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Uh... why should employees have a friendly relationship with their work? We don't work because we want to make friends. We work because otherwise we don't have money to buy food or clothe ourselves. This is not a voluntary arrangement. Expecting us to be grateful for it is absurd.

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Your employer — and particularly your hiring manager when they become your line manager — is grateful for your time, I can assure you of that. You didn’t have to work there and a large part of accepting a role is wanting to work for / with someone.

It’s uncharitable to not bring at least some level of social pleasantry to the office every day.

I mean unless you work for Walmart or something. I assume we are both talking about senior, highly remunerated, creative and specialist technical work here, not breaking rocks.

That same employer who's perfectly happy with laying you off once economic winds shift?

This seems a very hostile attitude towards your employer. If they treat you poorly, you are able to complain and voice discontent.

Is there no inverse to that?

If they treat you well, is there no reason to show gratitude?

I imagine coworkers would feel uncomfortable in such a hostile environment.

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