I need help supporting my team

Anonymous

March 1,2023 at 6:44PM UTC

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I need help supporting my team

I'm the leader of a small team at high-profile, fast-paced, media organization (3 direct reports and 3 dotted lines). Over the past few years we've been exponentially busier than ever before and it's not slowing down - where we used to have some space to breathe between programs (working on 2-3 projects/year), we are now working on about 6 simultaneous programs all the time. One project starts to end and another is right there to overlap and take it's place. We are all stressed, strapped, and beyond burn out. My team has autonomy to do our work because we are respected and high-performing but it's taking a huge toll. Prior to the pandemic, we were all in the office but for the past 3 years we've been remote and will be remote for the foreseeable future. My boss is on the top tier leadership team, is very nice, but also very careful to not rock boats or ask much for our entire department - several beloved colleagues have left for other opportunities. I've asked for help and been told it's not coming. My team has asked for affordable tools to help us with our work and every request is stuck in bureaucratic red-tape. I've asked to promote a very worthy member of my team and have been denied. I asked for a promotion to match the exponential increase in responsibilities I've taken on and have been told that no one is being promoted. It's exhausting. All of us are also dealing with things in our personal lives. We are the kind of team who supports each other, helping each other out when we can and having fun on team calls and getting together IRL when we can. I love my team - I celebrate successes, am sure to promote their work, and make it clear that I'm available to them anytime. We all love our work, our organization, and our colleagues but we are all shattering under the stress. I want to do something to show my team how much I appreciate everything they are doing. I tell them, but I want to give them something that will make their lives easier. Thing is, my tank is empty. I'm at a loss! I've mentioned the importance of taking time off (we all have a lot of vacation and comp time - none of us ever takes all of it) but with the heavy workload and no back-up for individual roles, it's very hard to take off without coming back to a pile of emails and work to do - even with team support. Any thoughts or ideas? Things I'm just not thinking of? Anything anyone here would like to hear from their boss to help motivate and boost their spirits?

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Cindy GrossMarch 1,2023 at 7:34PM UTC
They're not rewarding you for your work, so one option is to just do only the work they are paying you for, what they originally required in the job. I once had a boss beg our team to stop overdelivering because as long as we worked extremely long hours to "not let the customers down" he had no justification to add the new employees we needed. Outline the team you need to do the work required, with you at the appropriate level and pay. Let them know when you have that team you'll deliver on their current workload. Until then do the original workload. #BefriendingDragons
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 7:47PM UTC
There is a natural consequence for not hiring more team members. Showing backlog increasing, service level agreements not being met, leave not taken or overtime would show.
My team of 15 is down three. I have empowered my team to state that they are over hours or that something will be delivered later.
I've done virtual coffee breaks and had Doordash sent with coffee for the breaks. Not cheap but appreciated.
We also do watercooler 30 minute sessions just to talk....
Coach Nancie Kay ShumanMarch 5,2023 at 7:52PM UTC
I just wrote paper which addresses some of this. The unfortunate truth is that you and your team are still delivering results, and the company feels that the old carrot, if you want something done, give it to a busy person, is a valid way of running the team.
Do not be afraid to start looking at facts and figures regarding burn out, over work and team sizes. Include things such as the cost of replacing team member, lost time due to training, and lost work by established team members due to sick days from burn out, and the loss of the brain trust when people leave. Resilient teams take fewer sick days, get more done, are in collaborative structures, and feel that they can trust their leaders and every member of the team is respected and valued for the contribution which they make. From the janitor to the CEO. The hierarchy is much flatter in situations such as this. Put in place a collaborative framework, make sure everyone is one board, and that there is space for recovery built in. And don't be afraid to show them how much money this approach is costing them.
Hope this helps.
AnonymousMarch 6,2023 at 6:59PM UTC
No one goes to their grave wishing they worked one more day. Take the vacation when you need it. Rotate days off to relieve your team so you still get coverage. Take the whole group to an offsite or make it mandatory to get together to just b*tch and collaborate together and make it a lunch with perhaps someone invited to do a yoga or other stretching exercise. Make sure you take care or your people but also be honest with them about the companies lack of care in their overall well being. It's a tough nut but honesty in your situation with people you clearly care about may be the best way of banding together to get through that storm.
AnonymousMarch 12,2023 at 12:38AM UTC
You are not going to like this. But, this is your fault. You lead a team that is underresourced and overworked. It is your job to manage up and say no. You may need to find ways to say no that feel uncomfortable. Try to tie resourcing directing to output. If you have a budgeting process, use it. If a project is not funded don't do it. They are perfectly happy to work you into your graves. You are the only one who can stop it.