When Your Boss Asks for More: Balancing Extra Work for the Same Pay
In today’s fast-paced professional world, it’s common for employees to be asked to take on additional responsibilities outside of their job description. Unfortunately, the extra work doesn’t always come with additional pay. That can leave you in an awkward position, wondering how to show commitment and flexibility to your workplace while also protecting your own integrity and boundaries.There are many reasons your manager may ask you to go the extra mile without compensation. Perhaps a team member has gone on sudden leave and the manager needs to distribute the workload. Or maybe your organization has gone through a round of layoffs and leadership is reorganizing job functions. When this happens, it could be considered “quiet hiring,” a term coined to describe when companies tap high-performing employees to accomplish important tasks that may be outside of their job description, rather than hiring. A 2023 survey found that:
- 80% of people reported being “quiet hired”
- 50% said the role was not aligned with their skill set
- 63% see it as an opportunity for professional development
Whatever the reason for the additional work on your plate, it’s critical to first understand whether the additional responsibilities are a temporary solution or a more permanent change. Occasionally being assigned tasks outside of your job description is common—and doesn’t always warrant a pay increase. However, if it’s a long-term adjustment to your role, you may want to negotiate your pay to ensure you feel fairly compensated for your work. Related: Is Quiet Hiring the Employer Response To Quiet Quitting?
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When to—and when not to—take on more work without proper compensation
Each situation at work is unique, and it’s important to carefully evaluate your situation to determine the best response when asked to do extra work without pay. You might want to accept additional work if:
- It’s a temporary stop-gap solution. You might be asked to go the extra mile when a colleague goes on leave, or while the organization is in the process of hiring for roles. These situations are typically short-term and can demonstrate your dependability and willingness to help out when needed.
- You want to learn new skills. Taking on additional work that you wouldn’t typically do can be an ideal opportunity for learning and development. After all, one of the best ways to learn is to get hands-on experience. You can boost your resume with fresh skills
- and gain more confidence in your abilities.
- It could advance your career or help you get a promotion. Showing that you can manage more than your typical day-to-day duties can indicate to your manager that you’re prepared for a promotion. Of course, taking on additional responsibilities at work can be powerful leverage when negotiating for a pay raise. Make sure to make note of what extra work you’re doing, and scroll down to the next section for useful negotiation tips.
On the other hand, taking on more responsibilities without pay can have its downsides. You might want to turn down additional work if:
- You’re already feeling burnt out. According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s Employee Mental Health in 2024 research survey, nearly half
of American workers are feeling burned out. And the solution for burnout? More work-life balance
- , not less. Sacrificing your mental health to take on more responsibilities at work is just not worth it—for you, or your organization.
- It would impact your ability to do your current job. Additional responsibilities should not outweigh the core requirements of your job description. Being overloaded with extra tasks may lead to you falling behind or overlooking important aspects of your role, leading to more issues (and work!) down the road.
- The request is unrealistic. Whether it has a tight timeline that conflicts with other commitments or requires knowledge outside of your expertise, there are many situations in which you simply cannot confidently take on the work or provide quality results.
Some employees may be inclined to immediately accept the additional responsibilities to show dedication to the team or to avoid “causing problems.” However, this approach could lead to resentment and exhaustion, which can affect your entire team’s productivity and morale. If you feel the need to turn down a request from your manager, make sure you’re explaining why instead of just saying “no.” This can help shed light on your current workload and expectations—of which your manager may be unaware—as well as ways they can improve assigning projects or hiring. Clear, transparent and professional communication can improve collaboration and help you avoid tricky situations such as this in the future. Alternatively, you can use this as an opportunity to negotiate additional pay—keep reading to learn how. Related: 6 Signs You’re Being Overworked (Plus Tips for Burnout)
3 areas to negotiate when you take on extra work
If you’re taking on additional responsibilities at work, you probably want to feel like you’re being treated fairly and can continue fulfilling your role to the best of your abilities. Here are 3 areas to examine to help you negotiate a mutually beneficial situation for you, your manager and your team.
- Pay. For many employees, pay is a priority. Asking for a raise or bonus is fair game when doing extra work—especially if you’re saving the company money by not having to hire or train someone new. Choose the right time to bring it up, like during a quarterly review or a 1:1, and be ready to present evidence of how you’ve gone the extra mile. Find more advice on negotiating a raise here
- .
- Learning and development. You may require more training on how to execute on additional responsibilities according to expectations. In this case, talk to your manager about classes, networking events or conferences where you can build your skills and meet other people in your industry.
- Other benefits. If increased pay is not an option (or if it’s not as important to you
), consider other benefits that you value. Examples could include additional paid time off
- , subsidized child care or expanded healthcare to support your well-being and allow you to show up to work as your best self.
As a high-performing, ambitious employee, it’s only a matter of time before you’re asked to do work outside of your job description. This can be a valuable opportunity to learn, grow and negotiate higher pay or better benefits. In the worst cases, though, it can exacerbate burnout and reduce productivity. In these situations, it’s important to be clear on your current skill set and professional aspirations, as well as your mental wellbeing and demands outside of work. This can help you identify your priorities, boundaries and what you value most in a workplace.
