Everyone who has a job wants to make the boss's job easier, and sometimes that involves going the extra mile. However, many people, myself included, have found that going the extra mile at your job is not worth it. The rewards are not worth it by a longshot; some people do not acknowledge it as a reward.
Other reasons why people do it besides a bigger paycheck might be because they want to make their boss happy or get more hours for themselves; sometimes both. Here are reasons why going the extra mile at the job is not worth it.
The boss' smile is a short-term reward
Dedicated workers always seek to make their boss's job easier in some way by going the extra mile to do something that the boss should be doing themselves, such as picking up an extra shift or running an errand. The boss' smile is everything to that worker, but it is a short-term reward that does not last long.
The boss' smile is not worth going the extra mile for, because they can always get someone else to do what you do or would not do. My boss asked me to do her a favor involving a customer. I did it, and I wasted a lot of gas and energy doing the favor. My boss was happy, but I was not.
Favors may cause excessive use of resources
Going the extra mile at work might not have much to do with the boss or what the boss wants; sometimes, the extra mile might have more of a resourceful focus such as gas or mileage or even monetary. From experience, I have gone through a lot of money transporting for my boss, and the excessive use of resources did not make it any easier.
Excessive use of resources for going the extra mile for the boss at work does not make it worth it, because sometimes that current supply of resources are all they have until they can get more, which can be either money or gas.
There is a thin line between pleasure and pain
Many workers may not know it, but there is a thin line that many workers are in danger of crossing by going the extra mile, especially if it is to please the boss. If the worker is willing to go the extra mile to please the boss, they are already crossing that thin line between pleasure and pain.
From experience, I went the extra mile for my boss by going to an undisclosed location; I got there late because I had trouble finding the place. My going the extra mile was not worth it, because the boss was upset because getting to the location was time-sensitive, which I could not help.
The recognition has very little value
Every worker seeks to get recognized for their good deeds and good work ethic, but the recognition from the boss has very little value until they need something that only you can do because no one else will; this is one of the biggest reasons why going the extra mile at work is not worth it.
Going that extra mile at work is not worth it because it can be overly time-consuming and costly not to mention getting very little recognition that would make it worth it, if you do not have to go that extra mile.
Article sources
http://www.cedrsolutions.com/what-to-do-employee-keeps-saying-no-to-going-the-extra-mile/