August 2006

Q: Over the last year, we have almost doubled our user base but have not been able to increase our Help Desk support team. Staff are also under increasing pressure on their jobs, so that in turn then puts Help Desk under more pressure to respond more quickly to calls.

Although the work pressure has increased, for the most part Help Desk is able to maintain a 40-hour work week and get lunch. If they do overtime, I allow them to take time off at their discretion so long as it doesn't leave us too short staffed and we have no major projects due on that day. I consider that, overall, my staff are in a good position in that they do not often have to work long hours, come in on weekends, or work after hours. My hours are not nearly so good, but I do not mind that – in fact I enjoy it.

Recently I have been hearing complaints from some of my staff about the amount of work they have to do and the pressure they are under. I am sympathetic – we are all under more pressure – and try to help out as I can. But as my time fills up, I have less time to help and want them to become more self-sufficient. I feel sometimes as though they resent my lack of availability to help them with their questions. I sometimes find myself becoming frustrated that they do not take the time to research a problem before escalating it to me.

As a manager, where should my priorities be – focused on the projects I am assigned or responding to every question to keep my employees happy? How can I help my staff without coddling them?

Are there ways to improve communication or let them feel as though they have been heard, even when there is nothing I can do right now to decrease their workload?

A: Cultural change – and I believe this is an example – is one of the hardest things to implement in a workplace. People settle into patterns and resist change. Familiar=comfortable=good.

One thing I wish you had done at the beginning of this work upsurge was to sit down with your staff and explain what was happening, how it would impact them, and why. Also, whether or not this new pattern has an end point, or if this is how things will be from now on. This conversation needed to start in the culture you began with, because it's a different chat if your organization's culture is based in the notion that employees are well compensated and should rise to the occasion, if they are less well paid but focused on a mission, or if the organization has always been a laid-back place where people had plenty of time to do what they needed to do and go home on time most nights. Ideally, you'd have statistics from before the work upsurge began (how many trouble tickets were processed, for example, and how many were escalated, how many sat in queue, etc.), but many places don't have those details. If you can capture them, start doing so right away. It won't help you make comparisons with the previous paradigm, but it will prove invaluable later. Trust me on this, and capture stats regularly.

Once you explain the new situation, your door should be open to your staff, and your expectations should be clear and consistent. This should include the notion that your role has changed as well; clearly outline what is appropriate to bring to you and when. If you don't do so already already, start meeting weekly to help bring the team together and flush out problems before they become crises. Resist the urge to feel defensive about the change. Explain that while the metrics by which work is measured have changed, the team's work hours and ability to take breaks haven't. Some people may leave, but if the change is permanent, this may be for the best. Frequently, in corporate cultural shifts, there are some who cannot be made happy in the new paradigm.

If things are consistently escalated to you that you believe should not be, consider that some employees may feel genuinely confused – particularly if you were always available to assist before. It might be best to draw up a flow diagram of the steps you'd like your staff to take before escalating an issue. Also, consider whether some of your staff might be suited to assist with projects on a part-time bases. If issues are regularly escalated to you and you need help with projects, reassigning the workforce a little might help. It might give those who are capable of working on special projects a boost to not be on help desk all the time, and free up some of your time to train your other help desk staff in how to resolve more complex problems. You might also consider appointing team leaders to handle escalated issues before they come to you. This can have the benefit of recognizing good work and setting standards toward which staff can aspire.

The main key? Clear, consistent expectations that it is actually possible for the staff to meet. As for which is your priority, managing your staff or your projects – both are your priority. Everything has to get done, and you're the one in charge of doing it! But utilize your resources wisely, and try to work smarter, not harder.

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