Small Business Shared Interest Group

What's your thoughts on employee satisfaction? Does employee satisfaction begin at the job interview?  

Consider a common job interview question, "why did you apply for this job". In a conversation I've read on social media, the majority of comments said that a job candidate that provides this answer deserves a job, Answer: "to be honest I just want the money". 

My thoughts about the answer, if money is all the candidate wants then they could work any job and achieve that goal. The dollar earned from McDonald's will be the same dollar earned from Walmart. To me, the answer suggests that the candidate may not be looking to add value to the organization nor views the job as an opportunity to grow their own skills/experience.  

However, what if a job candidate that gave that answer was hired. How would an organization maintain their satisfaction over the long term? If money satisfies that employee, then what happens when they decide they aren't earning enough? They become unsatisfied, does the organization increase their pay to restore their satisfaction? And at what point will an organization be unable to increase their pay, which results in being unable to restore that employee's satisfaction?  

In my experience, employees focused on money will eventually destroy their relationship with the employer. I've seen it multiple times; things start out great. Then that employee seeks higher income and gets it, but at the cost of a deteriorated relationship. Then as time goes on, that employee fails to add value to the organization, resulting in further deteriorating the relationship.  Eventually the employee/employer experiences a bitter end to the relationship.  

Finally, I think an organization should benefit by maintaining employee satisfaction. Maintaining employee satisfaction would be easier if that candidate desires to grow themselves and add value to the organization, which creates a justification for higher pay, strengthening the value exchange between employees and employers.  

While the majority of the social media crowd would disagree with my thoughts on the topic. I am interested to know what your thoughts are on this topic?