In response to a question on what one can do when co-workers underestimate their effort at work, SMU Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Jared Nai said people often overestimate their own effort and ability. He explained, “Unless others have full visibility and monitoring of your work, chances are that they will not be able to observe and register all the effort that you have put into your work.” Asst Prof Nai also said that using results as an indicator may not be possible for many jobs where the outcomes are not as easily visible or directly attributable to individual employees, such as in human resources. He suggested that the onus is on supervisors to mindfully observe and recognise the effort workers put in, diagnose why this effort does not lead to the desired outcomes, and help to redirect workers’ efforts to obtain higher efficiency. Asst Prof Nai also advised workers to understand what outcomes are valued and work towards these outcomes.
