Happy Thursday, everyone. I'm Frank Richardson, an organisational psychologist observing the workplace with curiosity and care. Each week, I share insights to help HR leaders better understand the people behind the processes and build cultures where both individuals and organisations can thrive.
This week in workplace whiplash 🌀
This week's headlines all hint at the same thing: people are paying attention to how organisations behave:
💰The gender pay gap has now cost women an estimated $671 billion
The gender pay gap may be narrowing, but the financial impact continues to grow. New analysis estimates women have collectively lost $671 billion in earnings since 2000, highlighting that career progression plays just as important a role as starting salaries in shaping lifetime earnings.
👉 SHRM💸 Employers think their people are doing just fine financially
More than 70% of employers believe their workforce is financially secure, yet three-quarters of employees say the rising cost of living is affecting their financial wellbeing. The gap is a timely reminder that financial stress often flies under the radar, even in organisations with generous benefits.
👉 HR Dive⚖️ JPMorgan faces expanded discrimination lawsuit
A former JPMorgan executive has filed an expanded federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination, sexual coercion and retaliation after reporting misconduct. The allegations are denied and remain before the courts, but the case is another reminder that how organisations respond to complaints can shape trust long before a legal outcome is reached.
👉 HCA Mag
Reading these stories reminded me how quickly people learn what their workplace really values. Which brings me to this week's article...
🤝 In partnership with Oyster
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A friend of mine called me a few weeks ago, completely baffled after being given a formal warning for using her phone at work.
"Were you on Instagram?" I asked.
"I wish," she laughed.
Her computer had been crawling all morning. Every file took forever to load, so she'd started using her own mobile data to respond to emails. In her mind, she was doing the company a favour by finding a way to keep her work moving.
Her manager saw something very different. They saw someone breaking the rules.
The following week her computer slowed to a crawl again. This time she sat back, made a coffee, and waited for IT instead of reaching for her phone.
That conversation stayed with me because every workplace quietly runs on favours. The manager who jumps in when a deadline goes sideways. The employee who stays back because the team is under the pump. The person who finds a workaround when the technology gives up.
Those moments sit outside any position description. People choose them because they believe their judgement is trusted and their effort is appreciated.
Nobody decides to stop caring overnight. They become a little more careful, a little more literal and a little more inclined to wait for someone else to solve the problem.
My friend still worked hard. She simply became much more selective about where she invested the effort that had always been her choice.
Have you stopped going above and beyond at work?
🧠The behavioural science lens
When people learn that generosity carries more risk than reward, they naturally become more protective of where they invest their effort:
We all carry an unwritten deal with our employer: Psychologists call this the psychological contract, but it's really the quiet set of expectations that develops over time. If I use good judgement, you'll trust it. If I step up when it matters, you'll recognise the intent behind it. Every interaction either strengthens that relationship or quietly chips away at it.
Workplaces thrive on generalised reciprocity: The healthiest organisations aren't built on keeping score. They're built on the belief that people can contribute without immediately paying a price for it. Research shows that when employees experience this kind of trust, wellbeing and intrinsic motivation increase. When organisations repeatedly signal, "What's in it for us?", people become more self-protective, feel obstructed and gradually stop offering discretionary effort.
Heavy-handed controls change people's priorities: When the consequences of using initiative feel greater than the rewards, people's attention shifts from contributing to protecting themselves. Behavioural science refers to this as motivation crowding, where external controls gradually replace intrinsic motivation.
🚀What this means for leaders
My friend's decision to pull back was the result of a series of signals about what was safe, valued and worth doing. If you're a manager, keep these points in mind:
Your people are constantly running tiny experiments: Every time they take initiative, solve a problem or exercise judgement, they're watching what happens next. The outcome tells them whether that behaviour is worth repeating.
Every policy creates a second lesson: The written rule matters, but employees also notice what the organisation rewards, tolerates and penalises. Those signals often shape behaviour more powerfully than the policy itself.
Culture spreads through stories: Employees rarely quote the employee handbook. They tell stories about what happened to Sarah when she spoke up, or Dave when he took ownership. Those stories become the operating manual for everyone else.
Protect good judgement with the same care you protect compliance: Rules create consistency. Judgement creates adaptability. Strong cultures make room for both.
💬 Final thoughts
Workplaces have a funny way of keeping score.
People remember the colleague who got thanked for taking initiative. But they also remember the one who got burned for trying to help.
Those stories travel much faster than policies, and over time, they shape what everyone else does next.
🤝 In partnership with Oyster
The best candidate for your next role might not live in the same country. Oyster helps you hire globally in 180+ countries. Payroll, compliance, and benefits included.
How's the depth of today's edition?
If something here speaks to you, I’d love to hear it.
Until next week,
Frank
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