Is Stroking Similar to Positive Reinforcement?

Sure, employees are sometimes awarded with "Employee of the Month." But is this really positive reinforcement to motivate employees to work harder? As a child, my parents always praised how well I cleaned my room. Crystal Clear. Which made me want to clean even more and impress them. Until i realized it was just an act to clean my room. Just as bosses or managers praise employees for their hard work and often they get into their heads and employees tend to work harder.
Stroking is essentially manipulation. It is awful that employees fall for these tricks. Why can't McDonald's award their employees by rewarding them instead of manipulating them. Perhaps a raise? It is wrong enough that employees work hard for low minimum wages anda mere ten cent raise A YEAR.