7 Employees Who Are Only "Working for the Money": An Employee Surprises Their Boss With a Truthful Answer When the Boss Asks Them Why They’re There if They Are So Unhappy

• Many of us have heard about employees "Only being there for the paycheck or "for the money." But isn't this just the default arrangement? What other reason even is there to work?

  This is clearly a sensitive subject for a lot of employers. It's not uncommon for employees to get called into HR simply for joking about the obvious exchange of money that is keeping them there. 

  Be sure to read until the last story in this article for that one. 

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  I feel like you're just here for the zipline money…
  
  _{Featured likenesses do not identify those mentioned.}
   

  _{Overlaid Image: Netflix-I Think You Should Leave}

• This is our first story that we're going to look at today, which kick-started the discussion on “Only being there for the money.” See the story as it was originally shared immediately below, then I'll share my thoughts and we'll take a look at some of the comments from this first discussion before getting into the rest of the stories.

  "Yes, I'm only here for the money."

   

  Had a short conversation with my boss today as we were going out to measure the side of a transport van.

  "You seem sad. Are you sad?"

  "Not really, no. I mean, working here makes me sad, but that's more of a general thing."

   

  "You know, you don't have to be here. You can leave."

  "True, but you pay me to be here, so here I am."

  "Are you only here for money?"

  "Why else would I be here?"

  "To be a part of a team, the comraderie..."

   

  "Well, I certainly don't feel like part of a team (he gives me a look ), there's zero comraderie, and I feel management, present company included, doesn't give a s**t about me. So...to answer your question, yes, I'm only here for the money."

  He got pretty quiet after that. I should note while I actually do like my boss for the most part and we do get along, but sometimes he's a bit of a d**k and lately we've been clashing over small s**t.

• So, what's my take on this?

  Ignore the long-windedness of my thoughts if you'd like and skip to the reactions and remaining stories which continue after.

  Financial transactions become emotional commitments

  We work for money. At its base level, this is the arrangement of employment. You get money in exchange for your time and energy. Well, not for the money specifically; at the end of the day, there's not much you can do with paper, or these days, a digital magical balance that's trapped inside of a plastic card, where the only way to get it out is tapping on an iPad before being asked to tip. I'm sorry, what? Tip? isn't even a cafe or a supermarket.

  But with this magical plastic card, freshly loaded up with balance in exchange for selling your time and effort, you can buy food, and maybe, if you're lucky, you can even afford to pay someone else, who was able to buy a third or fourth home, a monthly fee for the chance to stay there.

  But I digress; it's no surprise to anyone who has worked that the arrangement is you input time and labor and you get a paycheck at the end of the week or month as a reward. If the paycheck didn't exist, you would be gone like a puff of smoke. Just like that coworker who you were kind of friends with and then never saw again the minute they stopped working there.

  But time and effort aren't the only resources that employees have that employers are after. Caring, aka “passion,” is the secret third resource. When you, a worker, really believe in or are passionate about your work, you get emotionally invested. And then that investment becomes attachment. All of a sudden, you've gone well past that original arrangement of “get money for your time,” and you start putting way too much into it. You kind of tend to exploit yourself in a way as a result. Then you give additional time and effort you're not getting paid fairly for. 

  Take teachers and video game developers. While teachers and video game developers don't have anything in common normally... The one thing they do have in common is that they're both lines of work that are notorious for long hours and a lot of extra unpaid work, while somehow also remaining underappreciated as a result too. And it just so happens that the other thing they have in common is that the people paying their paychecks are counting on them being “passionate” about their work so that they'll spend more time and effort working without the employer having to pay extra for it.

  It's like this extra layer added to the arrangement that turns employees, who are wont to annoyingly demand fair pay, into renewable money generators who do the work first without asking about how they're going to be paid for it. 

  Other industries, like various different retailers, have tried to recreate this magical infinite money glitch. But they get frustrated pretty quickly when they realize that very few people dreamt of putting cans on a shelf at three in the morning. (No offense intended to our night stockers; you are more important than your employer will ever admit.) So, where they can't create passion, they instead demand it. They'll talk about it all the time, complain about how employees aren't passionate about it. “Beatings will continue until morale improves,” and all of that jazz.

  Over time, they kind of come to think they have succeeded. Creating this deformed, twisted version of “passion” that kind of resembles the real thing but isn't at all the same… like when Morgoth captured some of the earliest Elves and twisted them into Orcs in Tolkien's legendarium. 

  But it's not really passion at all. There's already a word for it: fear. And although it is another good motivator, it doesn't really work in the same way passion does. At the end of the day, fearful employees are still there for the paycheck, and they're probably putting even less into their work than the non-fearful ones. But, oh boy, won't the numbers look good for a little while while the bottom falls out of actual sustained results.

   

  Taught to stop caring

  I think the counterargument to my previous claim that people are naturally “just there for the paycheck” is that people don't start off uncommitted or burned out; they're taught to be over time. 

  Think about when you started your first job, your first real job that you wanted to do well in. Chances are you repeatedly came up against adversity... or probably inertia is a better word. Organizations full of “experienced” staff who were insistent that things remain the same. People who were determined to do things a certain way because they were the way they were, and they were, further, determined for you to do them that way too. 

  With months and then years of repetition of trying to speak up and change things that you saw that no one else did, that wide-eyed enthusiasm that you started with dulled. And now, even if you're not completely one of those “experienced” people yet, your current state probably resembles something closer to that than the fresh-faced newcomer with unshaped ideals. Untethered by expectations of what has come before.

  Combine this with any number of toxic workplace attributes and overwork that tend to wear people down and lead to burnout, and suddenly you have demotivated, weary workers who no longer care and are just there to collect their paycheck and are determined to rebalance an off-kilter work-life balance caused by a toxic job by just not caring anymore.

   

  The Reality

  The reality is that nothing is black and white—or absolute. And at  the end of the day, it's a mix of both of these things, among many others that contribute to workers who are there for one reason and one reason only. 

   

  Moving on to the responses and other stories.

• The responses

  These were some of the responses to the first story in the original thread where it was shared.

  yoursecretsanta2016
  
  I had a boss that used to ask for feedback, which I gave honestly. When that clearly wasn’t what he wanted to hear, I started asking if he wanted honest feedback that might make a change. At first he said he did (he didn’t), eventually he admitted that management didn’t want to hear any negative feedback and that the decisions were already made with no further discussion. I said it wasn’t worth my time to lay out honest feedback that was going nowhere.

  I lasted about 2 more years. Every single time I had to ask how honest he wanted me to be.

• firesoups
  
  My boss told me he “knows I don’t care” this morning. In a meeting scheduled for 9:30 on a Sunday. A day I am not available. And I showed up. But I don’t care? ***k out of here.

• dolphindiablo
  
  Work is transactional. Anyone who tells you otherwise is full of s**t or aren't using their noggin to realize that your real life is what happens when you clock out. I always ask, are these people buying my kids a birthday present or showing up to their party? Are they offering to babysit when we need it? Are they going to do anything that throwing out the term "family" comes with? ...No? Then, ***k em. Get your s**t done and go home. Save your juice for where it matters. (If you've read demon copperhead, you'll know what I mean.)

• Ok_Weakness_2021
  
  I work for the state and I’m always looking for a better paying position. If the position is within my department my boss will be aware of this. When she asked me ‘why’ I applied I replied, “who doesn’t want to make more money?”.

• 
  StanLiamNeeson
  
  I don't get why working a job only for the money is looked at as a bad thing. We're only numbers and bodies to them anyway. They act like they'd do it for free.

• Top-Establishment918
  
  Companies saying you’re part of a team or family is such an epic gaslight. Seriously. They’ll fire you at midnight with an email. Can we please start being honest with each other about that this company/employee relationship really is?

• WitchTheory
  
  I had a coworker have a similar discussion with our new manager. "This is a job. I get paid to be here."

  She was targeted and nitpicked until she was fired. Surprisingly it took them 6 whole weeks.

• link_5357

  Pay attention [to] sharing any type of personal opinion with your boss. I appreciate your honesty, but be aware that every information about your frustrations with this economical system will likely be weaponised against you in the workplace in a way or another (rising the workload, disciplinary actions, no wage rises or bonuses). Always fake happiness and satisfaction, and if you don’t like your workplace, slowly build your way out of there.

• Zimlun
  
  When I had a similar conversation with a former manager, my question to them was "If you weren't being paid, would you be here?" and watched as they stumbled trying to find an answer that didn't sound crazy.

• 02

  "What made you go from hard working to just here for the paycheck?" One employee asked other employees of a major department store

  
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• redneckotaku
  
  
  When I started getting coached for doing what management asked me to do.

   

  justnerdy15
  
  Dawg I got coached for doing stuff I didn't even do. Like I work in ogp and I do what I'm supposed to unlike everyone else. I don't despence unless I am at the car with the customer but they claim im the one who did it. They coached me around the 15th when it "happened" on the first. Anyway the day after the actual incident happened the order was actually given to the customer. I was off work that day. Another reason, the big reason, was the person didn't get two chilled totes from their order and they claimed it on me as well. By the time I calmed down the manager was on vacation and the day after I went out of state

• 03

  "Money is the only reason I work." Another employee told their boss after their boss asked why they were leaving after 11 years at the company

  
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  via anonymous

• My boss says taking a new job "just for the money" is a bad decision.

   

  I have worked at my current employer for 11 long years, and while I gained fantastic experience, the pay is woeful.

  My pay rise this year was only 5% (increased from 2.75% because my role was considered a "flight risk")

  At the same time, we have been pushed into a return to the office despite functioning perfectly well at home.

   

  Well, today I was offered a new job in my current function, but in an exciting field, and the salary is a full 36% higher. When I told my manager I had accepted this offer, he had the cheek to tell me that I was making a mistake. Said that I shouldn't take a job only because it paid more. He never said congratulations.

   

  Money is the only reason I work. There is no other reason. It is my sole motivator. They were right when they said we were flight risks, but they still weren't willing to pay a fair wage. In our team of 4 people, I am the 3rd to leave in less than a month.

  It gives me great f**ing pleasure to see the team structure crumbling because of their terrible management.

• 04

  Another discussion posed the question "What made you go from hard worker to 'I'm just here for the money'?" This was one response.

  
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  via Ok-Block9462

• Ok-Block9462

  [I] came in [early] everyday, covered shifts, stayed late, but when my doctors appointment ran a little late, I called to tell them I’d be 15-20 minutes late clocking in and they told me I was getting [written] up.

• 05

  And another from the same discussion.

  
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  via Zetin24-55

• Zetin24-55

  Learning that hard work is rewarded with more work, not more reward.

  Also having my suggestions and recommendation (I work a ticket-based job where a major part of the job is giving said recommendations) disregarded or just not read to the point I'd probably lose my mind with frustration if I cared about more than the paycheck.

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• Anonymous
   

  When a new person [came] into the company and started bashing my work in front of a team, and then coming to find out the other person who started lied about his experience and I got demoted for him to be promoted (even though I come to discover I have more experience than the guy). Additionally, the company keeping quiet and not protecting me in times of conflict but rather protecting the unworthy person. I enjoyed my job so much for an entire year until these two new people joined. Now I dread work everyday because of the people I gotta work with..

• 07

  In this last story, one employee found themselves at odds with their employer over their employer's desire for more investment from them.

  
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  via telepathy99

• You're right.....I'm just here for a paycheck and am not invested in the store/business' success. No, I don't see the problem.

  Quick summary: I'm a grad student with a part-time job in a shoe store.

  A couple of my bootlicking co-workers have expressed annoyance at me lately because I don't seem "invested" in the job and that my attitude seems to be "I'm only here for a paycheck".

   

  D*** straight I am only there for a paycheck. What other reason would I have for working a boring job selling overpriced shoes? I would never work an unfulfilling day in my life if I were to win the lottery and would spend my time travelling, being in nature, being with friends and family, and my "job" would be volunteering with animals.

   

  No, I'm not "invested in the store's success". I don't get paid enough to care if the store thrives or not. I am a part time worker with no managerial responsibility. That is in intentional decision. I don't want that responsibility, so I didn't sign up for it. I'm don't get paid a cent over minimum wage, and I'm not paid for my time opening or closing the store. I come and do my 12 hours a week every week and they are the only 12 hours a week I think about the place and give it a second thought (other than this post lol).

   

  I don't care if I close a sale or not. I'm still getting paid the same **** hourly wage whether a customer buys the shoes or not because the business intentionally makes the store's sale targets unrealistically high (especially in the current economic climate) so they don't have to pay the promised bonuses if it is achieved. And the bonus is so pitiful anyway (something like 1% of the amount made over budget divided among us according to hours worked) that it doesn't really work to motivate me. I'm not going to bust my ass and stay 15 minutes after my finishing time in the hope of making a sale to get an extra $2 bonus at the end of the month or something.

   

  The other day, they got angry at me because I said I couldn't (ie: didn't want to) go in on my weekend off because my co-worker was unwell. They demanded to know why. I told them my University semester started on Monday (I'm in NZ) and I needed to prepare and start things for my classes. The truth is that I just didn't ***ing want to. I was tired and wanted to enjoy my last free weekend before having to dive into readings and assignments. 

   

  And that is my g** d**n right. I had done my 12 hours for the week and was on my rostered time off where I owed them nothing. They were also angry I didn't answer my phone at 7am on a Sunday. *** off. I don't owe you being awake early on my days off. You are not entitled to my time at any point outside my rostered hours. I don't have to take your call on my day off. You're lucky I was I nice enough to phone you back when I woke up at 10am instead of waiting for my next shift to see what you wanted.

   

  They were p***d because they had to close the store early and they expect me to feel bad about it. It is not my fault the business has been short staffed for weeks. That is a "business" problem, not a "telepathy99" problem. I showed up for my rostered shifts. I don't owe them keeping my weekend off free. Another co-worker got in trouble for being out of town and being unable to come in when I said I couldn't.....they asked her why she went away knowing they are short staffed and they only have 1 or 2 people "spare" at any point. 

   

  The ***? Again, that is a "business" problem, not a "her" problem (or a "me" problem). Hire and train another staff member if you want more backup when someone is sick, but keep in mind that people don't owe it to you to drop everything and come in on a day off unless we are being paid a part wage to be on call during that time, which we are not.

   

  I don't care about the business. I don't care about making sales. I am not going to keep my schedule clear outside my rostered hours in case you need back up. It makes no difference to me if someone buys the shoes or not. I don't ***ing care. The business isn't my baby or my livelihood. It is a job I have while studying and living at home to have something on my resume for the future when I need a better job, and to pay for things like my phone bill/clothes/going out with friends so I'm not asking my parents to pay for those things.

  It is a minimum-wage part-time job.

  You get part time caring and minimum investment and effort.

   

• 08

  This employee told classic sarcastic joking comment to their coworker... and then had to have a meeting with HR about it.

  
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  via Dried_Squid_

• It is pretty crazy the lengths management and HR will go to try to dig up dirt on employees. Trying to sniff out any reason that might be hinting at the fact that an employee is a flight risk. They'll go out of their way to create problems just to find one, making a project out of an employee who is completely unaware that they are in the crosshairs.

  As the old meme goes… You know it's a good joke when even HR wants to hear it. 

  Called into office over a "another day another dollar" comment.

   

  
  So a member of HR (or so I was told) was in the office today saying hi to everyone as is their job and when they got to me I just made a comment of "another day another dollar" not really paying attention to who was saying hi. 

   

  A few minutes later I get called into the office with the HR person and the manager asking if I'm happy to be here and that if I'm not that they "value" my happiness over my job. Of course seeing this b**s** as a tactic to gauge (or find reason) to fire me I asked what about my comment offended them to which they replied that I didn't sound "enthusiastic" about my job (which I wasn't but a job's a job). They demanded to know why I wasn't all smiles and rainbows and I just flat out said it's stress and that I was tired. 

   

  What was I supposed to tell them? That management is a s**t show and no one knows what the h*** they're talking about form one person to another? That no one wants to lift a finger to help because the rank and file should just "know" what to do and to consult the manuals? That management is so *** in the head that they were upset that "we" were under performing and thus didn't get some cheap ass trophy (no bonus, no increase in pay, no special prize just a stupid "You did it!" trophy)? That HR and up is staffed with nothing but people who look down on everyone else and will make snide comments about one's appearance, interactions, skills directly at them?

   

  HR was not having it. They grilled me about my job, my contribution to the team, my reason to be here to which I wish I could have said because being jobless equates to homelessness. They then espoused about how they are a business that needs people who "want to be there" and to not treat the job "as a requirement" which ironically goes against their whole persona of a company that strives to better the lives of the community, to be the pillar that holds up the people and the glue that keeps the community together (the top brass really make a show with social media). Not wanting to give them any more reason to fire me (which at this point they probably will since I'm in an at will state) I just told them I will improve my attitude from now on.

   

  I need to take some of the advice from those who've left the company to heart and find somewhere else to work but it's not like there's a single company out there that will not hire and fire as they please. My loyalty lies in whoever pays me more because just like we are selling a service to the people I am selling my service to the company and that line is getting really thin.

  And that's the last of them. If you've made it this far, nice work. What are your thoughts on this issue now? Is “working for the money” the default, the natural order? Or do we reach that state through not caring and being just totally burned out?

• 09

  When you tell a joke so funny HR wants to hear it...

  
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