In a company, it is more likely that many employees will reduce their performance to the minimum expected level rather than match their actions to levels of excellence. Often, some workers assume that they are not obliged to do more than what is essential, maintaining a line of minimal effort. These employees are not usually confrontational, but they do show some cunning to achieve results without exerting too much effort.
In Mexico City, if the cadastral valuation of a property exceeds 4.5 million pesos, an informational declaration about its occupancy and type of use must be submitted. The local government expects to obtain this information to improve the cadastre. This obligation affects property owners regardless of whether they use the property or not.
Some reflections on this minimal behavior in organizations include the tendency to celebrate the ordinary as if it were extraordinary, prioritizing ease over quality, and subordinating structural issues to situational ones. These patterns of behavior can negatively affect performance and excellence at work.
The law of minimal effort can be contagious in a work environment. Employees who operate this way only do what is strictly necessary, without seeking excellence or structural improvement. Although it can be difficult to confront them, these workers can affect the pace and effectiveness of the organization as a whole.
