The value of my overtime work

Once on a weekend, I took an on-call shift, all I did was exactly same as my normal daily duty, even though I was highly praised and appreciated on the next day while I saw my boss.

Since that time, whenever I worked an overtime shift, my boss kept saying appreciations to me. I felt that my work was overly evaluated, the fact is that I earned more respect while I take more extra shifts.

To take advantage of full-time employee’s benefit, the absence of full time coworkers appeared more often on holidays and weekends, therefore I arranged my schedule accordingly, and tried to make myself available during these periods.

With the more on-call shifts I took, the more money I could make, it seemed that the value of my overtime work was lesser in my boss’ view. By judging my boss’ plain tone or stoic expression, I could feel it.

Another sunny Sunday, I was called to refill a shift blank, and worked with Steven who is a new employee, also taking on-call duty. Both of us worked independently in different job positions.

During lunch break time, we encountered each other in the lunch room and had lunch same time.

“Steven, Can you please come and pick up your lunch in the kitchen?” main chef came to our lunch room.

Followed the chef, minutes later, Steven came back with a fully packed plate wrapped by shiningly foil,

“Don’t you like the food from our kitchen?” Steven asked me.

“Not really, sometimes.” I replied

“This is a really kind offer to my on-call shift.”

I asked: “Is that free?”

“On our boss’ treat” Steven humbly answered and smiled to me

I was perplexed.

“Why only for Steven?”

I thought: “Did I devalue my work by taking too much overtime shifts?”