was no greater pain on Earth. Obviously as we all grew up and moved out of the house, we became accustomed to our own illicit activities, but mom doesn't need to know what we do with our spare time or what vices we hide under our pillows.

Memes that we every worker needs more than a long lunch break

When you're young, spry, and fresh out of college, the first thing on your mind is probably trying to get a job. With all these student loans piling up and your parents breathing down your neck about “finding a stable job”, it's easy to overlook some obvious red flags in the workplace. Oh, sweet summer child, be careful what you wish for...

Bosses tend to think that the rest of the workforce is contractually obliged to bow down at their feet. Whether it's the fancy suits or the overly dressy shoes, anyone in a position of power over their subjugates feels entitled to a certain level of respect in the workplace– even if they haven't earned it.

They say you can't have your cake and eat it too– and when you're working in a corporate wasteland of business casual dress codes, a haughty sales team, and pushy supervisors, it's tough to secure your own slice. Sometimes employees will crumble under the pressure of toxic positivity, but others will go to great lengths to get their revenge against C-level management.

We've all dealt with that one coworker who's a total slacker. Although they proudly wear the same job title as you and rake in the same amount of money every month, it seems like you (a hard worker) are the one working double shifts. And for some reason, since you're the one pulling their slack, nobody else bats an eye. However, no matter how slacker-y our coworkers are, we've got to look out for our own department when the folks from the ivory tower come down.

... and the food wasn't even provided.

Snow season is upon us in the northern States and like they do every season, some residents seem to have forgotten the importance of appropriate snow-gear. Somehow every year, there are procrastinators (who are apparently incapable of checking the weather forecast) that are neglecting to make appropriate arrangements for the upcoming snow days. Karens everywhere are ready to accost their local minimum wage workers, morphing into their final form as the rudest, most entitled customers in town.

There are plenty of workplace scams out there. Coworkers that are selling Tupperware, vitamin supplements, or overpriced chocolate bars to support their kid's baseball team should be avoided at all costs. Although most people learn the difference between a swindling colleague and a desperate one...

Working for a small company means that there are very few employees to cover the basics of operations. You lean on each other when your fellow workers take PTO and it's common courtesy to make yourself overly available, pulling your coworker's slack when they're unable to do their work. For some, this business model works fantastically, fulfilling every CEO's “family” fantasy, but more often than not, small companies can harbor hostile cubicle conditions, making colleagues turn on each other.

When we're in preschool, kids are taught that hard work and dedication gets rewarded. If you take your nap, eat your snack, and listen to the teacher, you get to go to recess. As adults, our equivalent of 'recess' is a stiff paycheck at the end of the month, ideally with as many digits as possible. Unfortunately as we get older it becomes more painfully clear that real life isn't so simple.

Credit cards are insanely convenient. Nowadays, you don't even need to swipe your card to pay, you can just whip that little bad boy out, tap your plastic money on the terminal, and BAM, you've made a purchase. Old school folks have reluctantly accepted that everyone prefers to pay with plastic money, idealizing the old ways of counting cash and receiving change in exchange for goods or services. But with all that spare change jangling around in your pocket, wouldn't you rather...

Retail is a soul sucking industry that sends even the most level-headed employees into madness. After months, years, or decades in the same sales department, many retail workers grow apathetic; dealing with Karens, bad management, and a looping music playlist can do that to a person. Although, every now and then, a retail store is blessed with an overachiever, a real workaholic...

Who here works a full time job and is not interested in making any money? Nobody? No takers?! Exactly. The majority of the workforce isn't driven by passion, work-ethic, or altruism– we're driven by cold, hard cash. Anyone who says otherwise is either delusional or a professional recruiter. Although usually head hunters like to swoon their prey with pretty words and shiny pay-days, sometimes there's that dime-in-a-dozen recruiter that has the audacity to...

Memes to scroll in the break room