Ever notice how some employees do the absolute minimum required to keep from getting fired, while others consistently go above and beyond your expectations?

The difference in their performance is called “discretionary effort.”

In simplest terms, discretionary effort is effort employees can give to go above and beyond requirements – when they want to. If your organization can find ways to increase discretionary effort, you’ll make huge improvements in productivity and performance.

So let’s get to it, shall we? Here are a few ideas for powering up your workforce – by driving discretionary effort:

Increase psychological ownership.

Your employees are hired to do specific jobs. Their compensation (and desire to keep it flowing) is what drives their performance, right? To an extent, perhaps. But for employees to consistently exert higher discretionary effort, they must have true “psychological ownership” of their work and the outcomes they produce.

Psychological ownership occurs when an employee’s job is part of his overall work identity. When an individual gets satisfaction from completing a task or accomplishing a goal – and not from merely collecting a paycheck – his productivity and quality increase dramatically.

To give your employees psychological ownership over their performance:

• Help them understand and experience the benefits of their work.
• Explain how employees’ jobs fit into your company’s “big picture” – and make an impact on the company, the community and/or the world at large.
• Focus on results and outcomes, empowering employees to use their expertise and best judgment to figure out solutions.

Use “AMP” motivational levers.

Tony Driscoll recently posted an article on Trainingmag.com which describes Dan Pink’s three intrinsic “motivational levers” for increasing discretionary effort:

• Autonomy – the ability to control ones’ actions and decisions in the workplace (i.e., greater control over how work is accomplished, as long as it achieves desired outcomes).
• Mastery – becoming a true expert in what one does.
• Purpose – creating reasons for “going the extra mile” that reach beyond compensation.

Essentially, Pink asserts that motivating employees with traditional “carrot and stick” methods (i.e., financial rewards, recognition and fear) yields limited benefits. To truly drive performance long-term, managers must tap into intrinsic motivators like the three listed above.

Want to get more out of your employees?

Ensure your team has the support it needs. Serving employers from coast to coast, Exact Staff provides best-in-class solutions to keep your organization functioning at optimal levels. Contact us to schedule a free workforce consultation.