productivity growth is always rewarded, it leads to more goods at lower prices across the economy, so everybody's standard of living goes up. This is a very real effect; consider how small percentages of inflation cause pain throughout the economy, the same pain is produced through productivity drops.
There is the impression that this is no longer true - capital owners are capturing the increased productivity as profit and "everybody's standard of living" is remaining the same or eroding.
productivity growth is always rewarded, it leads to more goods at lower prices across the economy, so everybody's standard of living goes up. This is a very real effect; consider how small percentages of inflation cause pain throughout the economy, the same pain is produced through productivity drops.