Small Staff
How do you delegate with a small staff, when you feel that everyone's plate is already full? Suggestions/thoughts?
Annette,
First you look at the workloads of each individual, followed by an assessment of the priorities each person is handling. Next look at your office or cubicle configurations and determine if the offices are arranged to minimize disruptions. Ask each person to keep a daily time log of time spent on each project and the number of times they are interrupted. Review the logs and determine if the time being allocated is appropriate for the task(s) and/or the interruptions preventing efficiency. From this information you can conduct a fairly accurate assessment of where time each employee's time is being spent. Employees have used the "overworked" excuse when the jobs aren't getting done, but in reality once they become aware of the time they waste during a typical work day, the complaints should diminish.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
One of the things that I have learned about delegating, both by having tasks delegated to me and by delegating tasks, is this is an opportunity for an employee to develop and hone skills. This skill development is sometimes the most important outcome from the task. One example is delegating tasks that will help a staff member develop their problem solving skills. So, if I can delegate a task to a staff member who is busy but who I think will really learn and grow from the task, I will see if there is a way to break it into smaller tasks with deadlines that are not too close together. This may help to get the task completed and to have the staff member grow from the opportunity.
Everyone can say they are busy and have too many irons in the fire. There is also the saying that if you want something done, give it to a busy person. If it is a task that is important, interesting, etc., then I usually will find a way to make the time to work on it.
I also have learned that I--and the staff member--need to be honest with how busy we really are. There is one staff member who claims to be very busy and has too much on their plate, but when you look at what they are accomplishing, it shows they have time to take on more responsibilities. I think it is important to have everyone be honest, first and foremost, with themselves, and with their manager about their time constraints.
Lisa,
Using delegation to help employees develop is a great way to establish trust and confidence. By trusting an individual with a task or portion of a larger task, you not only provide them with an opportunity to grow, but it’s a demonstration of your trust in the individual and contributes to building their confidence. Breaking the task down into more manageable parts is also a good way to “fit in†additional work that needs to be accomplished when plates are full.
Following up on your approach, consider taking a large project with multiple components and sub-dividing it across several employees, then form them up as a “task force†with the goal of completing the larger task. The task force approach provides structure for collaboration, problem solving and enhanced learning and it’s generally more efficient. This still allows time for them to address their main job responsibilities while being able to focus specific task force time on the larger project. Be selective with choosing a leader of the group, perhaps your “busy person,†who will be the driver to get things accomplished. It’s easy to use being too busy as an excuse, but when people have accountability to a group it becomes more difficult to get away with using it.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
Dr. Roehrich,
When you see that the physical space (e.g. cubicles) are interfering with the work, should the work be reallocated or moving around the people? Assuming the people or the cubicles could be moved, is it worth changing the workspace, or just reassigning tasks?
Thanks!
Laura,
Depending on the situation, you could certainly move around the work space or reassign individuals to different cubicles. However, if work is being interfered with, my first suggestion would be to speak to the individuals involved. Approach it from the perspective of the work that is not being accomplished and/or the fact that it is interfering with the accomplishment of tasks or the efficiency of the department. Let them know you are aware of the drop in productivity and that if the situation is not resolved, you will have to find an alternative arrangement. This opens the door for changing cubicles or if necessary terminating the offending employee(s). It's best not to threaten, but let them know that you will not tolerate the the behavior if it continues. Depending on how you feel about the employees, will dictate the extent of your actions.
Dr. Robert Roehrich
