Does job security provide an incentive to perform better or worse?

[rucky]

Poll question: Does job security provide an incentive to perform better or worse?

The prevailing theory seems to suggest that workers perform better if they know they could be fired any time.

[Dr Morbius]

1. I believe people without job security make more mistakes.

That's based on experience, which is admittedly anecdotal when I think about it but quite real. I kind of have job security; my immediate superior has told me that I will keep my job "as long as I want it" (it doesn't pay enough). But I still realize that I, like every other worker in the country, can lose my job on any given day if I screw up. Every place of employment has rules; rules are necessary and even desirable. And every company's rules include firing offenses; like for example physically assaulting a coworker is grounds for immediate termination everywhere.

The "prevailing theory" that assumes placing more pressure on an employee results in a more productive employee is only true up to a point. Beyond the point where a worker can do more without severe strain lies stress, and every business knows a stressed-out employee actually costs the company money. As opposed to making the company money. It's just stupid for a company to want their employees worried about keeping their jobs. It creates unhealthy employees!

[CTyankee]

8. You don't even have to "screw up," just get old.

I've been a victim of such a purge. Every woman over the age of 60 was systematically purged, one after the other, in the space of about 18 months...

I don't see how you can perform well knowing you have a big red X on your back as time passes. And there are all kinds of ways they can "prove" you actually DID screw up, if they want to. As one age discrimination lawyer told me "One day you wake up and you're told you can't tie your shoes."

[lib2DaBone]

12. So true.. and once they have that red X on your back.. there is no stopping them...

you can be the best employee in the world.. it's all about 10 cents to the bottom line and their "Corporate Values".

[CTyankee]

13. It was funny; everything I did was wrong! A year earlier I was getting praise

for my efforts. I thought my work was appreciated. But something changed with the top management. It was basically the economy (I was in fund development and this was in 2004...I had come in in 1998 when money was flush). I guess somebody had to be blamed. I wasn't replaced for a long time and then it was with a very young person without experience in fundraising...it was so obvious what they were doing...

[OHdem10]

2. Subconsious Anxiety is bound to lead to more mistakes on the job.

[seabeyond]

3. my work ethic stays the same regardless of outside influences.

i can only speak for myself though. i dont know about others, or as a whole

[SocialistLez]

5. Same here. NT

[SocialistLez]

4. I say it depends on the individual.

I work hard with or without job security.

I could understand why not having job security would make you work harder.
I could also understand why you would just say "F it" one day if you don't have job security.

[seabeyond]

11. and i can understand saying, job security... and ease off. and be content in job security and

do a kick ass job, in security.

seen it both ways.

owning business, when someone isnt doing their job, a threat to it seems to get them moving.

individual, agree

[county worker]

6. We have more job security where I work than any other place I ever worked.

We are a fiscal (accounting) part of a county department. We all try to do the best we can out of personal integrity and pride in our work. Also the outcome of our good work is more service to the clients who tend to be poor people. We are an Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services dept.

[CTyankee]

9. Good thing you are in the fiscal area. My husband was in Community Services,

with the homeless population being his responsibility for the city. His job and that of people serving other vulnerable members of the community were laid off, kids, the poor, the elderly...I told him he should work for the tax collector's office. They're going great guns, finding new ways to extract tax money from us...

[DailyGrind51]

7. People without security tend to be less loyal, spending work hours mailing resumes!

Do it to "them" before they do it to "you"!

[dana_b]

15. hey! stop looking

over my and my co-worker's shoulders!! :P

You are right though. Our department is constantly threatened so each person has been looking for a job (only one has succeeded in finding another one). I don't do it on company time (some do) but I also am not as worried about taking a personal day off more often than I used to either. On those days, I job hunt or talk to my friends from work about where they are looking, send each other job leads, etc. At work we tend to take a few more minutes walking slowly to get coffee and catch up with each other. We still get the job done but now we just look at it as a job, not a career.

[kenny blankenship]

10. The "prevailing theory" is just a stand-in, an incomplete version of the theory

which in time will return to its former eminence and fullness of expression; and that is the theory that workers perform better if they are watched by "overseers" with dark glasses and loaded shotguns.

There are two kinds of people in the world, my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. I had "job security" in the Marine Crotch and took every opportunity to avoid work.

And, in other jobs, I always saw that the high achievement fireballs usually got more work shoveled their way than the low achievers. Count me in the low achievers.

"Hard work is good for you." Usually said by bosses.

[dorkulon]

16. I'd say it depends on the level of job security.

If it is impossible to be fired or demoted for poor performance, that could negatively affect performance, I think. But just knowing you won't be fired as long as you do an adequate job would tend to make me eager to do a good job. Conversely, knowing you could be gone at any moment would make me resent the employer and care less about my performance.

[treestar]

17. You're right, it's probably a balance question

A happy medium thing. Too far either way and there will be a negative result.