Four effective and practical ways leaders can truly do more with less

By prioritizing projects, communicating the ‘why’ and truly recognizing how individuals perform under pressure, leaders can encourage their teams to work effectively and minimize the risk of burnout 

Doing more with less is often thought to be great for business but bad for employees.  

When times are tough, a typical response from companies is to cut staff and reduce spending. Research indicates staff layoffs have become a popular management tool to reduce costs and initiate organizational restructures. While such measures might help generate short-term gains, they rarely help senior leaders achieve their goals.  

Often, those left behind have to manage with fewer resources and experience a decline in job satisfaction, organizational commitment and overall productivity. Moreover, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, doing more with less and being challenged by uncertainty could lead to more severe workplace health issues such as burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations and their people into a state of high anxiety.  

Research shows the impact of the pandemic on work/life balance, with employees reporting working longer hours than before the pandemic. As many businesses face significant economic challenges posed by COVID-19-related lockdowns and restrictions, leaders need to consider more productive ways of “doing more with less” – without putting their staff at risk of severe stress and other mental health issues.