We wanted to reward one of our former employees — a middle-aged woman with four children, the youngest still living at home. She had worked for us for more than two years, so we knew her Achilles heel well: even though she never had a penny left three days before payday, she always found ways to spend money she didn’t have.

For example, she signed up for a coffee subscription that gave her one free cup a day, even though we had a fully automatic coffee machine at the office. In the second month she couldn’t even be bothered to go out and use her “free” coffee, but she forgot to cancel the subscription.

We really liked her and wanted to do something extra beyond the regular pay raise. Instead of giving her more money right away, we chose to set up a pension insurance for her, hoping to secure her future a little bit.

I have never been scolded so thoroughly in my life. She wanted the money now, not when she was old.

After that episode, her commitment noticeably decreased, and three years later we were forced to let her go.

Since then, we have never tried to be clever and “improve someone’s long-term situation” again. We just pay bonuses and salary increases like normal people.

Lesson learned: Never try to be smarter than the person you’re trying to help — especially not when playing financial guardian angel with their future.

(Classic me — trying to play financial guardian angel and getting burned. Some lessons are more expensive than others.)