Original artwork, not a still
Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation?
— Office Space · 1999
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Peter's complaint is one of the most quoted descriptions of office incentives: effort is invisible and unrewarded, so why bother? The joke is that he says it so openly, and so calmly, that it sounds like plain sense. Fans reach for it whenever a bonus scheme, a target or a pay rise seems to ignore the work actually done.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Office SpaceShow the scene
Office Space (1999), written and directed by Mike Judge. Peter Gibbons, left in a state of total relaxation after a hypnotherapy session whose therapist died before waking him, strolls into his interview with Bob Slydell and Bob Porter, the consultants sizing up Initech's staff. Asked to walk them through a typical day, he cheerfully says he does about fifteen minutes of real work a week. He then explains the problem of motivation: if he works hard and Initech ships a few extra units, he does not see another dime. He follows with the eight bosses.
Sources (2)
- Office Space transcriptThe Bobs interviewReference checked
- Wikipedia: Office SpacePlotReference checked
Context reviewed
