Performance Punishment – the Cost
In an earlier article we discussed the paradox of “performance punishment.” Supervisors rely on their all-stars when things get tough, and in doing so, “punish” good workers for doing good work! But when that important project has to be done yesterday, you can’t hand it off to a poor performer!
When you just have to assign extra work during an “urgency”, the damage can be reduced through skilled support, better use of resources, and appreciative acknowledgment. The long-term goal is to create a more balanced and supportive work environment that offsets the burden placed on high performers.
In our previous article, we provided strategies to build a high performing team to avoid that situation. In this article, we’ll add some more tips about managing workflow as a way to ensure more fair distribution of work.
The Antidote to Performance Punishment – Fair Workload Distribution
Fair distribution of the work becomes more challenging in an overstressed workplace. But achieving a balanced workload is crucial for:
- Maintaining employee morale
- Increasing productivity
- Reducing burnout.
Here are some winning strategies:
1. Clear Prioritization of Tasks:
Get clarity on task priority as they are assigned. Base this on importance not urgency. This helps assign the right tasks to the right employees at the right time. High-priority tasks are flagged at the start and distributed to different employees to ensure they are completed on time without overburdening any individual.
- “Importance” relates to the amount of benefit from completing the task (or the cost of not completing it as required)
- “Urgency” measures how soon the task needs to be completed
- Stephen Covey warned about “the tyranny of the urgent” – urgent tasks often get priority even if they are not the most important
- Urgency is often a result of poor planning or procrastination – get the important work done early and urgency is no longer a problem
Once the prioritization is set, it must be communicated clearly! (more on that in a bit).
2. Develop a Competency Framework:
A competency framework is a structure that:
- Identifies the skills, knowledge and attributes needed for a specific job
- Inventories the competencies of existing staff
This framework allows managers to:
- Assign tasks that align with the employee’s abilities, so they are neither underworked nor overwhelmed
- Identify key gaps in the team’s skill sets so you can proactively provide training and coaching to close these gaps
Training not only improves productivity, it also ensures that employees feel equipped to manage their workload, thereby improving morale.
3. Manage the Workload:
Regular reviews of employee workload can help identify imbalances early on. Carefully track assignments and progress to get early warning of any delays or bottlenecks. Take action early to address these.
4. Encourage Open Communication:
According to the 2024 results of the American Psychiatric Association’s annual mental health poll, 80% of US workers say they experience work stress because of ineffective company communications. Create an environment where employees can openly discuss their workload and capacity. This will foster a culture of transparency. It enables managers to redistribute tasks when necessary and ensures that no employee is unfairly burdened.
Employees should always have clarity about priorities. As these change, this needs to be quickly and clearly communicated.
Open communication also includes communication up the ladder. At times, a leader has to push back against the demands from above being put on their team. Leaders can work to renegotiate the schedule or the specifications of the task. Or they can advocate for additional resources. Attentive leaders know when their team can’t meet the target. It’s better to surface that sooner rather than later.
And finally, effective communication means being aware of and adapting to the various communication styles of the members of your team. Treating people the way you want to be treated only works well for those who share your communication style. Find out more about communication styles here. We’ll also address this in our next article. We urge everyone to learn to live by the upgrade to the Golden Rule. We call it the Golden Rule 2.0® – Treat people the way they want to be treated! This is a big challenge and we developed the T.E.A.M. Communication Styles® to help with this.