Overwhelmed and Underappreciated: The Emotional Toll of 'Doing More with Less'

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Far too often, someone will tell me that their teams are expected to do more with less.  We hear it all the time, because like squeezing a lemon; eventually, you run out of juice.  

There is even a phrase that attempts to paint it in a positive light – “resourcefulness under pressure”.  This was (almost) forgivable during the madness of COVID lockdowns and the other challenges we faced.   

But we must by now know about the illegality of continuing to expect this with Psychosocial Hazards legislation and identification.  Aside from the illegality of it all, we cannot overlook the emotional harm it causes to teams, leaders, morale, engagement, cohesion, productivity, performance, and mental health.

Disruption seems to now be the new normal, and our inability to source quality replacements for team members who have left.  (The newly minted ‘right to disconnect’ legislation pending is going to be a game shifter here as well).  So more is falling on the few. 

But, more recently, burnout is often more to do with ‘frustration’ than too much work, where those who are carrying more than their share of work report feeling unsupported by their leaders (who are also overwhelmed) and lacking clarity or feeling the weight of expectations. We don’t know what the priorities are and when we seek guidance from a frustrated or stressed leader, the interaction isn’t always healthy…  

The consequences of inaction are dire. No good comes of it, and not tackling the concept at the highest levels only leads to long-term poorer commercial outcomes and reputational risk.

My interest in this area is related to what harm asking teams to do more with less causes the individuals in the team, as well as how the team emotional atmosphere is clouded and shrouded.

The implications can be multifaceted, with research highlighting both potential benefits and significant drawbacks. Mostly drawbacks, let’s be honest, but let’s look at both sides for a minute:

1. Short-term Gains vs. Long-term Pain: Initially, teams might rally together in the face of adversity, leading to spurts of innovation and efficiency improvements. This is the "honeymoon phase" of doing more with less. Yet, over time, the strain of continuous resource constraints will lead to burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and increased turnover rates.

2. Creativity on a Leash: There's a silver lining in that constraints can sometimes foster creativity. Teams might come up with clever solutions they wouldn't have considered otherwise. It's the classic "necessity is the mother of invention" scenario. However, this creativity boost or sprint is often temporary and does wane as stress and fatigue set in.

3. The Quality Quandary: Quality takes a hit when teams are stretched too thin. With less time and fewer resources, the rush to meet deadlines can lead to mistakes and oversights. It's like juggling too many balls; eventually, one is going to drop.

4. The Trust and Morale Toll: Constantly asking teams to do more with less can erode trust in leadership. Employees might feel undervalued or exploited, leading to a toxic work environment. The team spirit gets replaced by a survival-of-the-fittest mentality, breeding a lack of safety, trust and cohesion.

5. Innovation vs. Sustainability: While initial periods of resource scarcity might push teams to innovate, sustaining innovation under continuous pressure is challenging. Teams need space, resources, and support to nurture groundbreaking ideas over the long haul.

So, it's not just about the output; it's about the people driving it. The team that experiences this for too long, or with no end in sight, is not going to perform in any sustainable way.

And they will blame anything and everything when performance goes south. What is needed is some truth, an opportunity to voice concerns, creating safety, refunding the trust and giving everyone that sense of belonging to something that cares about them and matters.

I can help with that. Book a discovery call (complimentary, of course) or please share this with someone who needs to hear it.