Having Honest Conversations About Workload
Launch library · evergreen read
Workload pressure is one of the most common contributors to stress at work, yet it is often the hardest thing to raise honestly with a manager. Concerns about seeming unable to cope can keep people quiet long after a workload has become unsustainable. Even a small shift in this direction can make a noticeable difference over time.
Framing the conversation around priorities, rather than complaints, tends to help. Asking a manager what should come first when everything feels urgent turns the conversation into a shared problem to solve, rather than a personal admission of struggling to keep up. This holds true regardless of how long a difficulty has been going on for.
If workload stress has been building for a while, wider support is available too. Lifeline can be reached on 13 11 14 at any hour, and Beyond Blue offers support on 1300 22 4636. What matters most is that the effort is genuine, not that it is perfectly executed.