[HenryBemis]

> why don't long time employees look for a better paying opportunity?

comfort, convenience, they know all the shortcuts, they know the tribe, they know the people who that will help them and the people to avoid. They pick up the phone and get the thing they are looking for in 5mins, no begging required. A learning curve can be a b*tch, and folks that have been sitting in the same chair for 20y got nothing new to learn. If they are smart they are doing 100% of their tasks at 50% of the time, so they nap at home, or take really long coffee breaks in the office. Work is close to home (probably) and getting another job that is 30mins driving more (meaning 1h/day, 5h/week) ain't worth the extra $500 per month.

Also, 'better the devil you know'.