How Human Psychology Encourages Wage Violations?

Cases of employers refusing to pay overtime wages and employees not taking action against it are a normal thing in the work places. Employees may not realize it but psychology plays an important role in increasing the risk of unpaid wages. Human psychology affects the way workers behave in the work place in different situations, whether they are good or bad.

Following factors in the workers’ psychology increases the risk of unpaid wages –

Human are social creatures – It is a common phrase that humans are social creatures. It is in their nature to live in groups and try to fit in these groups. In offices, these human psychology forces employees to try to perform better even in worse situations. Workers try very hard to socialize with others, no matter how hard the conditions are for them. When workers do not take any action against the first unfair situation, it encourages employers do it again and again. It can start with forcing to spend some extra hours in office on a weekend without payment, and can go up to the worse conditions like bosses refusing to pay entire week’s overtime.

If no one else is objecting, then why should I – It is another characteristic of human psychology. Usually, when we see that others are not objecting over unfair conditions, we too refrain from taking any action against it. Slowly, it becomes an unspoken rule of the work place. It can lead to unpaid wages since bosses see that their workers do not complain.

People are habitual – We get used to things/situations in a very less time. Not getting paid for the worked hours or overtime slowly becomes a habit.

Loyalty is in human nature – After working for several months or years in the same office, employees become loyal to the company/boss. It becomes hard for them to protest or sue the company, even in case of unfair conditions. People feel compelled to continue working for their boss even if they are not getting paid fairly.

Due to above mentioned characteristics of human psychology, employees risk being wage victims. If you are not getting paid according to your work hours or extra time, contact overtime lawyers to help protect your rights.