While most professionals will have heavy workloads on occasion, if the volume of work you’re asked to complete is consistently outside of your capacity, action is often necessary. Typically, this isn’t a situation you can handle solely on your own. Instead, you’ll need to loop in your manager, a step that’s often daunting.
Fortunately, you can make the process easier by using the right approach.
Here’s a Look at Five Effective Strategies for Addressing Workload Challenges With Your Boss:
1. Document Your Workload
Before you schedule a meeting with your manager, you need to take the time to document your workload. Essentially, you need to have a comprehensive list of all of your duties and tasks. Additionally, include notes regarding how frequently repeated activities need to occur, as well as the due dates for one-off style assignments or project work.
Once you have the initial list, estimate the time required to complete all of the tasks and duties. It’s also wise to mention any related dependencies, such as work you need from others to complete the activities or other people’s responsibilities that are dependent on your contributions.
The goal here is to clearly demonstrate what’s on your plate. Additionally, the extra details can make identifying priorities or trade-offs easier, simplifying the upcoming discussion.
2. Identify Likely Priorities and Potential Solutions
Once you have your workload outlined, use your best judgment based on what you know about the organization to identify the likely priorities within your responsibilities. Then, estimate the total time required to meet them, and then factor in other tasks that fall within your wheelhouse to fill out your schedule.
After that step, see what’s remaining that doesn’t fit reasonably into your workload. Consider what options are potentially available to shift these functions to others who are well-suited to the work and not experiencing the same workload challenges. The goal here is to ensure you have the ability to not just outline the issue but also present a possible solution.
3. Schedule a Meeting with Your Manager
Since discussing your workload is potentially a lengthy conversation, it’s best to schedule a meeting with your manager. This isn’t the type of topic where it’s wise to catch your boss off-guard. Instead, be open about the fact that you’re concerned about being overtasked and request a one-on-one meeting to discuss the matter. That ensures your manager also has a chance to prepare, which could speed up the process.
4. Share Openly and Honestly
Once the meeting begins, let your manager know why you’re concerned about your workload. For example, you may worry that you can’t maintain proper quality with the amount of responsibilities currently on your plate.
Then, share all of the details about your assigned tasks. Once you’ve done that, you can present the possible solution you identified.
5. Work Collaboratively to Solve the Problem
After sharing all of the details, it’s time to use a collaborative approach. Work with your manager to discuss viable pathways toward a solution if the one you presented isn’t ideal. That increases the odds of joint success, making it more likely that an adjustment that makes your workload manageable can occur.
Often, the strategies above will help you address issues of being overburdened. However, if it doesn’t, you need to decide whether staying in that role is the best choice.
Contact Us Today!
In some cases, finding a new job might be the better bet, particularly if your manager is resistant to helping you achieve balance. If you’re interested in finding a new position, in the PA area TekCom wants to hear from you. Contact us to learn more about our current openings today.
