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When it comes to motivating people to be really into their work, the last thing to do is to *tell* them to work the extra hours.

Agreed. I don't think the extra hours thing makes sense as a goal in itself. If people are motivated, the product is going to be cool, and no artificial (bureaucratic or mismanagerial) obstructions are in people's way, extra hours are going to spontaneously happen from time to time without your help. If people aren't motivated, the product is obviously flawed, or developers spend all their time battling political rather than problem-space difficulties, then the so-called "lack" of voluntary extra hours is the least of your problems.

And there's always going to be a certain class of people -- those with small children, for example -- who you'll never ever get to put an extra hour in. (Peopleware, ch 27.) Many such people are valuable developers and it would seem a shame to rule your company out of benefiting from them.

Peter