Your support staff member is struggling with delegated tasks. How can you effectively manage their workload?

When I see one of my team members struggling with tasks, I step in to offer support. We sit down together, review their workload, and prioritize what’s urgent. If things feel overwhelming, I help break tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Then, we set realistic timelines to keep them on track without adding pressure. I make sure they know it's okay to ask questions or seek clarity if needed. Regular check-ins help me offer feedback and adjust as necessary. My goal is to support them to success!

When a support staff member struggles, it’s a chance to improve leadership. The issue may be in task assignment or support. Work with them to find solutions and tailor your approach based on their needs. This boosts their growth and enhances team efficiency and satisfaction.

1. Have a one-on-one conversation to understand their specific challenges. 2. Listen attentively and ask open-ended questions to encourage expression. 3. Assess their workload and identify areas of overwhelm. 4. Pinpoint any skills or training gaps contributing to the issue. 5. Approach the conversation with a solution-focused mindset.

If any of our team member is struggling with delegated tasks, it means he/she need some guidance on the issue or help from other colleagues. The assigned task must be shared with someone else

It is important to assess what the main problem is: setting priorities, time limitations (not enough time or where time gets lost) or if the problem lies somewhere outside of the office environment. Is there a work or a private-life-problem that limits the staff member.

Let your staff member explain what they see as urgent and important. They need to do the talking, not you. You need to understand how they handle projects, where their focus is and how they handle work tasks in general. You already have experience how to manage these things, they might not or generally might be less talented in setting priorities than you are. Understand them first !

1. Help prioritize tasks by discussing what’s urgent and important. 2. Identify tasks that can be deferred or delegated. 3. Break down larger projects into manageable steps. 4. Set realistic deadlines for each task. 5. Create a structured roadmap to reduce anxiety and improve task management.

Once you understand the challenges, help them prioritize their tasks. Talk about what’s urgent and what can wait or be delegated. This will give them a clear focus and structure for their day. Encourage breaking big projects into smaller steps and setting realistic deadlines. By setting priorities, you’ll reduce their stress and improve task management.

?Have a one-on-one conversation to learn about their concerns and difficulties. ?Help them identify what's urgent and important, and what can be deferred or delegated. ?Ensure they have the skills and bandwidth to complete the task. ?Make sure the workload is distributed evenly among team members. ?If they lack knowledge or skills, consider providing additional training or resources. ?Set up regular check-ins to discuss their workload and offer feedback. ?Teach them techniques like time-blocking or using a planner. ?Ensure tasks align with each team member's skills and development goals. ?Provide some flexibility and autonomy for your team member to use their creativity and initiative. ?Credit those who achieved the work.

If the problem is due to missing skills or knowledge, think about giving them some extra help. This could be through personal coaching, workshops, or online classes. Make sure the training is practical and focuses on what they really need. Helping them learn and grow not only boosts their confidence but also strengthens your team in the long run.

?Make sure your staff member has the tools and resources they need to complete the task. This could include training on how to use a specific tool. ?Provide constructive feedback at every checkpoint. Let them know what's going well and where they can improve. ?Allow for mistakes and don't rush to judge. See mistakes as learning opportunities. ?Encourage your staff member to reflect on their work and learn from it. ?Build trust and rapport with your staff member. ?Support your staff member's autonomy and accountability. ?When tasks are completed, give credit to those who contributed. ?Approach the situation with empathy, understanding, and strategic planning. ?Seek feedback from your staff member on your approach to delegation.

Sometimes, the workload might just be too much. When that happens, it's important to step back and reassess. See if tasks can be shared, automated, or even dropped. You might also need to bring in temporary help. The key is making sure everyone’s workload is challenging but still manageable. .This balance keeps the team motivated and helps prevent burnout.

? Try to understand what is causing the difficulty. ? Provide training that meets the employee's needs, preferences, skills, and experience. ? Give employees realistic deadlines and provide ample notice before assigning tasks. ? Clearly communicate the purpose, expectations, and goals of the task. ? Connect individual tasks to larger organizational goals to help motivate team members. ? When allocating tasks, consider individual strengths to help reduce burnout and stress. ? Build trust and rapport with the employee. ? Provide feedback and recognition to the employee. ? Encourage the employee to reflect and learn. ? Support the employee's autonomy and accountability.

I had this happen when I was over an HR unit that provided contract HR services to about 50 organizations. We had several HR techs to handle processing of personnel actions. One of the techs was much more efficient than the others. She ended up getting more workload that her peers. She filed a complaint over her workload. I agreed to better manage the distribution of work. And I assigned one of my specialists to oversee the process. I was therefore surprised when a few months later, I got the same formal complaint from the employee about uneven distribution of work. The specialist I had delegated to deal with the situation admitted her complaint had merit. Well, thanks for nothing. Problem was solved when I found another job.

After making changes, keep a close eye on their progress. Schedule regular check-ins to talk about their workload, give feedback, and make any needed ajustments. Keep these meetings positive and focused on their growth. Acknowledge their improvements and encourage them to keep working on their organizational and time-managment skills. Regular monitoring will help maintain their progress and keep them motivated.

? Set clear expectations: Define the task's scope, deadline, budget, quality standards, and desired outcomes. Also, communicate how often you want to receive updates and feedback. ? Check in regularly: Check in with employees to hear the latest updates on the task. ? Use a tracking system: Use a tool like a Kanban board to visually assign tasks to people, set due dates, and colour-code them. You can also use project charters or SMART goal frameworks to document and communicate expectations. ? Provide regular feedback: Provide feedback to your team members. ? Empower your team members: Choose the right person for the job based on their skills, experience, and interest in the task.

How do you encourage self-management? If this would be your staff member's goal would they not have started on their own or ask for help. Do not fall into the trap that they do it for you to be satisfied ! They need to do it because they see a need in it and not because they want to appear to be working on themselves !

You are the one to define each team members role in the team, and to monitor the work load for each individual and the team as a whole. Periodically one or more employees may have a heavier work load. As their team leader/ supervisor, it is for you to put into action a plan to split it among others on the team, so the team's overall performance is not impaired.