Workload causes, impacts and solutions
By: Adil Jamal
Tags: Work Life Balance, Stress Management Tips, Motivation, Management, Stress

Do you or your colleague complain about workload? Why are we bothered by this term? Nowadays people are mostly stressed about their workload. Stating that they cannot cope with the workload. A phenomenon that is affecting their personal plus professional life.

Can one continue about minding his/her job even with workload? What are the impacts of workload on physical and mental health of a person? Some people even complain that it has an impact on the creativity of a person. The workload can be defined as

“The amount of work to be performed by a person with constraints. The constraints can be in terms of mental and physical capabilities. Time and money can also play a role of constraints. It can also be time vs target to be achieved by an employee”.

As it is crystal clear from the definition that one must work with constraint. The term constraint by Itself limits the capabilities of a person. It can also be termed as limitation of resources to perform a job. If a person is given a deadline to perform a task, it will put physical and mental stress on the person. Performing this task in limited resources will decrease the job performance of employees. In the long run workload has financial, emotional plus physical impacts.

Causes of workload

First, causes of workload should be understood. What makes it difficult for employees to work in an organization. What are the elements that lead towards workload?

Job insecurity:

Everybody needs a job that will last. They need job security in order to have confidence about their career. It is basically a morale booster. One likes to have this feeling. Yes, I have a job and there is no fear of losing it. But what if a person works under this fear that he/she is going to lose the job. Adding salt to injury, I must work hard in order to keep the job. Even I must work more just to linger on. Here comes the workload along with all its negative impacts.

Financial Crisis:

What if someone is going through a bad patch of life? He/she is lured down into a financial crisis. Everybody has needs. In order to fulfill these needs finance is the key factor. If a person is lacking a good source of finance, he/she may even accept the job with tons of work. Just to cope with the crisis. Although everybody wants to have ease even at the job front, but the person is ready for sacrifice. The key factor in this modern life is “Many people are working to have more work not to have comforts in life”.

It is a harsh reality which has a toll on humans both physically as well as mentally.

Competitive job Market:

Imagine a scenario, you are working in a competitive job market. You have a target to meet at the end of the month. You must collaborate with many fellow employees just to meet the target. You know the reality that if the required target is not met, job loss is the option you get. The Boss would just hire somebody else to do the job. Imagine the amount of pressure you will face. This is what a competitive job market does to a person. A person will become a working machine just to meet the target. Again, a pathway to workload in an employee’s life.

Downsizing industries:

Many industries opt for downsizing. In order to avoid cost plus for better management of operations. Of course, with lesser employees they offer more work. They want to play their cards right. Taking every step for their benefit. It results in a form of workload for employees. Lesser employees now must meet the bigger target. Facing the burden without any incentive or pay raise. Without incentives the workload will have greater impact on employees. Leading to job frustration.

Impacts of workload:

Toll on Performance efficiency:

Performance efficiency can be expressed as “how well and quickly an employee performs a task in given constraints “Every person has a working capacity. You just cannot expect a person to do a job of five people at one time. This is what workload does to a person. It takes a toll on their job performance. Which will eventually affect the organization. Time loss means the money loss. Mismanagement of personnel leads to time loss.

Physical health impacts:

Working long hours results in many physical health issues. It includes problems like weight loss, joint pain and heart issues etc. In some cases, it can even lead to weight gain, which can further result in diabetes. Jobs that need staring at digital screens will result in impaired visions. Plus, sitting for long hours causes neck and lower back pain. All these problems make a person unfit for a job to be performed. Alternatively, it will result in low employee performance.

Personal life impacts:

Money is not the only goal of life. Personal life needs are also very important. A person needs a personal comfy zone. Workload negatively affects the personal life of employees. Taking work to the home is a bad idea. But what can one do if there is no other way around? What if a person is still busy at home with office work? Or if the employees are stressed due to workload, the same thing will be reflected in their personal life.

Mental health issues:

Workload has a very grave impact on the mental health of employees. The continuous cycle of work pressure may lead to a nervous breakdown. Depression is the firsthand gift a person gets from the workload. This depression would then lead to anxiety. Which can have severe consequences. Anxiety further results in stomach disorders plus head and stomach pain. Workload also impairs the person’s capability to focus.

Confidence and morale:

Workload pressures make a person think that he/she is not capable of doing the job. At the start it will lower their confidence of doing a job properly. Which will result in low morale of the employee. This is grave especially for the employees of creative and innovative industries. In order to survive in the modern day job, market a person ought to have high confidence and morale.

Job satisfaction and workload:

Job satisfaction is the feeling that a person gets after completing the task. A person can accept workload to some extent. But there comes a point when they are unable to complete the task in given constraints. Hence it will adversely affect the employee’s “job satisfaction”. Further leading to employee’s adverse job performance.

How to tackle workload issue:

Planner always wins:

An individual plans everything before starting a task. Get the job done through a divide and rule concept. Divide the main task into small assignments and then take them one by one. Secondly divide the task into easy and hard portions. First, start with easy tasks then go for the hard one.

Teamwork:

Always remember that teamwork is the key to handle this issue. Heap of work becomes easy when divided amongst the team members. This way work is done easily without causing any harm. Plus, it will be a team responsible if anything goes wrong instead of an individual.

Collaboration and communication:

Always work in collaboration with fellow employees. Consider them all as part of a team. This way one will have good relations with all the staff members. Which in return will result in a better working environment. Make clear communications with fellow team members. In order to avoid any misunderstanding regarding the task. It also helps in minimizing the chance of any mismanagement.

A Reasonable expectation bar:

Always remember that do not set a high expectation bar for yourself. Be reasonable before even starting a job. Know your limitations. Work within your limitations. A reasonable expectation bar will help in managing the workload.

Eatables and break time:

Last but not the least, always go for a break. There should be a break for eatables and drinks refreshment. This way a person gets that mental and physical strength required to get the job done.