The special six-figure year-end bonus was called into question for being unfair, with my subordinates filing a joint complaint against me and the internet branding me as a ruthless corporate shark. No one knew that this money was a secret reward paid out of my own pocket—kept completely off the record and under wraps, reserved only for those who had truly gone above and beyond. But since fairness was what everyone wanted, I decided to cancel all year-end bonuses altogether, only paying the bare minimum.
The office exploded into an uproar instantly. The core team members stormed into my office, pleading with me to change my mind. I had wanted to show favoritism to those who had endured the hardest struggles and risked everything for the company, but this so-called fairness left me deeply disheartened.
