Earlier this month, we gave you some signs that your team may be suffering burnout. While you’re monitoring your staff’s mental health, though, make sure you’re not neglecting your own. A survey by Verizon Media and the mental health nonprofit Made of Millions reported that 66% of managers said they suffered from burnout over the past year, while 76% had felt overwhelmed.
One way you can mitigate any burnout you’re experiencing is to master the art of delegation. Handing tasks off isn’t just a way to get work off your plate; it can build your team members’ skills and confidence. Here’s how to do it on a task-by-task basis.
1. Determine the Level of Delegation You Need
Whether you’re looking to offload a repetitive, time-consuming task, or you’re assigning a project for cross-training purposes, you need to decide the degree to which you’re delegating. Some tasks need a high level of direction; others are better suited to a total handoff. Consider factors like how much attention you need to pay to make sure a job gets done properly.
2. Pick the Right Person for the Job
This means deciding who can best handle the delegated task as well as who would get the most benefit out of completing it.
3. Get the Employee’s Buy In
Most any manager can hand off a project, but it takes leadership to get the assigned person to appreciate how important that project is, and how it will help the team, the company, and the person who gets it done.
4. Set Clear Expectations
After you’ve explained why the task you’re delegating is necessary, be sure to give the employee handling it a clear deadline as well as what successful completion of the task will look like. Give them checkpoints to reach along the way to make sure their deadline doesn’t sneak up on them.
5. Let the Team Member Work Out the Details
While it’s important to give your task handler the “what, when, and why” of a project, give them the freedom to determine the “how.” Not only will that lessen the chance the team member feels micromanaged, but it will make the whole process of completing the task more meaningful.
6. Establish Consequences for Missteps
To make sure employees grasp the seriousness of a task, let them know how the project could suffer if they miss deadlines or mishandle other elements of the project. This isn’t meant to scare employees; rather, it will help them prioritize the timely and successful completion of the task at hand.
7. Build in Two-Way Feedback
When it comes time to evaluate the success of a delegated job, make sure that you not only provide feedback to the employee, but also give them the opportunity to tell you what about your direction made the task easier or harder to complete. That way, you both can grow from the experience.
8. Give Employees the Support They Need
Whether it’s training, tools, or touching base, provide your employee with whatever they need to complete tasks you’ve delegated.
Mega Force Can Help You Build Your Team
Looking for reliable talent to fill in the gaps in your staff? Contact Mega Force, the leading industrial staffing agency in Wilson. Managers throughout North Carolina trust us with their personnel needs, and we’d like to help you. Find out more.
