Most organizations carefully account for all the money that’s spent. They are often less careful about the way they spend another valuable commodity — the time of their employees. A common mistake is to pile on new projects until employees have more to do than they could ever possibly get done — with a predictable decline in employee morale.
If you supervise others, being on the lookout for early signs of work overload can help your organization avoid worse problems later on.
Another hazard to watch out for is workaholism. It’s one of the most socially acceptable forms of addiction in society today. Although many people talk about it jokingly, in reference to themselves or others, workaholism is no laughing matter and can wreak havoc on both individuals and organizations.
Workaholism leads to stress, burnout, illness and marital breakup — and while it’s often encouraged by institutions and society, it does damage to both.
If you supervise others, you would be wise to be alert to this problem, and to intervene to stop it, by setting priorities and putting tasks into proper perspective. Don’t let work overload lead to a decrease in employee morale.
