The “Reliable Employee” Trap: Why the Most Trusted People at Work End Up the Most Overworked

The most reliable workers tend to become the ones who are overworked in many workplaces in the United States today. If you’ve been wondering why, read on!

This doesn’t happen necessarily because of any official decision but because of a series of subtle actions and behaviors that occur over time.

Studies published in the Journal of Business Research reveal that this is especially true when reliable workers tend to be entrusted with more responsibilities over and over without an official system of workload distribution, as revealed in studies available on ScienceDirect.

How unclear roles quietly expand workloads

The absence of a definition of the roles themselves is one of the primary causes of this problem. Why? This can lead to the expansion of the roles without any recognition of the fact.

When you don’t communicate your boundaries clearly, the reliable employees will be the ones to fill the gaps.

As per ScienceDirect, a study done explains how the ambiguity of the roles leads to the taking on of additional responsibilities by the employees. If you’re wondering why, it's because the expectations themselves have not been properly outlined.

Eventually, the additional responsibilities become the normal ones without the employee being aware of the expansion of their responsibilities.

Also, inadequate managerial oversight could result in unequal task delegation, where reliable team members are given more responsibilities than others.

The psychological cost

The regular assumption of additional work tends to have a psychological impact, especially when the employees feel that the work is being expected rather than appreciated.

Research from the Journal of Business Research indicates that prolonged exposure to high workload demands is strongly related to burnout. This not only leads to emotional exhaustion, but also lack of concentration and reduced productivity.

When saying “no” becomes a challenge, it creates a situation where the employees’ creativity and decision-making capacity are impaired.

The gradual erosion of the balance between work and life is yet another significant consequence of such a trend. According to ScienceDirect, excessive pressure at the workplace can affect physical health, relationships, and the overall quality of life. This is a long-term consequence as the employee can either be burned out or quit the job entirely.

The hidden cost for organizations

While it may be efficient for organizations to rely on good employees, there are risks that have gone unaddressed. With the rise of burnout, there is a corresponding decrease in productivity. There is a higher risk of mistakes, absenteeism, or turnover.

A study published in the Journal of Business Research highlighted the costs that organizations may incur if they do not address the imbalance. While it may be efficient in the short term, the costs of recruitment, training, and turnover of experienced employees may be higher.

The overburdening of reliable employees is not often done so with ill intent, but rather as a symptom of other problems with the structure, communication, and leadership of a workplace.

Recognizing this trend at the right time is very important, both for your professional and personal world.