Articles

Finding the Right Balance of Work

As teams become overwhelmed with work, it’s up to project leaders to strike a balance between the needs of the project and the needs of the people.   

Key Takeaways 

·         Projects cannot be allowed to succeed at any cost. Therefore, the needs of the team are at least as important.

·         Project managers must identify and respond to early warning signs that teams are feeling overworked and undervalued.   

·         Project managers must protect organizational investments and the long-term health of the project delivery environment. 

PMI Picks offers the following insights for all project managers to consider when it comes to finding a good balance with project work: 

There is more to a successful project than the on-time, on-scope and on-budget delivery of a solution that achieves an organization’s business goals. Projects should also result in growth for the people working on them. The experience of working in a team, collaborating to solve problems and being part of something significant for the organization should help each team member grow and become an even more valuable part of the business. 

All too easily, however, growth and experience can turn negative when organizations expect too much of team members. When team members begin to resent the project because of the long hours, high pressure, lack of acknowledgment and so forth, then not only does that growth not happen, but it also demotivates team members and potentially drives them to leave the organization altogether.

It is the project manager’s job to prevent that from happening and ensure the needs of the project and the team remain balanced. The project manager must recognize when discontent is occurring and take a long-term perspective, potentially sacrificing the project’s immediate needs for the business’s future need to have a highly skilled, highly motivated set of project-oriented employees. 

That means learning to recognize the warning signs that your team may be suffering, including: 

·         Changes in team dynamics. If traditionally vocal or leading team members become quieter, or if quieter people start speaking up more, it indicates that behaviors are changing due to stress.   

·         An increase in absentee rates. If more team members are missing work, coming to work late, leaving early or missing all or parts of meetings, this is an early indicator of disengagement, often caused by stress.   

·         Work slowdowns. If the pace of progress on a project begins to ebb, this can indicate that people are starting to disengage.   

·         Increased questioning of decisions. If more doubt is being expressed about the viability of the project, this suggests the team is losing faith in their ability to deliver. 

Any of these signs requires action. That doesn’t mean ignoring the project goals and focusing only on the team, but it does mean adjusting the balance between the project and team to reduce the amount of stress the team is feeling and regain their trust and belief in the work. 

Project managers must recognize that they are, first and foremost, business leaders responsible for a number of organizational investments. One of those investments is the money and effort being put into the current project. But a more significant investment is the one made in developing the teams and individuals who need to contribute to the organization’s success for many years to come.