*Commonly attributed to Oscar Wilde. There doesn't appear to be any definitive source for it.

The quote actually reads like a summary of Parkinson's Law, that bureaucracies inherently tend to grow because officials create work for each other another and seek to increase their numbers. But the exact quote doesn't appear in Parkinson's original essay. Quote from that essay:

"Factor 1: An official wants to multiply subordinates, not rivals; and

Factor 2: Officials make work for each other."

-- https://archive.org/details/parkinsons-law-the-economist

I suggest reading the book if you can get your hands on a copy. It's a short and highly entertaining read:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/parkinsons-law_c-northcote-par...