The Salary Games

There are two types of workers: those who are happy in their work and give their maximum effort, and those who just wait for the clock hands to come together to shout “Yaba-daba-do” and run out the door.

The similarity between both workers is fatigue. Both will be tired at the end of the day, but the first will feel that their effort was worth it while the second will feel they have been terribly exploited.

The next day, one will work harder and the other will try to work less.

The difference between both workers can be made by each person individually, but it is more effective if the change occurs in their work activities. If, as part of their training programs, workers are explained how their efforts help the company, their family, their country, and all humanity, the worker will begin to change their perspective; they will no longer be working for a capitalist pig but for changing the world.

This provides an increase in productivity, which should translate not only into capital, but part of the time or production could be dedicated to helping people, reinforcing the idea of well-being generation and increasing production even more.

Not only that, workers bring their ideas home. On their day off, they tell their friends about their experiences, and gradually a aura of well-being forms around the company, the customers. When deciding among different competitors, they will be inclined to choose the less diabolical company.

Last week we had a meeting in which one of the directors brought up a sales tool that disappointed him because the salespeople didn’t know how to use it and it would be withdrawn with looks of disdain.

I think this tool can be used to do good things without adding any additional cost to the company beyond an extra minute on each call. So I will ask for a few minutes with this director to explain the plan and see if this idea works or not.