There are a multitude of negative character traits that can be associated with a toxic workplace. People go to work so that they can earn a living. For some people, this motive can become an overbearing obsession that contributes to a workplace’s negativity. As one’s self-interest becomes greedy at the expense of others, major problems are likely to ensure. This makes life more difficult for everyone involved and ultimately hinders productivity.
An unfortunate truth is that some of the most successful and wealthy people are motivated by greed. While this correlation might be the key to a person’s insatiable desire to expand their wealth, a greedy disposition is something that should be identified in the workplace as soon as possible. At best, such a person might be very productive and a little difficult to work with. At worst, they might be selectively productive (or unproductive) and a major nuisance to others. In general, though, the middle ground between these two types doesn’t often make for a more positive workplace.
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"The Role of Greed in the Workplace".
A greedy person is easy to spot. In some occupations, greed might be a motive for excellent productivity and might be seen as an ideal attribute. This depends on the individual and their line of work, though. A car salesperson or real estate agent might make a generous commission due to their ability to flip goods for their employers. The credibility of such a person should be questioned, though. Even though word-of-mouth gets around about certain business practices, this doesn’t always stop greedy people from doing inadequate work at the expense of others. Examples might be a realtor who declines to go through any negative features with the buyers of a house she sold or a car salesman who knowingly sells a poorly performing vehicle a customer. While a money-hungry person doesn’t always resort to unethical tactics to get ahead of the competition, it’s not uncommon.
Even in environments where employees aren’t financially motivated to be more productive, greed can still exist. Contrary to the prior examples, these types of workplaces can bring out a less productive side of greedy people. Greedy people might want the best resources available or insist on being in positions that are easier or take less work. These types of people like to pass their slack onto others while ensuring that productivity needs are still met. Worse yet, a greedy person may neglect their duties altogether if they aren’t able to directly pass them onto someone else. A consistent display of inferior productivity will often result in such a person being separated from their job, though. Even if a greedy person can suffice with just getting by, they will find a way to do so at the expense of others. This can hurt workplace morale and may result in employees looking for alternative employment.
Greedy people should be monitored and corrected as needed in the workplace. It is when their greed starts to have negative consequences on the business, its employees, or its customers that some form of action should be taken. If their greed doesn’t upset the workplace dynamic, it is important to make sure it stays this way. When employees perceive their workplace negatively, they will be less productive. One way to disrupt the peace of a workplace is to introduce toxic people into it (Chirumbulo). What’s more, such an environment that is left uncorrected will ultimately foster a more toxic culture with dissatisfied customers and a high employee turnover rate (Chirumbolo). This is why it is important to eliminate greed in the workplace. At the very least, it is crucial to keep it in check and foster an environment that doesn’t support it.
