As a manager, how can I most effectively ask my employees to work overtime?

by showing them how much you appreciate their efforts.

Allow them flexibility when it comes to requests of time off or vacation and appreciate them for the work they do on a frequent basis and provide them with a good merit increase.

That you’re asking how to do this is a good sign. It shows you care about your employees and want to do the right thing, both to your company and to them. So, the bottom line is to treat them as though they are part of the decision process. Here’s a few things to help: 1. Tell them why you need their help and the ramifications of not getting their buy-in. The reason has to be big - them covering for you while you’re on vacation is not big enough. A new customer in a short period of time is big. 2. Stress that it is a temporary request and set a deadline - the completion of a project, a ship date, etc. 3. Ask, don’t tell 4. Provide as much support for them as possible - meals, Uber/Lift home, allowing kids/pets in the office, etc. 5. When the project is done, reward them. They should be publicly recognized by the senior management, at the least. Additionally, give comp vacation days, corporate gift cards, and a celebratory meal or outing.

There is no good way to ask employees to work overtime. Employees that are single are typically more willing to work overtime than those with families. Asking employees to work overtime can cause negative feelings, but I think that explaining why something absolutely must be done that day in overtime instead of the next day will assist in the employees' understanding the situation, which may help to mitigate those negative feelings. Also, while it is a manager's job to drive their employees, remember that it is also the manager's job to keep up morale. If morale is low, then the manager risks high turnover. Lots of overtime is a morale killer.

Focus on the benefits of a padded paycheck.

proposing some kind of redistribution or benefit for it

Request rather than command and do put in overtime, so they can see you are in it with them

Offer real development opportunities as part of overtime work. If you're asking for something mechanical, like data entry or getting financial work done at the end of a business quarter, overtime pay is probably your most appropriate action - you're really just buying extra time. If they're salaried, temper the blow with a catered lunch/dinner during overtime or a team activity on a different day, make it clear you appreciate their effort and that it's not an expectation that you say jump, they say how high. If it's something less mechanical, offer it as a growth opportunity - hungry employees who are looking for more to do and ways to develop will jump on that opportunity if it is meaningful and career-building. But you have to follow through - those that do work overtime and do good work should be considered for promotions, special projects, bonuses, etc. when the time comes. Create a culture around recognizing those that go above and beyond.

You need to set the expectation early on that it is sometimes required. You can’t just demand time out of people and expect them to do it. That’s why I hate salary. Be innovative, actually pay salaried people OT if they work a lot.

Incentivize and offer food as well as give them great OT

Explaining the value to the team and themselves.

Depends on situation, if I have a event coming up and I need to get ready, I will arrange a meeting and discuss the situation with my employees and ask them about everyone’s participation, If just a call out and I don’t have coverage I would like to ask most reliable person first if they can stay longer.