Why “Just a Bit More Effort” Rarely Feels Small at Work

In many work environments throughout America, managers motivate their employees with statements like, "Just a little bit more," which, although intended to be an encouragement to the employee, is actually much more strenuous than it seems to be on the surface. While the manager might think the statement is light-hearted and easy to do, employees who are dealing with deadlines and large workloads may not see it as such.

What the statement lacks in clarity is made up for in the employees' interpretation of it, taking into consideration the implications of job security and career advancement.

When encouragement feels like pressure

Words such as “just a little more effort” are used by managers when motivating employees for gradual improvement without coming across as too negative about their performance. However, this can be taken as an indication by workers that what they do at the moment is inadequate and not appreciated enough.

According to recent research in Occupational Medicine, the repeated increase in the level of effort demands on workers can create prolonged dissatisfaction due to the fact that workers view such demands as continuous.

This can start with one seemingly innocuous demand and end up becoming an unavoidable pattern for workers, making them uncertain as to what constitutes adequate performance.

The gap between managers and employees

One of the main reasons behind this problem lies in the different views of managers and employees on the matter of effort versus recognition, creating an unspoken barrier.

As stated in the same study from Occupational Medicine, managers find it easy to evaluate the amount of effort employees put into work; however, they overestimate the recognition and reward that they feel their subordinates are getting.

In other words, despite managers' belief in themselves doing the right thing and supporting employees in their work, the latter do not see their efforts appreciated. This only increases the level of frustration employees experience, making it even worse over time.

In this context, an otherwise reasonable request to make an additional effort becomes much more meaningful in emotional terms.

How workplace roles shape perception

Research has found that the manager may be influenced by the development of a particular mindset that has been molded by responsibility and control.

The perceptual adaptation concept, according to research literature, can cause the manager to normalize increased workload and find it acceptable in the organizational context.

This perceptual adaptation effect may make the manager less sensitive to the signs of strain among employees, making it difficult for him to determine whether the workload has been too much or not.

Inability to recognize the indications of excessive effort and declining morale among the workforce could mean that the manager continues to demand incremental efforts from his staff.

Effort and reward do not always match

Efforts without proper rewards constitute another common cause of stress for workers since the workers’ efforts are rewarded in many ways, which include monetary rewards and career progress, among others. Efforts without rewards result in demotivation, and workers become less willing to put more effort into their work.

According to the study in the journal “Occupational Medicine”, perceived effort-reward imbalance results in poor job satisfaction and more stress among workers who feel that their efforts are unrecognized.

“Just a little extra effort” may be interpreted as a reflection of efforts without proper rewards rather than encouraging people to put in extra efforts.

Overcommitment and rising stress

There is another dimension of this problem that arises from the possibility of the overcommitment of the workers as a result of continuous pressure to perform at high levels, even if such pressure is implicit. According to studies found on PubMed, overcommitment causes higher levels of stress, making it difficult for one to achieve work-life balance.

This may come from intrinsic or extrinsic factors, but ultimately, it can cause an individual to become burnt out.

Why psychological safety matters

Psychological safety is a very important factor that determines employees' response to these situations, since the employees will be able to communicate their thoughts only if they feel psychologically safe enough to talk about the matter.

Employees who lack this feeling of security are more likely to put additional pressure upon themselves despite any consequences that this might bring upon them.

As shown in a research paper by Current Psychology, less psychological safety is associated with greater stress and disengagement, especially when there are no transparent means of communication used within the environment.

Even minor requirements may seem quite emotionally loaded in such cases.

The lasting emotional impact

A gradual increase in pressure through continuous experiences can cause anxiety, disengagement, and ultimately loss of trust in working relationships among colleagues. Workers may have the feeling that there is uncertainty concerning the expectations, making it difficult for them to maintain motivation.

The resulting interaction of the factors effort-reward imbalance, over-commitment, and lack of psychological safety forms a vicious circle that is hard to reverse, as seen in various studies in Occupational Medicine and PubMed.

A small phrase with a bigger meaning

While the idea of “a little more effort” might appear to be insignificant on the surface, there lies something more complex behind this idea when it comes to workplace environment culture. Comprehending this discrepancy between the two is key to creating a better environment where there is clarity about expectations, appreciation of hard work, and honest communication.