Company promises yearly bonus to all employees, only to delay the payment without explanation, forcing employees to cancel plans made for the money: 'It only exists on a spreadsheet'

Have you ever been promised something at work, only to come to realize it will never be more than just a promise?

If you work for any corporation, we are going to assume the answer to that question is yes. 

People, and especially workplaces, are filled with promises they have no intention of keeping. It's so easy to let empty words come out of your mouth without ever planning on following through, and bosses excel in doing just that. Who here hasn't asked their bosses for a raise, a promotion, or even a small bonus, only to be met with an outright lie that they are going to take care of it?

When it comes to money, these empty promises make the most damage to employees. It's so frustrating to be told you are going to get a certain compensation for all of your hard work, only to find yourself waiting for ages without any end in sight. And unfortunately, that happens in companies all the time.

Take the company in the story below as an example. All year long, they promised their employees that an end-of-the-year bonus was coming. They framed it as something their employees earned and deserved for all their hard work, hitting targets and picking up extra shifts. Then, right before the end of the year, the company did what a company does best, and took their promise back. No explanation, no apology, just a simple message stating the bonus is delayed, and that was that.

One employee made the grave mistake of believing the company would follow through with their promise for a bonus, so they had already made plans for the money. They scheduled a weekend vacation, bought a few gifts, and booked a spa date, all with the money they were supposed to get from the bonus. Now, however, it is becoming clear that the bonus is only a fantasy, and the employee doesn't know what to do.