As long as the wheels continue to turn, there's often no need to contribute more than you absolutely have to.

But if you want to get ahead in the workplace, just doing your job is not enough.

"It is becoming increasingly important to go the extra mile, regardless of what job or industry you're in," says Kerry Damons of Boston City Campus & Business College.

"We value extra effort and try to impart the philosophy to our students. We like to believe that Boston students will stand out in the workplace for their willingness to assist colleagues or line managers using the extra skills and knowledge they have picked up during their courses," she says.

If everyone just followed their job descriptions without adding value along the way, there would never be any innovation or excellence in the workplace. And that would make it impossible to identify an employee for promotion or to calculate the value of a bonus.

"Awards would never be made to recognise that some of us put that little bit of extra effort in," Damons adds. "Motivation levels would drop and service levels would not improve; at best they would remain constant."

She cites the example of the two Gauteng teachers who were honoured by President Kgalema Motlanthe at the annual National Teaching Awards held in Pretoria last month.

Anette Rossouw, who teaches mathematics at Hoërskool Florida on the West Rand, was chosen as the best secondary school teacher in the country.

Rossouw distinguished herself by using fun teaching methods, such as songs, rhymes and games, to make it easier for her pupils to understand the subject.

"Great achievements in life are experienced under seemingly impossible conditions, and yet the forbidding nature of the odds does not deter those determined to succeed," Motlanthe said at the awards ceremony.

But how does one define "going the extra mile"?

According to Damons, the definition of outstanding performance varies from job to job, employer to employer and industry to industry.

"Employees, especially in large companies, are mostly concerned about meeting the basic requirements of their jobs," she says. "There are no official 'going the extra mile' descriptions they can refer to; they have to look beyond their immediate tasks to identify ways of going beyond the call of duty."

A starting point is to understand what drives the organisation - when you know what your employer aims to achieve, you will understand your role better and be able to align your performance accordingly.

"Communicate with your superior so that you know about the progress of the company and of your department," she says.

"Be proactive in getting feedback on your performance - don't wait for a formal performance appraisal or for bonus time to find out that, in the boss's opinion, you have been under-performing."

One of the sure ways of distinguishing yourself from the pack is to show drive and energy in everything you undertake at the office.

The enthusiasm and energy are visible to all, and can influence others positively - something employers are bound to see. Volunteering for tasks no one is keen on will show your willingness to move beyond your job description.

Taking personal initiative in finding better ways of doing things also scores points with employers and colleagues. These are pointers discussed in Boston's project management course.

Gain more knowledge of the industry, its dynamics and customers - this will make you a well-informed employee and can lead to your finding a gap for improving your company's product or service. You may even find a new business opportunity for your employer.

It matters that your extra efforts are recognised by your employer, but should this not happen, rest assured that clients and customers can tell the difference.

"Word of mouth can be more powerful than a certificate or a pat on the shoulder - if your employer does not see your value, someone else will," says Damons. "Good people get head-hunted for the above-average positions."

In times of prosperity, companies rely on their "extra-mile" employees to give them the edge over competitors.

In the face of economic volatility, companies do their utmost to retain such employees, as they rely on them to pull the company through.

"Whichever way you look at it, extra effort pays off," she says.

Boston City Campus & Business College offers more than 80 dynamic career qualifications at 48 branches across the country. Unisa degrees and media studies are also available at selected branches.