Deadlines Improve the Effectiveness of Goals
For most employees, goals are more effective when they include a deadline for
completion. Deadlines serve as a time-control mechanism and increase the motivational
impact of goals. Being aware that a deadline is approaching, the typical employee will
invest more effort into completing the task. In contrast, if plenty of time remains for
attaining the goal, the employee is likely to slow down his or her pace to fill the available
time. However, when deadlines are too tight, particularly with complex tasks, the quality
of work may suffer