Working across several projects is the norm for most jobs these days. In fact, more than 80 percent of employees juggle multiple work projects at once, according to recent research.
But are these working practices actually beneficial for firms, not to mention employees and the projects they work on? Our new research shows that working on too many projects actually harms performance across the board. We came to this conclusion after collaborating with a world-leading hydraulic pump manufacturer that has around 20,000 employees in more than 50 countries.
After observing hundreds of employees at this large multinational over several years, we found that juggling more than five simultaneous projects can be detrimental to meeting project deadlines. But working on less than five projects can prevent people from achieving maximum productivity.
Thus, managing five projects at a time seems be ideal, but not all employees and firms have a choice. The good news is that our research also points to three key conditions for better handling of multiple work projects.
Who you are
Research shows that deep specialization in a task can allow employees to work more efficiently. Think of a logistics specialist who has a combination of relevant education and work experience in supply chains. She can utilize the same practices across all projects without needing to “reinvent the wheel.” Similarly, an engineer who knows everything about a certain type of software can more quickly grasp the requirements of each new project related to that system.
Which projects you work on
Similar projects might require almost identical solutions that can be repeated time and again. For example, if a writer works on three or four projects catered toward a similar audience, they can use the same templates or tools to execute certain tasks.
Who you work with
Seeing familiar faces across multiple projects saves time on lengthy introductions, misunderstandings and clarifications, according to our research. Colleagues that know each other can rely on shared experiences and use best practices from the past.
In the end, working on too many projects harms employees, projects and firms. It affects employee productivity and morale and can lead to burnout. So, rather than overburdening employees, managers should improve how they allocate their time.
This creates a win-win situation for employees and firms. Companies can still have people work across multiple projects. But to balance productivity and employee demands, they can allocate more specialized workers to simultaneous projects involving familiar faces and similar demands. And that’s how teamwork makes the dream work. The Conversation