I'm not completely sure of the in's and out's of the game so far but my understanding is...
if you put them at the work area and praise them it helps...but if you put them at the work area and they walk away and you scold them, you are actually scolding the thing they are walking off to do.
Make sense?
I don't think it works to scold them for
not working or
not doing something...it only works to scold them for something they
are doing and shouldn't be.
Plus, if they are getting scolded for a variety of things or conflicting things they will get confused and depressed.
I suggest praising them right away when they even begin to try to work at the career. If they walk off, check to see what they are going to do before you scold them. Then just put them back at the work area and repeat

I think this will help prevent confusion and apathy.