Comment by fogzen

Because every time I've done something of my own initiative, one of three things happens:

1/ I'm punished or reprimanded for doing something that my time wasn't explicitly scheduled for. This comes from managers.

2/ Nobody cares and I'm now further behind on the things I committed to.

3/ People care, are happy I took the initiative, but I'm not materially rewarded in any way. At worst, I'm given more work.

In all cases I am no better off. I just don't do it anymore. Employers don't want employee autonomy, so they don't get employee autonomy. Employers only want to give paychecks not profits, so they get employees who only want paychecks.