LECTURE 6

MANAGING WORKLOAD

Workload Management, Definition

“Prioritizing actions, distributing workload, and managing unexpected events are some elements involved in workload management.”

Introduction

As an employee, you will need to organise and complete your own work schedule in order to meet the goals of the organisation.

These plans to meet organisational goals can be divided into four basic steps which apply to both the individual and the organisation:

1. Establish a goal or set of goals.2. Define the present situation.3. Identify the aids and barriers to the

goals.4. Develop a plan or set of actions for

reaching the goals.

Causes of Poor Workload Management

• Failure to plan and rehearse• Emergencies, equipment failures, and unexpected events• Mission complexity• Work area design• Lack of staff rest and endurance

Recognizing Excessive Workloads

Workload Increases

SA Decreases

• Inattention• Distraction• Task Saturation• Channelized Attention• Habituation

Responding to Excessive Workloads

• Delegate

• Prioritize

Be sure those you delegate to are able to perform the task

Periods of Low Workload

• Beware of complacency• Mismanagement of workload will degrade performance• Setting operational priorities regardless of task saturation

Setting Operational Priorities

• Checklists (creates discipline)• Communication (talk and interact)• Distractions (ignore distractions)• Delay non essential tasks• Delegate tasks• Critical tasks

Organisational requirements

This means that your work standards and targets are linked to the organisational requirements which include: business and performance plans organisational goals, objectives, plans, systems and

processes legal and organisational policies, guidelines and

requirements OHS policies, procedures and programs quality and continuous improvement processes and

standards quality assurance within resource parameters ethical standards and equity principles and practice.

Assess and Priortise Work Load

There is also the individual performance equation that states that performance is the result of the personal attributes of each individual worker; for example, age and/or culture, aptitudes and ability, and characteristics such as an extroverted or introverted personality.

Performance = individual attributes × work effort × organisational support

Work Effort

Working efficiently is assuming that your work objectives/goals are correct and achieving them with the minimum effort and resources.

Working effectively is choosing the right objectives/goals from a number of alternatives and reaching those objectives/goals in the time allocated.

Factors affecting achievements of work objectives

Even employees who have the correct attributes and motivation might not perform well because of the organisation’s lack of support, such as: inadequate tools and equipment unclear instructions unfair levels of expected performance lack of leadership and poor work methods and procedures budget constraints competing work demands environmental factors such as hot or cold weather illness of self or co-workers technology/equipment breakdowns unforeseen incidents workplace hazards, risks and controls.

Time Management Strategies

Time is a valuable resource, and using it effectively requires organisation and discipline. The basis for using your time effectively is planning your day—how many tasks you have to do, and how long it takes you to do each task.

Effective Time management

Whatever time management strategies you use, you must prioritise the most important tasks, and complete them in a timely manner”.

Efficiency - means finding the best way to do a particular job, whatever the job might be.

Effectiveness - means examining a range of tasks, selecting the most important to be completed, and then completing them. Efficiency means doing the job right, while effectiveness

means doing the right job. (Berner, 1987, p. 272)

Top Time Wasters

Meetings Attempting too much at once and estimating time unrealistically Telephone interruptions Drop in visitorsInability to say no Lack of self discipline Inadequate, inaccurate or delayed informationCrises (personal and/or staff) Lack of, or unclear communication or instructionsCluttered desk and personal disorganization

Time Management Matrix – Stephen Covey

Quadrant One: Important and Urgent

Quadrant Two: Important but Not Urgent

Quadrant 3: Not Important and Urgent

Quadrant 4: Not Important and Not Urgent

Strategies to alleviate specific time wasting problems

e.g. Meetings - Run meeting effectively: distribute agenda ahead of time; let members know in advance what input they need to provide at meeting; start and end on time; focus on agenda items; stay on target; set time and purpose for next meeting, and write minutes immediately

e.g. Delegation - assign other tasks to appropriate staff members to decrease number of tasks manager attempts individually. Focus on high priorities and provide subordinates with opportunity for growth and learning from their increased responsibility. Delegation can be used to manage interruptions - telephone calls and drop-in visitors.

Other time management strategies

Address issues such as handling paper, managing crises, and organising the physical environment.

E.g. Physical environment – an administrator noticed that his boss was making frequent trips to his office each day to consult certain files. He suggested that the relevant files be transferred to his boss’ office. She was able to consult the files when required and he could also access the same files on an irregular basis when required.

Usage of Business Technology

The standard of work produced in an office has greatly improved since the introduction of technology such as email, the Internet, data processing, and programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Computers, the Internet, email and telephone systems are central to all offices. Therefore, training in the effective operation of computer hardware and software is a prerequisite to securing and keeping an office position

Training

Operators of all electronic equipment should receive training and instruction in the use of all machines according to the manufacturer’s user manual and also by: in-house training sessions provided by the

organisation training by a colleague who has been trained to use

the technology referring to an up-to-date manufacturer’s manual enrolling in an office equipment course at school or

college.

In Summary

Specific strategies should reflect individual's mission statement, priorities, goals, and unique time challenges.

Time management is an individual choice of applicable strategies: "to be effective, time management must be personal…librarians must adopt and adapt the suggested techniques to fit their own situations. No particular methodology or technique works universally" (Cochran, 1992, p. 11).