Resource Workload

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The amount of work given to each resource during a project is called the resource workload. A project, as a whole, depends upon certain tasks. So, it is divided into different milestones, and those milestones are further divided into simpler tasks. These tasks are needed to be performed by various resources. So, each task is divided among different resources, and each resource is assigned some work based on its capacity. This process is referred to as resource workload management.

Resource Workload

Whenever a company is planning to start a new project, it has to consider several factors such as the number of available resources, the feasibility of the project, the resource capacity, the workload, and much more. Before a large project is started, the project manager breaks down the entire project into multiple achievable milestones. These milestones are further broken down into simple tasks. The project manager then defines the responsibility of each resource. Or, in other words, the project manager defines the workload each resource will have to bear to complete a project and achieve the desired deliverables.

Managing the resource workload is an essential part of the project management process. Workload management is assigning tasks to different resources to complete the project. It provides a framework to the project managers to identify what needs to be done and who is most suitable for this particular task.

Resource workload planning helps your resources in staying productive and active. It is a way of dividing the work among different resources to be done more efficiently and productively in the minimum amount of time possible.

How to Manage Resource Workload?

Managing the resource workload to avoid the overutilization of a resource is as important as defining the project. The work should equally be divided among all the available resources, especially human resources, to avoid overstressing any one resource.

Here are some simple steps that could be used for effective project management:

Review Current Resource Workload:

Know what your team is currently doing and how much time each team member is available for your project. You can only control what you know, so it is important to know the current workload on each resource so you can avoid overstressing them.

Identify the Overutilized Resources:

Look for the over-allocated resources, meaning that they are given more work than they could do in the given time. Try to avoid overstressing any resource by applying the 80/20 work management rule. This rule is an ideal way for managing the workload of overstressed resources as it allows the workers to spend 80% of their time completing the assigned task and 20% of their time doing extra activities such as attending phone calls and meetings, helping the client is using a new product, etc.

Identify Unallocated Resources:

Look for the employees who do not have much work to do and fill their day at work with some random tasks. In reality, your employees will always seem to be busy as they find some activities. Keep motivating your team by ensuring they have some useful tasks and allocating them to the new projects.

Check for Skills and Absences:

While working on the workload planning, you should keep in touch with your resources to understand when someone will be around. Consider the upcoming holidays and other leaves to ensure that you do not assign any work to them when they are away.

Furthermore, try to stay updated about the skills and abilities of your employees. Maybe someone is capable of doing something that you do not think they could do. Keep checking if your employees have learned new skills.

Adjust Team Workload:

Now is the time to reallocate the workload to your team. Starting with the overallocated team members, divide their work into multiple small tasks and assign them to under-allocated employees. This way, no resource will feel burdened or idle.

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