Employees in work groups are usually very aware of how much their individual work efforts add to the overall performance of the group. When individuals in groups believe that their own work efforts don’t help the group perform better overall, then employees can sometimes work less hard. However, today’s best managers know that when employees are helped to see how their individual work helps the entire group perform better, then job satisfaction and work performance can drastically increase. Help your employees feel indispensable and their work efforts might increase too.
Hertel, G., Niemeyer, G., & Clauss, A. 2008. Social indispensability or social comparison: The why and when of motivation gains of inferior group members. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38, 1329-1363
