Handling Staff Morale When Workloads Increase
by Anne Kirkwood
More Canadian
employees’ workloads are increasing due to downsizing or trimmed payroll budgets, which is leading to higher stress and lower morale.
For example, a recent survey of information technology (IT) workers found that their departments’ workload has increased without additional staff to handle it.
When asked about workloads in the past 12 months for their IT departments, 57% of Canadian chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed said these staff have more on their plate. (That breaks down to 21% who said IT staff workloads have increased significantly, and 36% who said they’ve increased somewhat.)
One-third (36%) said their IT department is doing about the same amount of work, while only 6% said workloads have decreased. One percent didn’t know or didn’t answer.
The main culprit causing extra work was new projects, cited by 56% of CIOs who said the workload has increased. One-third (33%) blamed corporate expansion, 7% said their IT staffing levels have decreased, and 4% gave other factors.
"Many companies that postponed hardware and software upgrades to save costs are now faced with a business need to move forward with these projects," says Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology, the staffing firm that commissioned the survey. "A number of the systems purchased during the technology boom of the late 90s, for example, are nearing the end of their lifecycle and must be updated or replaced."
Robert Half Technology advises employers to help staff accommodate heavier workloads to help them better retain employees when the job market improves and staff may be tempted to leave.
Lee offers the following advice on handling staff morale when workloads increase.
Encourage balance
Make sure employees take breaks throughout the day and use their vacation time to avoid burnout.
Be realistic
Tasks and deadlines should be achievable. Evaluate whether staff members have the necessary skills for upcoming projects; offer training as needed.
Share the vision
When assigning tasks, explain how they support larger business objectives. Employees should organize their activities based on these priorities.
Solicit ideas
Ask staff members to brainstorm creative ways to solve everyday challenges. Having a say in the outcome of a project motivates employees to do their best work.
Bring in support
When full-time employees are at capacity, consider bringing in professionals on a project basis to augment their efforts.
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