Design a detailed employee AI, satisfaction, and workplace management system for a management simulation game, covering hiring mechanics, skill progression, workplace happiness drivers, productivity modeling, and the emergent office dynamics that make management games compelling.
## ROLE You are a management simulation designer specializing in people management systems, having worked on games comparable to Two Point Hospital, Prison Architect, Planet Coaster, and Game Dev Tycoon. You understand that employees are not just resource units — they are the emotional core of management games. Players develop attachments to their best workers, frustration with their worst, and pride when a struggling employee improves through good management. Your expertise covers employee behavior AI, satisfaction modeling based on real organizational psychology (Herzberg's two-factor theory, self-determination theory), skill progression curves, workplace social dynamics, and the productivity formulas that translate happy or unhappy employees into tangible business outcomes the player can see and feel. ## OBJECTIVE Design a complete employee AI and happiness management system for a management simulation game where the player runs a [BUSINESS TYPE: hospital / theme park / game studio / restaurant chain / prison / school / hotel / space station / factory / airport]. The game features [NUMBER: 20-100] simultaneous employees at full scale and targets [AUDIENCE: casual management fans / detail-oriented optimizer players / narrative-focused players who enjoy character stories / strategy gamers focused on efficiency]. The employment system should include [COMPLEXITY: basic hire-assign-manage / intermediate with skills and training / advanced with personalities, relationships, and career paths / full simulation with individual AI goals and life events]. ## TASK: COMPLETE EMPLOYEE AI & HAPPINESS SYSTEM ### Section 1 — Employee Generation & Hiring Define the system for generating employee candidates and the hiring process. Each employee candidate is procedurally generated with: a name and portrait (from a diverse pool ensuring representation), [NUMBER: 3-6] skill ratings on a 1-10 scale relevant to the business type (for a hospital: medical skill, bedside manner, research aptitude, stamina, teamwork, specialization), [NUMBER: 2-4] personality traits from a curated pool (perfectionist, easygoing, ambitious, team player, loner, creative, by-the-book, risk-taker, gossip, mentor), a salary expectation based on skill level with a negotiation range of plus or minus [PERCENTAGE: 10-20%], experience level ([NUMBER: 3-5] tiers from intern to veteran that affect starting skill and salary), and [NUMBER: 1-2] hidden traits only revealed after a probation period of [TIMEFRAME: 5-15 game days] (secret talent in an unexpected skill, tendency to steal, exceptional loyalty, chronic lateness). Design the hiring pipeline: the player posts job listings specifying role requirements and salary offer, waits [TIMEFRAME: 1-3 game days] for a candidate pool to generate (higher salary attracts better candidates, company reputation affects pool quality), reviews candidates comparing skills and salary demands, conducts optional interviews (spending management time for better trait visibility), and makes hiring decisions. Include the contract system with terms the player can adjust: salary, work hours, break duration, benefits package, and probation period — each affecting employee satisfaction from day one. ### Section 2 — Happiness & Satisfaction Model Design the multi-factor satisfaction system using organizational psychology principles. Define [NUMBER: 6-10] satisfaction factors divided into hygiene factors (their absence causes unhappiness but their presence is merely expected) and motivator factors (their presence actively increases happiness and engagement). Hygiene factors include: fair pay (satisfaction drops sharply if salary is more than [PERCENTAGE: 15%] below market rate for skill level, but overpaying has diminishing returns above [PERCENTAGE: 10%] over market), acceptable working conditions (temperature, cleanliness, noise level, equipment quality — each with a threshold below which satisfaction drops linearly), reasonable workload (hours worked vs contract hours, with overtime causing accelerating dissatisfaction), job security (no satisfaction impact when stable, significant negative impact during layoff periods or financial instability), and basic respect (response time when employee reports a problem, fairness of rule enforcement across all staff). Motivator factors include: skill growth (employees gain satisfaction when using and improving their skills, lose it when stuck doing tasks below their ability), recognition (performance bonuses, employee of the month, praise events triggered by exceeding targets), autonomy (ability to influence their own schedule or work methods — unlocked through trust earned via consistent performance), career advancement (promotion paths with title changes, salary increases, and new responsibilities), social belonging (friendships with coworkers, positive team dynamics, inclusion in workplace events), and meaningful work (alignment between employee personality traits and assigned tasks — a creative person doing creative work versus routine work). Each factor produces a score from -50 to +50, and the aggregate satisfaction score ranges from 0 to 100. ### Section 3 — Productivity & Performance Model Define how employee satisfaction translates into measurable workplace performance. The base productivity formula should be: EffectiveProductivity equals BaseSkillLevel multiplied by SatisfactionModifier multiplied by HealthModifier multiplied by TeamSynergyBonus multiplied by EquipmentQualityModifier. The SatisfactionModifier follows a non-linear curve: at satisfaction 0-20 (miserable), productivity is [PERCENTAGE: 40-50%] of baseline with a chance of active sabotage or calling in sick; at 21-40 (unhappy), productivity is [PERCENTAGE: 60-70%] with frequent errors and customer complaints; at 41-60 (neutral), productivity is [PERCENTAGE: 85-95%] — competent but uninspired; at 61-80 (happy), productivity is [PERCENTAGE: 100-115%] with occasional above-and-beyond efforts; at 81-100 (thriving), productivity is [PERCENTAGE: 120-140%] with innovation, mentoring junior staff, and positive customer interactions. Define the error and quality system — unhappy employees make more mistakes that cost the business money (misdiagnosis in a hospital, ride breakdown in a theme park, code bugs in a game studio), while happy employees produce higher quality work that generates premium revenue. Include the absence and turnover system: employees below [THRESHOLD: 30] satisfaction start job hunting, with a daily probability of resignation that increases as satisfaction decreases. Losing a trained employee costs the business a training replacement investment and temporary productivity loss during the new hire's learning curve. ### Section 4 — Skill Progression & Training Design the employee growth system that rewards player investment in staff development. Each skill improves through two mechanisms: on-the-job learning (slow passive improvement while performing tasks using that skill — approximately [RATE: 0.01-0.05] skill points per game day) and formal training (faster improvement through training programs the player constructs or purchases). Define [NUMBER: 3-5] training options: internal mentoring (a high-skill employee trains a lower-skill one — free but reduces the mentor's productivity during training periods), classroom training (requires building a training room and spending money for courses — moderate cost, moderate improvement, can train groups), external certification (expensive one-time cost, significant skill boost, employee is unavailable for [TIMEFRAME: 3-7 game days] while training), and self-directed learning (cheapest option, slowest improvement, but maintains some productivity during learning). Include the specialization system where employees can focus their skill growth into a specialty within their role — a doctor specializing in surgery vs diagnostics vs patient care, each opening unique high-value capabilities. Design the diminishing returns curve — skill improvement from 1 to 5 is relatively fast, from 5 to 8 is slow, and from 8 to 10 is very slow and requires specific advanced training only available through rare opportunities. Include the skill decay mechanic where unused skills slowly decrease over time, encouraging the player to rotate staff through different assignments periodically. ### Section 5 — Social Dynamics & Workplace Relationships Build the employee-to-employee relationship system that creates emergent workplace drama and camaraderie. Each employee maintains a relationship score with every other employee they interact with regularly, ranging from -100 (hostile rivals) to +100 (best friends). Relationship scores change based on: shared shift proximity (working together builds familiarity), personality compatibility (matching traits like both being creative increases relationship gain rate, while conflicting traits like perfectionist and easygoing create friction), workplace events (succeeding together on a rush builds bonds, while one employee's mistake affecting another creates resentment), break room interactions (employees on break simultaneously socialize, with relationship changes based on shared interests and mood), and player-driven events (team-building activities, parties, conflict mediation). Define the positive relationship effects: employees who are friends cover for each other during absences, share knowledge increasing both their learning rates, and create a pleasant atmosphere that provides a small happiness bonus to nearby coworkers. Define the negative relationship effects: rivals undermine each other's work (hidden productivity penalty when assigned to the same area), create tension that reduces nearby coworkers' satisfaction, and may escalate to confrontations that disrupt the workplace and require player intervention. Include the clique formation system where [NUMBER: 2-4] employee social groups form organically based on department proximity and personality clusters, with inter-clique dynamics affecting overall workplace culture. ### Section 6 — Management Tools & Player Actions Define the specific management actions the player can take to influence employee happiness and performance. Organize actions into categories: compensation actions (adjust salary, give bonus, award promotion, add benefits like gym membership or meal plan — each with a specific cost and satisfaction impact with diminishing returns), workplace improvement actions (upgrade break room, improve equipment, add decorations, improve climate control — one-time cost with ongoing satisfaction benefit), scheduling actions (adjust work hours, grant time off, create flexible schedules, assign preferred shifts — balancing employee preference against business operational needs), recognition actions (give verbal praise with small temporary satisfaction boost at no cost but requiring the player's attention, create award programs with moderate cost and sustained satisfaction impact, implement performance review system that tracks metrics and provides structured feedback), and crisis management actions (mediate conflicts between employees, provide emergency counseling after traumatic workplace events, handle grievance complaints before they escalate to resignations). Each action should have: a cost (money, player time, or management points), an expected satisfaction impact, a duration of effect, and potential side effects (giving one employee a raise may make others jealous if they learn about it through the gossip system). ### Section 7 — Career Paths & Long-Term Retention Design the promotion and career advancement system that keeps experienced employees engaged long-term. Define [NUMBER: 3-5] career tiers per role: entry-level (limited responsibilities, lower salary, supervised work), experienced (full responsibilities, moderate salary, independent work), senior (mentoring responsibilities, higher salary, complex task access), lead (team management, significant salary, strategic input), and director (department oversight, highest salary, game-changing abilities unlocked). Each promotion requires: minimum skill thresholds in relevant skills, minimum time-in-role at current tier, a performance review score above a threshold for the past [TIMEFRAME: 10-20 game days], and an available position at the next tier (the player must create the position, preventing automatic promotions that bypass player agency). Promotion provides a significant one-time satisfaction boost plus an ongoing satisfaction benefit from the motivator factor of career advancement. Include the career ceiling frustration mechanic — employees who have been at the same tier for too long without promotion prospects begin losing satisfaction, eventually leaving for competitors. Design the retirement and legacy system where long-serving employees eventually retire, providing a permanent small bonus to the department they built (training quality improvement, reputation boost) as recognition of their contribution.
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