Substitution of functions (laziness of the second level)

Plows like an ox, but sowing was required

When it becomes immoral since the laziness is visible to people around, any "lazy-bones" starts spending the most part of his time (literally "from dawn to dusk") on fulfilling more simple, psychologically more pleasant, but vain work.

In other words, when the required control is absent, the main work of the employee (due to human nature) will be substituted with a more comfortable one. For example, the work with Clients on the trading floor can be easily substituted with a never-ending sorting of goods on shelves and the initiative to call new Clients with passive answering to only incoming calls.

Furthermore, the wish to get a higher salary for simple work, which comprises of a miserable share of complexity, will become persistent and even aggressive. Sergei Sychev called the above-described occurrence "laziness of the second level". The employee "plows like an ox", but he is required to sow.

Example 1. A financial director of an investment company did not have enough time for a few months to prepare proposals for placements of acquired funds. But after the normalization of his actual work, it seemed that not less than 10 working days a month are spent on simple control and correction operations with the initial documentations (checking receipts-invoices, advance payment reports etc.). In other words, for low-qualified functions, he received an inadequately high salary.

Example 2. A marketer at a chain of toy shops had a disagreement with the administrators of the trading floors. Promo-discounts were often held in the shops with the active participation of the salespeople. And the administrators were not happy that they got to know about these discounts "a day before it started".

The marketer explained the matter with the fact that he is chronically busy.

After studying the actual work at the advertising department, it was found out that the main activity of the qualified employee was linked to the endeavor of filling air balloons, selecting presents for lotteries, managing subordinates etc. On top of that, the corresponding helpers were found in the staff of the marketing department.

Thus, if:

1. During an incoming call from a Client, 8 operators pretend to be busy. They are filling forms which arrived by e-mail.
2. Instead of writing a handed text, the copywriter goes on the Internet "to find something about the topic".
3. Instead of repairing a computer program, a programmer tells about the advantages/disadvantages of other programs.
4. Instead of discussing with Clients, the employee of the sales department sorts documents a hundred times.
5. Instead of collecting a large order, the store-keeper moves boxes for half of the day.
6. Instead of working on a complex project, the specialist confirms measurements, tasks and prospects of use for the nth time with his Partner.
7. … etc.

You are seeing a disease, which is called "laziness of the second level". And in order to treat it, follow us on the following links.