Desk Lite

It’s inevitable. At some point, a manager will stride into the team meeting and announce that there’s a new competition in town. It might be “Star of the Month,” “Biggest Sale,” “Fastest to Hit Target,” or “Most Clients Signed This Quarter.” It’s all wrapped up as a way to motivate and encourage people to do better.

Usually, the introduction of a competition isn’t just a fun idea someone thought up over coffee. It tends to arrive when the big dogs upstairs aren’t thrilled with how things are going. Something always needs improvement, and for some reason, competition is the tool chosen to get things back on track.

Now, competitions can be magical. For some, they work. There are people who thrive off being the best. They love the thrill, the comparison, the scoreboard. They’ll bend over backward to outshine their peers, and they often get results. Big, loud, impressive results.

But not everyone is wired that way. In fact, some people hear the word “competition” and immediately feel their soul leave their body. Cue eye rolls, groans, and maybe even existential dread.

When Competition Falls Flat

I’ll put my hand up, I’m not a naturally competitive person. Or, more accurately, the stars need to align just right for competition to light a fire in me. Over time, I’ve noticed a few patterns in the workplace that make these contests and competition more “meh” than motivating.

1. The Prize Problem

Let’s start with the obvious: the prize matters. If the reward is something I don’t care about, it’s hard to muster the energy to play along. One place I worked offered a flight to Sydney as a reward. I already live in Sydney. Why would I hustle for the chance to go stand outside my own apartment?

Even when the prize is a bit of money, if it’s only a few bucks on top of an already packed workload, I have to wonder, is it really worth it?

2. Unrealistic Timeframes

If the competition is on a tight, unreasonable deadline, it’s hard to take seriously. You can’t expect people to bend time and space to meet a target that probably required a heads-up two weeks ago. It just becomes another background noise initiative we pretend to care about.

3. Things Out of Our Control

This one gets me every time: the illusion of fairness. Sometimes, the competition relies on factors completely outside our control. It’s like being judged on who collects the most rainwater, but I live in a desert. What do you want me to do? Cry into the bucket?

4. Team Tension and Hostility

There’s always that one person who takes things too far. You know them, let’s call him Bob. Bob suddenly becomes unbearable to work with. He hoards information, interrupts conversations, and acts like everyone else is his personal threat to safety, not colleagues. Chill out, Bob! This is not the Hunger Games.

5. Individual Over Team

A side effect of turning everything into a race is the slow crumbling of team collaboration. When being the best individual is the goal, people stop helping each other. Some even subtly sabotage others to get ahead. The team vibe? Shattered.

6. Pile-On to Existing Workload

If I’m already doing well, doing my job of hitting targets, staying productive and now you want me to compete on top of that? That’s a shortcut to burnout and resentment. Especially when it’s clear the competition is just a way to squeeze more out of already stretched people.

7. Moving the Goalposts

Let’s say I do win. Now what? Are these new numbers the baseline moving forward? Because if that’s the case, the reward suddenly feels like a trap. The goalposts just got moved, and I’m expected to keep delivering at sprint pace forever.

8. The Spiralling Pressure

Sometimes, the moment competition is introduced, it flips a mental switch. Suddenly, I feel like my usual solid performance isn’t good enough anymore. That pressure causes a bit of a spiral and let me tell you, no one’s winning when that happens.

9. Having No Choice

And the most bizarre thing of all is that the competition that is meant to be fun is never an opt in activity. It is actually a mandatory activity and if you’re not going the extra mile to win then you get asked “Do you even want to work here?”

Competition Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

So, is competition the best form of motivation? For some, absolutely. There are people who love sizing up with their peers. But for others, it creates more noise, pressure, and headaches than it’s worth. It’s not the universal motivator it’s often made out to be, and when it misses the mark, it misses hard.

Sometimes, people just want to be trusted to do their job well, without feeling like they’re in a constant race or should I say battle?

Mallory Conboy