Stacy is a hard working employee. She has been working even harder for the past one week in order to complete an important client proposal. While the team's project
Manager leaves at noon to play golf with a colleague, Stacy finds that her coworkers
Have taken an extended lunch break to go out shopping during office hours. Stacy is
Overcome by the feeling that she is doing more work than anyone else in her team but
Not receiving any additional compensation. This perception leaves her frustrated and
Undermines her motivation. Stacy's experience can be best explained in the context
Of _____.

Question

Stacy is a hard working employee. She has been working even harder for the past one week in order to complete an important client proposal. While the team's project
Manager leaves at noon to play golf with a colleague, Stacy finds that her co­workers
Have taken an extended lunch break to go out shopping during office hours. Stacy is
Overcome by the feeling that she is doing more work than anyone else in her team but
Not receiving any additional compensation. This perception leaves her frustrated and
Undermines her motivation. Stacy's experience can be best explained in the context
Of _____.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stacy's frustration and feeling of being unfairly treated despite her hard work and effort is a key aspect of the equity theory. The theory suggests that individuals compare their own inputs (effort, skill, experience) and outcomes (pay, recognition, benefits) to those of others in the same situation to understand whether they are being treated fairly or not. In Stacy's case, she perceives that her inputs are greater than her coworkers' inputs and yet they receive the same outcomes, which undermines her motivation and satisfaction.

Stacy Is a Hard Working Employee