Workload Is Still the Most Mismanaged Thing at Work

Work has never been busier. Calendars are full, inboxes are heavy and people move quickly from one task to the next. Yet despite all this activity, progress often feels slower than it should. Teams are busy, but not always effective.

That’s because workload is still one of the most mismanaged parts of work. Not because people are lazy or unskilled, but because workload is rarely designed. It is usually left to emotion, habit and guesswork.

Why workload feels unfair in many teams

In most workplaces, some people always seem overloaded while others appear underused. This creates tension and quiet resentment.

The problem is that workload is often invisible. Work lives in inboxes, chats, meetings and people’s heads. Without visibility, stories replace data. People feel overloaded because they feel overwhelmed, not because anyone can clearly see the whole picture.

When workload isn’t visible, fairness becomes emotional rather than factual.

The hidden ways leaders mismanage workload

Leaders rarely intend to overload teams, but certain habits make it inevitable.

• Saying yes to new work without removing anything old.
• Treating everything as urgent.
• Confusing activity with value.
• Rewarding heroics instead of sustainability.
• Letting work arrive through too many channels.

Each of these choices adds pressure without design.

What poor workload design creates

When workload isn’t designed, the outcomes are predictable.

• Burnout and presenteeism rise.
• Work becomes shallow because there’s no time to think.
• Urgency becomes normal.
• Deadlines slip despite long hours.
• Resentment grows quietly.
• Good people leave.

This isn’t a motivation problem. It’s a design problem.

Why “just manage your time better” doesn’t work

Telling people to manage their time better assumes they control their workload. Most don’t.

They don’t choose what arrives.
They don’t control shifting priorities.
They don’t control how many meetings appear.
They don’t control how many channels deliver work.

Time is shaped by systems far more than by individuals.

What good workload design looks like

Healthy workload doesn’t mean light workload. It means designed workload.

• Work is visible.
• Priorities are clear.
• Trade-offs are explicit.
• There are limits on work in progress.
• There are fewer channels for new work.
• Capacity is discussed regularly.

People know what matters and what doesn’t.

How leaders can redesign workload

Leaders don’t need perfect tools to improve workload. They need better habits.

• Make work visible so it can be discussed.
• Stop starting new things before finishing old ones.
• Close old priorities when new ones appear.
• Protect thinking time.
• Reduce meetings that add little value.
• Agree what will not be done.

These changes reduce pressure without reducing ambition.

The role of HR systems in workload and wellbeing

HR systems influence workload more than many realise.

• They provide visibility of patterns.
• They help managers see capacity.
• They support fairness through consistency.
• They reduce reliance on memory and emotion.
• They support wellbeing through design, not slogans.

Good systems make workload easier to manage. Bad systems make it invisible.

Conclusion

Workload is not a personal problem. It is a design problem.

When workload is clear, fair and designed, performance and wellbeing improve together. When it’s left to chance, pressure grows and results suffer.

Fix the system, and people usually follow.