Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

In the example of the cleaning staff, it could mean that they stick a note on the bathroom door where a tally is kept for the best toilet paper, which is then purchased on a regular basis.

Sorry, but that now seems extremely contrived. In the vast majority of jobs, it is perfectly OK if people simply do their work and do not cut corners. The topic of cleaning toilets has no major innovations and certainly none that an assistant earning minimum wage would invent.

again, even low and mid performers can receive raises if they improve themselves/contribute to the overall performance improvement of the company. In the example of the cleaning specialist, this could mean that they stick a note on the bathroom door where a tally for the best toilet paper is kept, which is then purchased permanently. Or they make a suggestion that toilet brushes be placed in every stall, so they finish faster. No idea, I’m not very familiar with professional cleaning. And I already admitted that pure mental work is easier than physical labor.

Sorry , I often agree with you, but here, in my opinion, your idea is out of touch with reality. There are simply tasks that are not infinitely optimizable. The same work is done day after day for years. Yes, these are simple jobs, but wage adjustments have to be made even here. And if the cleaning lady is eventually replaced by a super modern cleaning robot, that was certainly not the cleaning lady’s idea to increase efficiency...

Exactly, when productivity increases, the company passes on the raise to those who contributed to this productivity growth. And it does not simply pass it on to everyone if it does not increase enough to compensate for cost increases. Because then it would soon be sorted out.

again, even low and mid performers can get raises if they improve themselves/contribute to the overall performance increase of the company. In the example of the cleaning specialist, this could mean that they stick a note on the toilet door where a tally list for the best toilet paper is kept, which is then purchased permanently. Or they make a suggestion that toilet brushes be placed in all stalls, then they finish faster. No idea, I’m not very familiar with professional cleaning. And I already admitted that it’s easier with purely mental work than with physical work.

Those are of course harsh experiences, but they have nothing to do with medium-sized companies in general. We had managers in other departments who behaved similarly. They were soon sorted out. So the culture we aim for is definitely different.

What kind of dreadful mindset is this where the cleaning lady has to present a new concept for toilet cleaning every day in order not to be considered a low performer? A bit more down-to-earthness would do some good here..

Sorry, but that now seems extremely contrived. In the vast majority of jobs, it is completely okay if people just do their work and don’t make mistakes. The topic of cleaning toilets doesn’t have major innovations and certainly none that an assistant earning minimum wage would invent.

Of course it’s contrived, I also said I’m not familiar with that area. But I wasn’t the one who brought in the cleaning lady either.

There are simply tasks that are not infinitely optimizable. Day in, day out, the same work is done over years. Yes, these are simple jobs, but even here wage adjustments have to be made.

I would claim that this is not true. But I cannot rule out that in some area it actually is like that. If it were, then it would also be work that should be automated. (see below)

And when the cleaning lady is eventually replaced by a super modern cleaning robot, that surely was no idea of the cleaning lady to increase efficiency...

That’s true. Personally, however, I’m not talking about efficiency increase, but about performance improvement (that doesn’t necessarily mean that efficiency increases). I also believe that such jobs should be automated and we as a society must ensure that people still have a livelihood. But that is another topic.

What kind of creepy mindset is that, in which the cleaning lady has to present a new concept for toilet cleaning every day in order not to be considered a low performer.

I did not say that.

As a conclusion, I will now assume for myself that there can be job descriptions in which salary increases should occur without personal change. From my personal experience I do not know that and still have many question marks in my head, but if it belongs to reality, so be it. As an employee, I wouldn’t endure such a job. As a manager, I see it as my task that none of my employees see their position and their development potential like that. Then I would be doing something wrong.

What kind of creepy mindset is it where the cleaning lady has to present a new concept for toilet cleaning every day in order not to be considered a low performer. A bit more down-to-earth attitude would do some people good..

Could have come exactly from my boss. This year I got my first salary adjustment as inflation compensation of 2.8%. After a lot of fuss in the company. Before that only a single raise of 200 euros gross when I took on an additional task. I can therefore very well understand that the middle class as an employer can really be awful. I'm actually only still here because of the team and the workplace, which makes childcare a bit easier for me. My real wage loss here in the south is just not so dramatic, because my husband works in the metal construction sector and he doubled his salary in the same time. Through promotion and collective wage increases.

... don’t just think about one person who has been doing a job for 20 or 30 years, but rather ... every year someone starts anew somewhere in a certain job profile (clerk, cleaning lady, saleswoman, delivery driver, controller, cherry placer at Coppenrath & Wiese, etc.). Should those who are starting that job today receive the money from 30 years ago? And conversely, should someone who is simply satisfied with their job, feels no need for development, and has been doing the job for 30 years still receive the money from 30 years ago?