Well-being & Workload
Workload Review
A workload review is a structured conversation where a manager and an employee look together at what is on the person's plate, how much time it really takes and whether it is sustainable. It brings hidden work to the surface and leads to decisions about priorities, delegation and resources. These questions help you move from 'I am busy' to a precise, shared picture.
17 questions
When to use this template
- When an employee says they are overloaded, or when you see regular overtime, missed deadlines or a drop in quality.
- After a change in team size, scope or priorities, such as a departure that has not been replaced.
- At the start of a busy period, to plan the load before it becomes a problem.
Questions to ask
The overall picture
- 01How would you describe your workload at the moment?
- 02Over the last few months, has it been getting lighter, heavier or about the same?
- 03How many hours do you usually work in a week, and is that typical?
What fills your time
- 04What are the three tasks that take most of your time?
- 05Which tasks are not part of your role but land on you anyway?
- 06How much of your day goes to meetings, emails and interruptions?
- 07What work do you do that nobody sees?
Priorities and deadlines
- 08Which of your tasks are the most important for the team right now?
- 09Where are you unsure what to prioritise?
- 10Which deadlines feel unrealistic, and why?
Effects on you
- 11Is the workload affecting your ability to do quality work?
- 12Have you had to give up breaks, leave or personal time to keep up?
- 13Do you feel able to say no or to push back when you are at capacity?
Rebalancing
- 14What could we stop, delay or simplify right away?
- 15Which tasks could someone else take on, or be automated?
- 16What resources, training or tools would make the biggest difference?
- 17When shall we review the workload again?
Tips for a useful conversation
- Ask the employee to list their tasks and the real time they take before the meeting, so that you discuss facts.
- Compare the workload with the role and the agreed priorities, not with what colleagues manage.
- Decide on explicit trade-offs: when something is added, agree what is removed or delayed.
- Look at the causes, such as unclear priorities, interruptions or missing resources, and not only at the person's efficiency.
- If the person shows signs of serious distress or exhaustion, refer them to occupational health or the appropriate professionals in addition to rebalancing the work.
Mistakes to avoid
- Answering overload with advice on time management and no change to the work itself.
- Assuming that a person who does not complain has a manageable workload.
- Redistributing tasks without checking the capacity of the person who takes them.
- Having the discussion without agreeing on a date to see whether the situation has improved.
Let Passisto People hold these conversations
The AI agent holds structured voice conversations with your employees and gives managers a clear report. People decide what happens next.