HR failure | Going 'above and beyond' leaves workers open to exploitation

A recent study shows that employees who go above and beyond their job description are more likely to be exploited by their managers.

Staff members who put in more effort are likely to receive extra tasks such as staying late and doing things that aren’t in their job description, as managers see their ‘willingness’ as an opportunity to dish out extra duties.

An over-dedication to work can therefore be a negative thing, as managers might capitalise on an employee’s workplace loyalty, leading to poor work-life balance and burnout.

Researchers from the study told The Daily Mail: “Managers presume loyal workers are particularly likely to do this extra work as loyalty comes with an expectation of self-sacrifice to the organisation as a whole. But it seems unlikely that managers would expect a disloyal worker to show such self-sacrifice.”