One of the biggest surprises for many employees is learning that their paycheck is only one part of what an employer spends to employ them. Every pay period, employers make investments that many employees never see because they never appear in a direct deposit.

One of the earliest lessons many of us learn about work isn’t written in an employee handbook. It’s something we observe. The coworker who never takes a sick day. The manager who joins a meeting from a hospital room. The employee who says, “I’m fine,” while reaching for another cup of coffee and pushing through one more shift.