An unhappy worker, Becky, comes late, leaves early, takes long lunches and disappears throughout the day. She says projects are completed but the paperwork cannot be found. The rest of the team is enraged but their supervisor is terrified of the union and does nothing. Becky is making more money than many of her colleagues but she is now calling in sick with mind-boggling excuses day after day. Week after week, co-workers gossip and fume. How long can this outrageous situation continue?
Then suddenly, Becky gives notice. Why?
Becky’s story is a great illustration of employee motivators illustrated through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (3 top levels). Becky wasn’t getting her social/belonging needs met at work since she had become the office pariah. Dodging work couldn’t have helped her self-esteem or her need for self-actualization.
It was amazing to witness Becky give up the Golden Goose. Although she was getting away with not doing any work while making good money at a stable institution, Becky’s basic goodness prevented her from staying in a job she hated.
Have you seen similar events at your workplace?
© 2009 Laura Lewis-Barr all rights reserved
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