Employees are driven by selfinterest from "summary" of The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams
The average employee is not as motivated as management would like to believe. They are not driven by some noble cause or a burning desire to see the company succeed. No, they are primarily driven by one thing: self-interest. It's not that they are bad people; it's just human nature to look out for oneself first and foremost. In the grand scheme of things, employees are focused on their own well-being, both physically and financially. They want to make sure they have a roof over their heads, food on the table, and perhaps a little extra for some leisure activities. Climbing the corporate ladder or making the company more profitable are secondary concerns, if they are concerns at all. This self-interest manifests itself in various ways in the workplace. Employees may engage in office politics to further their own agendas or seek out opportunities for personal gain. They may also resist change or new initiatives that do not directly benefit them. In essence, they are looking out for number one, even if it means putting the needs of the company on the back burner. Management often struggles to understand this inherent self-interest in employees. They may try to motivate them with incentives or rewards, only to find that the response is lackluster. This is because employees are not truly invested in the success of the company; they are only interested in what they can personally gain from it. In the end, it is crucial for management to recognize and accept that employees are primarily driven by self-interest. Only then can they effectively manage and motivate their workforce in a way that aligns with this fundamental truth. It may not always be pleasant to acknowledge, but it is a reality that cannot be ignored in the modern workplace.
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