Hard work initially, easier otherwise to maintain order (9)
I believe the answer is:
wearisome
'hard' is the definition.
(thesaurus)
'work initially easier otherwise to maintain order' is the wordplay.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
'otherwise' indicates anagramming the letters.
'to maintain' indicates putting letters inside (maintain can mean to keep or preserve).
'order' becomes 'om' (Order of Merit).
The initial letter of 'work' is 'w'.
'easier' is an anagram of 'earise'.
'earise' going around 'om' is 'earisome'.
'w'+'earisome'='WEARISOME'
(Other definitions for wearisome that I've seen before include "Boring" , "pestilential" , "Tedious, tiring" , "Trying" , "Vexatious" .)