When an unpleasant routine job is to be assigned, to whom should it generally be assigned?

• A. Rotated among all the workers in your department
• B. Assigned permanently to one man who would be given special privileges for compensation
• C. Assigned to a minor offender as disciplinary action
• D. Assigned to a junior person until that worker gains seniority

Answer: (D)

Distributing an unpleasant, routine task in a fair and motivating way is the key idea. The best approach is to assign it to someone with lower seniority and rotate it as that person earns seniority, because this keeps the burden from falling on the same individuals over and over and ties the task to a clear progression path.

Giving the task permanently to one person with special privileges creates inequity and resentment, and it can undermine morale and perceptions of fairness. Using the task as a disciplinary measure is unethical and inappropriate for routine work. Rotating the burden among all workers might seem fair in theory, but it can create constant disruption and prevent anyone from gaining momentum or seeing a clear path to relief as they become more senior.

Tracking the duty to a junior worker who will “age out” of it as they gain seniority provides a practical balance: it distributes the workload more evenly, supports development and tenure, and offers a tangible incentive for advancement.