Balancing workloads among team members

How can your office balance workload better?

One of the most important factors of team management is balance between its members. Although the work day can get hectic with numerous daily tasks, emergencies, or deadlines that must be met, management should ensure no team member is being overloaded with expectations.
According to a recent Glassdoor survey, employees are continuing to become more dissatisfied with their work-life balance, as well as their overall work day commitments. Forty-six percent of those in management positions indicated that they are working longer hours than five years ago.
If projects continue to pile up for a few employees, but not all, keep the following tips in mind for a more equal distribution of expectations:

• Ask who can do the best job, not who wants the task: In a team, there is usually the employee that wants to take charge and complete all the tasks, and the employee that doesn’t have anything to add. Finding the balance between these two is vital, as well as helping employees who may be on each edge of the spectrum come back to the middle. If one team member already has five tasks and desires another, consider giving the task to someone else who has more free time to complete it.
• Focus on the big picture: Why has the team been put together in the first place? If employees are struggling, take some time to refocus on expectations and how each worker can achieve them with the right information in mind.
• Get help, and fast, when necessary: Don’t wait until the last minute to ask for help on something that has been difficult for the past few months. In doing this, both single employee tasks and complete team expectations are inhibited, stalling the project further. Check in with employees periodically to ensure deadlines are being met, and that anyone that needs help receives it as soon as possible.
• Go into it with a can-do attitude: Entering a team work environment with a positive attitude can make all the difference. Some days will be better than others, but with a supportive and informed thought process, tasks can be completed with ease.

Finally, one of the most important factors to keep in mind during this time is the burnout stage, both its warning signs and how to avoid its clutches. Burnout can be next to impossible to reverse, especially when nothing is being done to prevent it. By knowing the signs, employers can take the appropriate steps to alleviate workloads, establish helpful work systems and ensure employees are given what is best for their capabilities.
A team is only as successful as those that lead it. Be sure your management leaders are the most effective they can be with the latest training and development opportunities.
Source