Talking about Workload: A Leadership Skill

My post a few weeks ago on The Hidden Costs of Busyness triggered a large volume of correspondence.  This is clearly a subject which resonates with many people. 

One reason workload pressure builds unnoticed is that people rarely feel safe to talk about it.

In many organisations, admitting you’re at capacity still sounds like weakness or laziness.

The result is silence - until performance slips, or someone leaves.

Leaders can change that by the way they start the conversation.Here are some approaches that make a difference:

Normalise the topic

 Say openly that workload is something you expect to review. When it’s built into regular one-to-ones, it feels routine, not reactive.

Ask open, neutral questions

Instead of “Are you coping?” try “What’s taking most of your energy at the moment?” or “Where are the pinch points right now?”

Focus on impact, not effort

Shift the discussion from hours worked to what’s making the biggest difference for clients or the team. This encourages prioritisation, not apology. Even in environments where hours worked is still important, that should be a separate conversation.

Acknowledge the reality

Sometimes the workload is just too high and little can be done practically in the short term. Leaders who name that reality help people feel seen - and make problem-solving possible.

Model it yourself

When leaders talk openly about how they manage competing priorities, and balance their lives to operate sustainably, while acknowledging that sometimes the pressure is unavoidably there, others feel permission to do the same.  Conversely, constantly saying how busy you are, perhaps seeking your own validation, merely reinforces the negative message and is counter-productive in the long run.

Workload conversations do not need to be about lowering expectations - they’re about creating the conditions for sustained performance.