The Role of Rewards When Employees Perform Extra Work

More than 75% of employees are asked at least weekly to take on extra work beyond the tasks and/or hours spelled out in their job description, according to a new report from LiveCareer, a resume builder website. While the risk of burnout is real, there also is a range of positive outcomes for those who tackle additional responsibilities.

LiveCareer surveyed 1,160 U.S. workers in December 2024 who reported the benefits of additional work, including skill development (33%), financial rewards (32%), closer relationships with colleagues (31%) and opportunities for career advancement (31%).

In the report, employees shared what kind of extra work they were being asked to take on:

37%, planning or coordinating workplace events
37%, administrative duties
34%, tasks typically handled by another department
32%, overtime (additional work of core activities)
29%, tasks from unfilled positions
28%, mentoring or training colleagues
28%, covering for absent coworkers

“Taking on extra work can be a tool for career development, especially when strategically approached,” said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at LiveCareer. “It can help employees by boosting their visibility, supporting skill development, and providing opportunities to showcase their strengths and creativity.”

Additionally, if the tasks and projects expand outside of an employee’s usual work group, extra work can help grow and strengthen relationships with other team members, teams and even leaders, Escalera said.

“Being on a highly visible, high-impact team with access to senior executives and company experts can serve as a powerful recognition, retention and development mechanism,” said Tom McMullen, a senior client partner at Korn Ferry.

How to Recognize Extra Work

Taking on additional duties can and should be recognized, said Kathleen Schulz, a divisional vice president and global innovation leader at Gallagher.

“Receiving recognition and feeling appreciated are powerful benefits that contribute to reduced stress, and enhanced loyalty and productivity,” she said. “The X-factor of recognition is in how it makes the person feel as a result of receiving it.”

Personalization is critical, Schulz added. She advised employers to design recognition programs that are:

Specific to what the individual contributed vs. a broad “thank you”
Connected —linking the individual’s contributions to the organization’s mission, guiding values and overall success
Authentic and sincere
Timely (not just once a year)
Public, when appropriate

“Public recognition magnifies the impact to the receiver and helps other employees understand the behaviors that are valued by the organization,” Schulz said. “However, not everyone values or is comfortable with being publicly recognized. It’s important to understand the preferences of the receiver.”

Appreciation, nonfinancial recognition and compensation can be impactful in the eyes of workers, according to McMullen.

“Making nonfinancial recognition personal and differentiated can go an even longer way,” he said, pointing out ideas such as a handwritten note, a note from a senior vice president and a restaurant gift card.

“It’s not rocket science, but unfortunately, it’s often not common with some managers,” McMullen said.

Keep An Eye on Employee Well-Being

In LiveCareer’s report, 93% of employees also reported experiencing burnout from taking on extra work (59% frequently, 34% occasionally). Strained relationships with supervisors (40%) and reduced productivity (37%) also were named among top negative outcomes.

“There are limits to how much extra work employees can take before it becomes a source of stress rather than growth,” Escalera said. “[The fact] that 56% of employees feel pressured to accept extra work [and do so] reluctantly highlights the need for clear expectations around workload.”

Not all extra work is created equal, Escalera noted, and employees must try, where possible, to align additional responsibilities with their career trajectory. Managers and HR personnel can help in this area.

“Help employees take on assignments that are thoughtful and purposeful, and don’t just add to an already overwhelming to-do list,” she said. “Training on the art of self-promotion, and how to document and discuss achievements during performance reviews and meetings with managers, are great ways to ensure employees turn extra tasks into significant benefits for their careers and wallets.”

It is also important for employers to be transparent about who and why extra work is being assigned, Schulz said, adding a perception of unfairness or injustice can contribute to burnout.

“Expanding networks within the workplace can help build resilience, which reduces the potential for burnout,” she said. “The key is to focus on quality relationships, not necessarily quantity of relationships, and beware of spreading employees too thin.”

Above all, follow through on rewards, Escalera said. For example, total rewards professionals should collaborate with leadership to create incentives tied to extra responsibilities, such as access to mentorship, leadership training, promotion tracks or enhanced compensation.

“Without recognition or career progression, extra work can lead to resentment and disengagement rather than motivation,” Escalera said. “Ensuring employees see a direct link between their extra effort and career growth is key to maintaining engagement and preventing burnout.”

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