Why Would Employees Ever Assume Extra Work in a Decentralized Organization?

The chapter addresses the question of why employees would walk the extra mile of taking over work from their managers and self-organize. It suggests that autonomy granted to employees can act as a motivator and unleash additional effort on their part. The chapter provides a managerially relevant overview of the scientific insights from four different streams of literature—self-determination theory, job design, organizational identity, general management—gained over six decades. It systematically complements these insights with anecdotes and quotes from employees of the companies introduced in Chap. 2 . Jointly, the studies and cases illustrate that five different psychological mechanisms link autonomy to effort. It suggests that these different mechanisms—self-actualization, perceived control, attachment, engagement, reduction of fear—play out differently depending on where managers grant autonomy to their employees along the 4+1 dimensions of organizing. In doing so, this chapter forms the basis for understanding whom to recruit externally or internally for which type of flat organization (Chap. 4 ), and how to treat them optimally (Chap. 5 )—to stand a chance to make flatter the better alternative given the company’s goal.