It's frustrating to pull more weight and take ownership when other people aren't. But what's legitimately soul-killing to an individual and deadly to an organization is the collective impulse to avoid giving those people credit when it's due. Most of those 20% out there pulling more than their weight just want some acknowledgement. Not giving them that is one way to quickly hollow out your company.

I've never cared about this, actually. For me, the camaderie of the team is most important, and next comes the money. Acknowledgement from people who barely know what I do: I couldn't care less.

> But what's legitimately soul-killing to an individual

Yes.

> deadly to an organization is the collective impulse to avoid giving those people credit when it's due.

No, in fact most office jobs operate this way in the world.