Factors Influencing Employees’ Behavior
In the film Wall Street, money plays a significant role in influencing employee behavior. Besides money, power, and influence, other factors also influence this behavior. Wall Street’s employers are not just focused on making money and gaining the best work experience, but they also use their wit to gain the power and fame needed to climb the corporate ladder. During Gekko’s speech at the shareholder meeting, he uses the phrase “greed is good” to show his disregard for moral values or ethics in acquiring money and power (Wall Street 00:20:03-00:21:01).
Similarly, Fox’s behavior and desperation to attain a powerful position like his mentor Gekko influence his choices, which further compromise his morals and become a burden for his father. This is because his father once questioned his career choice, calling him a ‘salesperson’ who begs people for money (Wall Street 00:40:20-00:41:04). To impress his father, Fox uses his knowledge and experience at Bluestone Airlines to build a close relationship with his idol, Gordon Gekko.
The other factors that equally influence employees’ behavior in this movie include ambition, competition, morality, and mentorship. The influence of Gekko’s mentorship ultimately drives Fox’s behavior, as he idolizes his mentor, who encourages him to use any means necessary to gain insider trading knowledge. Morality and ethics are also significant in depicting employee behavior in this film.
For instance, after Fox realizes his mentor has used him to gain access to Bluestone Airlines, he regrets the decisions he made to help Gekko gain more money and power. He questions his moral obligations and vows to make things right by reconciling with his father. This shows how the need for prestige can influence an employee’s morals in the workplace. It also indicates that unchecked ambition can lead one to commit crimes and to betray the people closest to them, as in Fox’s betrayal of his father.
Real-World Parallels: How Unhappy Employees Make or Break a Business
The real-world parallels I have observed in this film are the need to impress and gain influence while staying true to oneself. When Fox started his work on Wall Street, he was an honest, hardworking, and committed employee. However, the need to impress his father, who thinks he is in the wrong career, influences his choices, which are unscrupulous and dishonest.
Furthermore, the ambition to gain power and fame, as his mentor closes his eyes to Gekko’s character, ultimately changes his personality to fit that of his icon. The lavish style of some corporate employees on Wall Street also reveals the materialism and greed that accompany such lifestyles. This draws Fox’s attention to Gekko, who misleads him and teaches him unscrupulous methods for acquiring immense wealth and fame in the corporate world.
The film also shows that unhappy employees can easily lead to a company’s downfall. For instance, Fox feels dissatisfied with his work, which puts pressure on him to prove his worth. Aligning himself with Gekko, despite Gekko’s questionable character, makes him feel worthy and powerful. This shows that corporate firms and organizations need to encourage their employees through promotions, annual rewards, and gift vouchers to motivate them, just as Gekko uses his wealth to grant Fox a new lifestyle after he provides him with insider trading knowledge.
Work Cited
Wall Street. Directed by William Oliver Stone, 20th Century Studios, 1987.