The number of U.S. employees willing to go above and beyond what is required of them dropped by nearly 10% over the last three years.

In Gartner’s Global Talent Monitor for 2Q 2018, only 17.8% of U.S. workers expressed high levels of discretionary effort, versus 27% in 2Q 2015.

“A higher number of employees have expressed a growing dissatisfaction with rewards, compensation and opportunities, which has resulted in a decrease in the amount of effort employees are putting forth,” says group vice president Brian Kropp.

“This disappointment coupled with strong economic conditions and a candidate-driven labor market means many workers are not incentivized to work harder nor are they concerned about losing their jobs through dismissals or layoffs.”

Nearly 40% of workers.cite lack of future career opportunities as the most dissatisfying attribute at a previous job. Compensation, previously the No. 1 driver of attrition, is now the second most important attribute for workers.

“With recent reports showing little growth year over year in real earnings, workers hope to achieve more satisfaction in their jobs through better titles and opportunities to advance and grow in their current careers,” Kropp says.

“To prevent further reduction in workplace effort and to retain top talent, employers should pay closer attention to employee dissatisfaction about the lack of career opportunities,” he adds.

To succeed in a tight labor market, organizations must retain top performers and attract new talent. Companies that succeed have a strong Employee Value Proposition differentiating them from the competition and that speaks to what employees want most -- career development opportunities, competitive compensation and work-life balance.

“Leading organizations are able to use their employment brand to illustrate why their career opportunities are better than their competitors,” Kropp says.