Employees are considered lazy under which theory

Douglas McGregor described Theory X and Theory Y to explain management assumptions. In Theory X; managers assume workers are lazy; avoid responsibility and must be controlled with strict rules and punishment. This results in authoritarian leadership and close supervision. In contrast; Theory Y views employees as self-motivated and capable of creativity if properly encouraged. Understanding these assumptions is vital in education and organizational leadership because teacher beliefs about students strongly influence classroom environment. A Theory X mindset can suppress initiative while Theory Y encourages autonomy and responsibility leading to more positive learning and working environments.