Remember the Movie Office Space? 78% of Workers Doing "Just Enough"

More than three-fourths of American workers (78%) say they have intentionally done only the minimum required to keep their job, according to the latest Act Your Wage Report. The survey from the MyPerfectResume research center, a resume-building service, examines how pay, workload, and perceptions of unfair rewards shape the effort employees are willing to give at work. #actyourwage

The national survey of 1,000 U.S. workers found that 69% have intentionally limited their effort specifically because they felt their pay did not match the expectations or responsibilities of their role. Meanwhile, 92% say employees are not consistently rewarded fairly for going above and beyond, and 86% have been asked to take on responsibilities outside their job description without additional compensation.

Key Findings

Minimum-effort behavior is widespread. 78% have intentionally done only the minimum required to keep their job, including 49% who have done so frequently or occasionally.
Pay mismatches are affecting effort. 69% have limited their effort because their pay did not match their job’s expectations or responsibilities.
Extra effort is rarely seen as consistently rewarding. 92% say employees are not consistently rewarded fairly for going above and beyond, while 52% say they are rarely or almost never rewarded.
Working outside formal job duties is common. 86% have been asked to take on responsibilities outside their job description without additional compensation.
Additional responsibilities consume significant time. 44% spend at least two hours per week working outside their formal roles.
Feeling underpaid or overworked changes behavior. 83% have changed at least one workplace behavior or considered leaving their job for these reasons.

“Doing more work without more pay doesn’t always mean you’re getting ahead,” said Dr. Jasmine Escalera, Career Expert at MyPerfectResume. “Workers should be thoughtful about where they invest their time and energy. Setting boundaries matters, but so do staying engaged, building valuable skills, and looking for opportunities to grow. The goal shouldn’t be to do the bare minimum, but to make sure the effort you’re putting in is helping you move forward in your career.”

Most Workers Have Taken a Minimum-Effort Approach

More than three-quarters of workers (78%) say they have intentionally done only the minimum required to keep their job at least once.

13% frequently
36% occasionally
29% rarely
22% never

Nearly half (49%) say they have taken this approach frequently or occasionally.

Workers are almost evenly divided over what it means to match effort to pay. Fifty-three percent view it as a response to workplace pressures:

21% see it as a response to wage stagnation.
18% see it as a healthy workplace boundary.
14% see it as protection from burnout.

The remaining 47% take a more negative view:

21% see it as doing the bare minimum.
19% see it as employee disengagement.
7% see it as reduced workplace loyalty.

21% see it as a response to wage stagnation
18% see it as a healthy workplace boundary
14% see it as burnout protection
21% see it as doing the bare minimum
19% see it as employee disengagement
7% see it as reduced workplace loyalty

Pay Mismatches Are Causing Workers to Pull Back

Forty-three percent have pulled back frequently or occasionally, while fewer than one-third have never reduced their effort because of a perceived pay mismatch.

12% frequently
31% occasionally
26% rarely
31% never

Only 9% Say Extra Effort Is Consistently Rewarded

Just 9% believe employees are consistently rewarded fairly for going above and beyond, while 52% say extra effort is rarely or almost never rewarded fairly.

9% consistently
39% sometimes
32% rarely
20% almost never

Workers identify feeling underpaid and burnout as the top reasons employees stop going above and beyond, at 22% each.

22% say feeling underpaid
22% say burnout
19% say lack of recognition
17% say seeing hard work go unrewarded
11% say poor leadership
6% say lack of advancement
3% say layoff anxiety

Combined, 58% point to feeling underpaid, lacking recognition, or seeing hard work go unrewarded.

86% Have Been Asked to Work Outside Their Role Without Extra Pay

86% of workers have been asked to take on responsibilities outside their job descriptions without additional compensation.

25% frequently
40% occasionally
21% rarely
14% never

Altogether, 74% say employees commonly take on responsibilities beyond their official roles without additional compensation.

31% say it is extremely common
43% say it is somewhat common
18% say it is not very common
8% say it rarely happens

44% Spend at Least Two Hours a Week Outside Their Formal Role

Nearly three-quarters of workers (73%) spend at least some time each week doing work outside their formal job responsibilities, while 44% spend at least two hours.

27% spend no time
29% spend less than 2 hours
28% spend 2–5 hours
10% spend 6–10 hours
6% spend more than 10 hours

16% spend 6 or more hours per week on work beyond their formal responsibilities.

Underpaid and Overworked Employees Are Changing Their Behavior

Eighty-three percent of workers have taken at least one of the listed actions or considered leaving their job because they felt underpaid or overworked.