It is the responsibility of both supervisors and staff members to ensure that workload allocation is fair and reasonable, to identify and discuss fluctuations in work pressure and to address workload concerns.
It is essential that a staff member and supervisor discuss with each other any concerns or problems that may arise about workload allocation as soon as possible.
Identifying the cause(s) for unreasonable workloads is necessary in solving the problem. Options and strategies to reduce workload pressure should be discussed and where agreed implemented and monitored. Strategies will differ depending upon the cause(s) of workload pressure, the nature of the work performed and the feasibility of implementing particular strategies within a work environment.
Such strategies may include:
- re-ordering priorities and developing time lags;
- re-defining structures, delegations and processes to maximise an equitable distribution of workload and efficiency in service;
- investigating new and more efficient ways of achieving desired outcomes;
- re-assessing an individual's objectives and goals;
- redesigning a position(s) to reflect a reassessment of objectives; and
- where possible reviewing the work area's objectives to ensure they can be achieved within the resources available.
If following efforts between a staff member and their supervisor to resolve concerns regarding workload, a staff member remains concerned about workload,a process for resolving the concerns is set out in clause 46.3 of the Enterprise Bargaining Agrement (Professional Staff) 2005-2008. The staff member may also seek advice and/assistance from a human resources officer. Such assistance may include meeting with the staff member and their supervisor to informally discuss the staff member's concerns. A staff member may also seek the assistance of a staff representative which may include the union.