8 Ways to Ensure Your Team Isn’t Overworked

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If you want to develop a people-focused company, you need to start with your employees. As a manager, you want your company to be successful, and you know you cannot do this alone. Your employees are a key component in the growth and other aspects, so you must make sure they are healthy and happy.

And what is one issue that leads to unhealthy and unhappy employees? Overworking. This is a common problem, yet working too hard is often seen as a badge of honor.

Thankfully, this is an attitude that has changed in recent years, yet some people find it hard to break the habit. Overworking can cause severe problems for your employees and your business, so consider this advice to ensure your team is not overworked.

Check In On Them

You will never know how your employees are feeling if you don’t check in on them. While you don’t need to hover over their shoulder at all times, you can arrange a meeting every few weeks to catch up and also go over any issues they may have experienced.

There may be problems or concerns you were unaware of, and as the manager, you can work with them and any other employees to find a solution that benefits them and the company. An open-door policy can make this easier, as some employees may not want to burden you with their issues otherwise.

Don’t Over-Delegate

While delegation can prevent you from being overworked and experiencing burnout, the work needs to go somewhere. Usually, it continues to go to the same people, as you trust them to handle these important responsibilities.

But, too much of this means you overburden your team with projects you could easily do – or at least supervise – yourself. Make sure you log their workload and get regular updates on their progress without seemingly demanding a project delivery within an unreasonable time frame.

Keep Track Of Their Hours

If your business operates on shifts, you can keep track of your employees’ hours to make sure they are not working too much. There are options available for you to monitor this and also ways to calculate overtime so that they are compensated fairly for any extra work they have done, even if you don’t ask them.

The more aware you are of your employees’ hours, the easier it will be to give them time off when required. If you know that an employee has stayed late or come in early to cover shifts in the past, you can reward them by letting them leave before the end of their scheduled shift if they need it.

Look For Signs of Burnout

You would think that burnout is obvious, yet some employees (especially younger ones) may try to hide their issues because they are worried about getting in trouble or putting their employment status at risk. Still, there are some clear signs you can look out for that can give you an idea of their mental well-being.

Common signs of burnout and overworking include exhaustion and productivity problems, while irritability is also something that might crop up. These issues can negatively impact your employee’s satisfaction as well as the team’s synergy, so be on the lookout during busy periods especially.

Encourage A Work-Life Balance

The work-life balance has become an essential (and hopefully permanent) trend across all industries, even if some careers make it more difficult to manage this balance than others. As a manager, you should recognize the importance of a work-life balance and do everything you can to encourage it amongst your team.

Flexible and remote working as well as a policy that doctor’s appointments or childcare demands can take priority over work are all possible ideas. You can also stop asking why an employee can’t come to work, as most of the time, it’s none of your business.

Recognize Their Individual Needs

Similarly, you should recognize that all employees have individual needs. This factor can make it complicated when establishing policies, as some employees may feel they are being ignored because they don’t have kids or school.

You can avoid this problem by meeting with the entire staff and discussing what works best for everyone. You’ll need to be careful that you don’t adhere to every request as you might get taken advantage of, but your employees will at least feel heard, and you can do what you can to accommodate everyone.

Empower Them to Look Out For Each Other

As much as you want to look out for your team, you can’t always be in the office, and you don’t have the same relationship with your team as they do with each other. This is a natural element of being a manager and there’s nothing you can do about it. But that’s okay.

Instead, you can empower your team to look out for one another. This approach means everyone can take on projects or help out if they see someone struggling to juggle multiple projects simultaneously. An employee representative could also be the liaison between you and the rest of the team and they can come to you with any concerns.

Provide Desirable Benefits

Financial benefits are no longer the only incentive for employees. Nowadays, they want benefits that make their lives easier in other areas. Offering these benefits can prevent them from feeling overworked, especially if you provide coverage for private medical insurance, as it means they don’t need to feel like they have to make up for any expenses.

If you aren’t offering any benefits, it’s time to reconsider your approach and give your team a better life. Otherwise, you can’t expect them to stick around for long.

Staying Strong

Every manager wants and needs their team to give it as much as possible, but that doesn’t mean they should only focus on working. Like many things in life, there needs to be a sensible balance between working hard and getting enough time to decompress. These tips can help you offer the best support for your team and enjoy the results that help your business graduate to the next level.

*This article is based on personal suggestions and/or experiences and is for informational purposes only. This should not be used as professional advice. Please consult a professional where applicable.