Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 8th June 1997

Dilbert//2976, first published 29 years ago on Sunday 8th June 1997

Tags

clean cubicle award matthew traveler check 10 dollars downsized shredded documents motivational impact

Official transcript

The Boss stands at the front of the room and says, "I'm happy to award the 'clean cubicle award' to Matthew."

The Boss continues, "It's a ten-dollar 'travelers check.' Where's Matthew?"

Alice, Dilbert and Wally sit at a conference table. Dilbert says, "He was cruelly downsized last month."

Alice says, "His cubicle was clean because he shredded his important documents out of spite."

Wally says, "All of his furniture and equipment were scavenged by bitter employees who have to do his work now."

The Boss says, "This is not having the motivational impact I had hoped for."

The Boss says, "Okay . . . The 'travelers check' will go to whoever knows what number I'm thinking."

The Boss sits at a table in a restaurant. He hands the check to the waitress and thinks, "They sure were sore losers."

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

I'M HAPPY TO AWARD THE "CLEAN CUBICLE AWARD" TO MATTHEW IT'S A TEN-DOLLAR "TRAVELERS CHECK." WHERE'S MATTHEW?

HE WAS CRUELLY DOWNSIZED LAST MONTH.

HIS CUBICLE WAS CLEAN BECAUSE HE SHREDDED HIS IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS OUT OF SPITE.

ALL OF HIS FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT WERE SCAVENGED BY BITTER EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE TO DO HIS WORK NOW THIS IS NOT HAVING THE MOTIVATIONAL IMPACT I HAD HOPED FOR.

OKAY... THE "TRAVELERS CHECK" WILL GO TO WHOEVER KNOWS WHAT NUMBER I'M THINKING.

THEY SURE WERE SORE LOSERS.

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "The Clean Cubicle Award"

Summary:

The comic strip revolves around the "Clean Cubicle Award," a humorous and satirical take on workplace recognition. The story unfolds as follows:

• A man is awarded the "Clean Cubicle Award" for having a clean and organized workspace.
• However, it is revealed that his cubicle was actually downsized last month, and he had to clean it himself to receive the award.
• The man is disappointed and frustrated, feeling that he was not recognized for his hard work and dedication.
• The other employees in the office are shown to be equally unimpressed and unsympathetic, with one employee even suggesting that the man was only awarded the prize because he shredded his important documents out of spite.
• The comic strip ends with the man feeling defeated and demotivated, wondering what number he is thinking of.

Key Themes:

• The importance of recognizing and rewarding employee achievements
• The challenges of maintaining a clean and organized workspace in a fast-paced and chaotic work environment
• The potential for office politics and bureaucracy to undermine employee morale and motivation

Overall:

The comic strip uses humor and satire to highlight the absurdities and frustrations of modern office life. It pokes fun at the idea of awarding employees for trivial accomplishments and the ways in which office politics can impact employee morale.

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