Everything else in British motivation depends on fairness. If people perceive the system as fair — fair workload, fair recognition, fair pay, fair treatment — then motivation operates normally. If they perceive it as unfair, nothing else works. You cannot motivate through purpose, recognition, or autonomy if people believe the underlying system is unjust.
The British response to unfairness is not open confrontation but quiet withdrawal: people continue to meet minimum requirements but stop investing the discretionary effort that makes the real difference. This withdrawal is nearly invisible and extremely difficult to reverse.
If you lead British people, be vigilant about fairness — in how you distribute work, in who gets credit, in how decisions about pay and promotion are made, and in whether rules apply equally to everyone. The perception of favouritism, inconsistency, or unearned advantage does cumulative damage that far exceeds what any single instance would suggest.
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