Systematic Soldiering

Systematic soldiering is a practice where workers intentionally limit their effort and productivity, often to avoid increased supervision, higher workloads, or stricter management. Instead of working to their full capacity, they deliberately underperform to maintain control over their work pace or to reduce their demands. This behavior can lead to inefficiencies at a larger scale, impacting overall organizational performance. It was notably observed during early 20th-century industrial studies, highlighting how workers might subconsciously or consciously resist maximizing productivity under certain working conditions.