Managers of understaffed teams

[MushMonster]

Are any of you in this position?
My team always had times of overload as the work load is variable in this field. But we pulled through, over time, prioritising and team work.
Then covid hit, and we had furlough, followed by a redundancy.
We have struggled through since.
For a few months now we had workloads similar to pre-covid and increasing, which is great news!
But the company refuses to return the team to previous staff numbers, and no amount of overtime and priorities are going to get deadlines met. We just have delays in everything. And now I have lost a team member (resigned). And another one is not putting in any more overtime, I think is just tired of it.
My interaction with other teams in my company tells me that quite a few of them are in the same boat.
Quite a few of my suppliers have a standard email reply to new orders: sorry, we are experiencing delays...
I am trying to keep cool, and talk to the team, talk to my manager, manage the workload, help the team on the ground, and keep on top of my stock, orders and reports.
But after months and months of having to do overtime, have to calculate leave around the workload, and feeling unappreciated I am feeling the toll.
How are you managing? Any tips?

The only thing you can do is play the long game - can you keep evidence of things like lost orders due to customers not being prepared to wait, actual volume of work divided by x staff to show how many hours are needed to keep your head above water.

Present the facts gathered over recent months and maybe for the next few months to your manager which could make them change their mind.

A lot of companies are trying to get back to a position of reasonable profit and seeing if the pandemic is under control before taking on more staff. Have the facts and data ready to thrust under their nose when things seem to be stabilising.

God yes. I manage expectations. There are emergent issues, which are handled. Then there is other work, which I say to my manager, "don't ask, it won't be done". Firm boundaries. They will increase staffing, but not if I cover every crack.

Thankfully, I have a great manager. And a good team. But I don't force extra work. If they don't have capacity, I don't force it.

Thanks for the repplies!

I am starting to feel really alone here!

We are keeping a record of work and tomes (ages!) that is taking.
My manager tells me that he fully backs up an addition to the team, and so does his manager. But last time it was a no at director's level.
The question is that they made a fortune last year, higher than their usual profits. And they are finalising an extra contract for this year and onwards, where we are the ones to do most of the job. If we had no money, I would get it and just keep going. But squeezing us when they made more than before covid is taking my peace of mind from me.

Regarding the "extras", and pushing further, yes, we have reached that point too.
"Extras" are not done, and I keep emailing them with "we have no time" if they pop more.
And I no longer encourage my team to do overtime. I used to highlight when things were more urgent and if they wanted more money, just do some overtime and get the cash. But, these lot I have currently they do not like staying any extra time.
I am doing overtime. It is ok with me. I get more money, and I get some of my actual job done, and then I get to do as much as I can of the team's job to move things forward.
What is taking a toll on me is that I know how much money they made last year, and they are still making. That our team takes part in the accepting and pricing of work, and keeping them legal and functioning daily, but they stil squeeze us like we are lemons or something!
And neglect their very own new projects, because well.... we cannot get there if we have piles of normal work to go through.

What is taking a toll on me is that I know how much money they made last year, and they are still making. That our team takes part in the accepting and pricing of work, and keeping them legal and functioning daily, but they stil squeeze us like we are lemons or something!

Like any other form of relationship, there are red flags. What you've described indicates you aren't valued by management, they get to watch you all running around like headless chicken and not taking onboard your concerns. If you feel you're being bled dry even though the company is in a healthy financial situation, then something is badly wrong. It's a different form of abuse, for which you need to try to highlight your concerns and if they continue to ignore you, all you can do is start looking for a new job, it will never get better.

If you accept the overtime without complaint, though, because you say it's "OK with you, you get more money" even though they refuse to recruit more staff, and your only beef is you know they're significantly in profit, I'm not sure what the problem is. In legal employment terms you accept your part of the contract because you continue to work under those conditions.

Yes I do my overtime. But that is not enough to cover. I cannot do 8 hours overtime to cover for a team member.
I can only do 1-2 hours.
I get more money.
My beef is that they will not recruit a new head, even if they make lots of money.
Not how much time I choose to put into it. But that there are piles of shit still to be done.

You got it right. I do feel the department is undervalued and unappreciated. And that I am struggling with.
I am looking for jobs, indeed.
And I will happily leave when I get a good new one.
Just struggling to make peace with my current emotions.

I think I'd look for a new job to be honest. If the issues are that deep routed and you aren't getting the support you need from management then it isn't worth you suffering for it.

I am going out, stop thinking about it, and enjoy my weekend.
I have to find in myself the strength not to care anymore if something does not get done, or mistakes are made.
Just go in, do job, get out. No care for delays, they will have to wait.

@MushMonster

I am going out, stop thinking about it, and enjoy my weekend. I have to find in myself the strength not to care anymore if something does not get done, or mistakes are made. Just go in, do job, get out. No care for delays, they will have to wait.

Exactly, the answer to this is to let things play out as they would when you are understaffed. If a mistake is made, be supportive of team members who are having to rush things due to understaffing. Report back that x project will not deliver on time. That Y project was not secured because client needed a shorted delivery time. If new roles are getting bounced at director level it may be because you are juggling to make it all work. If that's not sustainable and it's causing burnout i you or your team, stop it. Demonstrate how it can't work anymore and how this is or will cost the company money.

Yes, same here, I've been off sick because of it, back for around 2 weeks now and by the chuff nothing has changed.

We sit in the middle of the firm do have to flog our guts.

My load was reduced by one upward report, when I told him I was sorry we wouldn't be working together anymore, and explained why... what did I get... nothing, no response, no acknowledgement, no thanks for your previous hard work.

Something has gone rotten in the workplace relationship over covid.

So sorry to hear that Marie.
My number one priority now is not to get anyone off due to this! I need to get the strength in me not to pander to the increased pressure we will face. Practice my "so sorry, we are not coping at present, but we are working on the task you need finished. We will get back to you as soon as it is done"
I find that very difficult. I always juggle things up to get it finished, and I always thought that is precisely the reason why I am a manager, but I have run out of juggling hands now, so it will need to wait. End of!
I think I can do it.
And you too Marie, just tell them they need to wait when they chase stuff.
We, people, are more important.