As the calendar ticks closer to December, many organizations start experiencing an influx of projects, requests, and deadlines associated with completing the end of the fiscal or calendar year. While the normal operations require support throughout the year, the final months tend to see a significant uptick in workload that can easily overwhelm resources. If unprepared, teams may find themselves drowning in last-minute demands and unable to complete all priorities. However, with strategic planning and management, leadership can help their employees successfully navigate these yearly periods of heightened activity.
Today we will explore key considerations for developing an effective strategy to prepare for and manage the deluge of year-end requests based on proven organizational frameworks and practical examples.
Researching Peak Period Trends
To establish an appropriate strategy, leadership must first gain insight into their typical year-end workload patterns. Conducting a review of past years can reveal useful trends.
Some questions to consider include:
What types of projects and requests consistently increase at year-end? Examples may include financial reporting, audits, budget planning, holiday events.
When do workload volumes start ramping up? For many, it's mid-November but some see earlier or later peaks.
Which teams or individuals tend to be most impacted? Workload distribution must be considered.
Are there bottlenecks or constraints that exacerbate pressures? Addressing these can alleviate strain.
Thorough analysis provides a foundation for anticipating demands and allocating resources appropriately. Leaders should compile data on key metrics like request volumes, project deadlines, and employee overtime over past peak periods. Recognizing patterns that recur yearly allows for improved forecasting and preparation.
Setting Clear Expectations and Communication
Once trends are understood, leadership can establish guidelines to set their organization up for success. One critically important step is communicating clear role-based performance expectations surrounding the year-end period. For example, leaders may wish to articulate:
Key priorities and projects that absolutely must be completed by specific deadlines near the end of the year
Expected working hours, workloads, or productivity targets during peak weeks
Acceptable methods for requesting deadline extensions if demands become unmanageable
Processes for flagging emergent issues that could jeopardize established goals
Transparency regarding expectations supports employees in planning and helps address concerns proactively. Leaders should also ensure teams understand how their roles link to organizational objectives for the period. Regular communication reassures personnel they are working towards clearly defined, shared goals.
Assessing Resource Needs and Aligning Support
Once expectations are defined, leadership must evaluate if existing staff and structures are properly equipped to deliver. Conducting a thorough workload assessment and "what if" scenario planning allows teams to identify potential capacity deficiencies or bottlenecks. Support may be augmented through:
Reassigning team members to assist high-demand areas on a temporary basis
Engaging additional contractors, consultants or seasonal staff
Redistributing certain ongoing tasks to free internal capacity
Temporarily reducing scope of less critical initiatives
Outsourcing specific projects if appropriate
Ensuring roles are appropriately staffed prevents burnout and missed deadlines. Temporary adjustments can alleviate strain without disrupting normal operations once peaks subside.
The next step is aligning support functions like IT, facilities, and procurement to meet surge needs. Overextended shared services can easily become bottlenecks, so communication is key to enable responsive assistance. Advance planning allows suppliers and vendors to be on standby if volume increases are anticipated.
Managing Workloads Through Prioritization and Process Improvement
With preparations complete, focus shifts to executing the strategy. Ongoing management is required to maintain order amidst high volumes. Techniques include:
Coordinating workload balancing or shifting between teams based on incoming requests
Prioritizing mission-critical projects to be addressed first if extra delays arise
Standardizing request management processes for efficiency and predictability
Streamlining approval workflows by pre-approving common items in advance
Leveraging technology like project management software for visibility and coordination
Monitoring metrics like volumes, SLAs, and employee well-being to pinpoint emerging risks
Process improvements help maximize existing capacity through small optimizations. Leaders must also have candid discussions to re-prioritize lower impact work if deadlines cannot realistically be met at certain points.
Maintaining Team Morale and Well-being
While priorities are important, leadership should also be attuned to personnel wellness given increased demands. Burnout can easily set in during high-pressure peaks if not mitigated:
Communicate that self-care is prioritized along with goals to avoid a "always on" mentality
Provide snacks, meals or appreciation initiatives to boost morale during crunch periods
Encourage using paid time off (PTO) to recharge once projects are complete
Monitor for signs of overload and adjust workloads proactively before issues escalate
Express gratitude for extra efforts with sincere thanks whenever possible
Prioritizing wellness fosters commitment and engagement needed to successfully complete projects. Leaders must walk the talk with sensible work-life balance.
How a Financial Services Firm Managed Year-End Requests
To illustrate the concepts discussed, consider how a large financial services company handles their increase in requests during the final quarter each year.
Leadership analyzed past data to anticipate a 15% spike in audit documentation needed by November 15th.
In September, staffing was increased by shifting 10 internal auditors from less urgent projects.
Clear SLAs for prioritizing requests within 5 days were set and communicated to clients.
The IT department pre-configured additional laptops and workstations in October to deploy rapidly if the volume forecast was exceeded.
Departmental priorities were reviewed to pause some lower impact initiatives temporarily.
A standardized request intake portal streamlined submission of documentation needs.
Metrics around volumes, SLAs, overtime were monitored weekly to identify adjustments.
Catered lunches were provided twice per week to boost morale during long shifts.
By proactively adjusting resources to anticipated demands, the organization met all deadlines with no major issues reported. Personnel feedback indicated stresses were effectively managed through the preparations.
Conclusion
With detailed assessment and planning, organizations can successfully navigate periodic workload peaks like those typical at year-end. Developing a robust strategy aligned to proven frameworks yields clear benefits. Leadership that gains insight into recurring trends, sets guideposts, and adapts flexibly based on data and personnel feedback fosters an environment where teams can thrive under pressure. While demands may intensify, strategic management ensures the organization is best positioned to meet expectations during heightened activity periods and prevent potential bottlenecks from developing. With a well-structured approach and focus on both goals and well-being, companies can smoothly navigate inevitable year-end storms.
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
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