“Wait, You Expect To Get Paid?”: Company’s Potluck Rules Blow Up In Their Face

Businesses putting profits over people is nothing new.

But while the average worker rarely gets a chance to do anything about it, one Redditor found the perfect way to challenge their company’s blatant corporate greed.

The opportunity presented itself when management announced they were hosting an appreciation event for the employees—except, audaciously, they were expected to cater it themselves. Refusing to let such a ridiculous plan slide, the Redditor spoke up in a way that not only exposed the hypocrisy but also forced the bosses to scramble for a solution. Read the full story below.

The company thought forcing employees to cook for their own appreciation event was reasonable

Office employees discussing at a potluck meeting, showing disappointment.

Image credits: bokodi / freepik (not the actual photo)

Until one sharp employee exposed just how absurd that idea was

Text highlights employee disappointment at company appreciation potluck event.

Text about a toxic work environment run by two vindictive women, compared to Dorothy’s house incident.

Text from a story about company appreciation potluck with high hopes for surprises and treats.

Text revealing company potluck disappointment, highlighting homemade food requirement and lack of beverages.

Text about company appreciation potluck highlighting employee dissatisfaction and lack of support.

Text conversation about a potluck invite and declined Outlook meeting.

Text exchange about leaving early to prepare for a company potluck with a humorous mention of overtime.

Text exchange about cooking time and pay for a company appreciation potluck.

Person in a kitchen holding a pot, possibly representing company potluck disappointment.

Image credits: massonstock / freepik (not the actual photo)

Text questioning a company's decision to host an appreciation potluck without compensating contractors.

Text exchange between boss and employee discussing potluck disappointment at company.

Text exchange during a company appreciation potluck, highlighting disappointment.

Text from an appreciation potluck event highlighting disappointment.

Text from company potluck reflects disappointment and confusion.

Text discussing a disappointing company potluck, mentions pizza for one office and Skyping with others.

Image credits: tvcity6455

Praise addiction is why you’re not happy with your job, experts argue

Image credits: KamranAydinov / freepik (not the actual photo)

Complaining about work has become so common that it feels almost normal. After all, what else would you do if your company—who hired you as a contractor—forced you to cook for your own appreciation event? And that’s usually just the tip of the iceberg, on top of classic workplace frustrations like low pay, difficult coworkers, or incompetent management.

You might be surprised to learn that, according to last year’s Gallup International Association poll, two-thirds of workers worldwide say they’re happy with their jobs, and about half are satisfied with their pay. Meanwhile, only 17% report being unhappy overall.

The research suggests that job satisfaction is largely influenced by income and education—the better educated or higher paid someone is, the more likely they are to enjoy their work. Interestingly, factors like gender and age appear to have little impact on overall job happiness.

However, compensation isn’t the only thing that determines job fulfillment. As the numbers show, more people report being satisfied with their jobs than with their salaries. This suggests that it’s possible to enjoy your work while still feeling underpaid.

J.T. O’Donnell, CEO and founder of Work It DAILY, has spent years studying why people dislike their jobs. She believes there’s one key reason why so many workers feel unfulfilled—praise addiction.

“We’ve been trained to seek out incentives like good grades, stickers, trophies, and yes, praise. We like to be liked,” she said in an op-ed for Inc. magazine. “More important, we like to be respected. We want people to be impressed with us. It gives us a temporary feeling of happiness.”

“The problem is we end up making career choices to impress other people so we can feel that fleeting rush of validation,” O’Donnell explained. “In the process, we lose sight of what makes us truly happy. With each career move, we get unhappier. The more we try to impress, the more frustrated we feel.”

As a result, O’Donnell notes that we also tend to judge others based on how prestigious or impressive their jobs appear. Until we break this habit, we’ll continue to judge ourselves the same way—making it harder to pursue work that genuinely aligns with our purpose.

“The right job for you creates a state of mind that transforms your life,” said O’Donnell. “Ask anyone you admire who has deep career satisfaction and they’ll tell you it’s their connection to the work that makes them so happy. It also gives them the motivation to not give up, which leads to higher levels of success and satisfaction.”

Some readers noted the irony of the phrase “appreciation potluck”

Text conversation about a company appreciation potluck and employee disappointment.

Reddit comments discuss a company's appreciation potluck, mentioning maracas and a music dance experience.

Text exchange about speakerphone use in a workplace lacking real cubicles.

Comments discussing experiences at a company potluck, mentioning cooking and getting sick.

Text exchange discussing characters from The Wizard of Oz, focusing on Dorothy and the Wicked Witch.

While others praised the author’s bold response

Text image expressing disappointment with a company-hosted appreciation potluck.

Text conversation about company appreciation potluck with humorous references to Dorothy's house and Dunder Mifflin.

Comment about real boss in office at a company appreciation potluck.

Text from a company potluck memo joking about disappointment in food options, specifically mentioning pizza slices.

Text comment on a forum expressing disappointment about a potluck.

Many took the opportunity to share similar experiences

Text screenshot discussing company appreciation event and budget cuts causing disappointment.

Text conversation about company appreciation potluck and travel budget frustrations.

Text from a paramedic discussing challenges in attending appreciation lunches during EMS week.

Text post about an executive pastry chef's experience with employee potluck disappointments.

Text about company potluck where disappointment is expressed over the lack of food and desserts.

Text post sharing disappointment at a company potluck, featuring comments on luxury and health coverage.

Text describing a company potluck where the only menu is disappointment.

Text from an employee about a disappointing company appreciation potluck experience.

Text from an appreciation potluck where disappointment is described, mentioning cereal and milk without utensils.

Text about a potluck experience highlighting cleanliness concerns and reluctance to participate in future potlucks.

Text discussing a company's customer appreciation potluck met with disappointment.

Text about a company appreciation potluck leading to disappointment and layoffs discussed by employees.

Text about a company's employee appreciation and severance issues, reflecting disappointment.

Text discussing a company potluck with disappointment for transit workers missing out while others enjoy food.

Text comment about an appreciation potluck offering only baked potatoes, leading to disappointment.

Text from a post discussing inappropriate food choices at a company appreciation potluck.

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