Hi there,
How overwhelmed is your team right now?
How do you know?
This can feel squishy to measure…
⚡ Supercharge of the Week
Remote Octopus recommends using a 1 to 5 rating scale to measure the workload perception of your team and track change over time.
Example in Action
On a scale of 1 to 5, how does your current workload feel?
With a 3 indicating status quo & a 5 indicating a high level of overwhelm.
Why ask this question?
Almost 70% of remote workers report increased burnout tied to a sense of overwhelm.
Checking in & tracking workload perception turns a squishy concept – feeling overwhelmed – into a simple metric.
A metric that if discussed collaboratively can help prevent burnout. 🔥
Remote Octopus recommends discussing this rating scale synchronously on a video or audio call in order to dive into context together. Avoid an automated Slack ping/survey or sharing on team calls. These rating scales should be kept confidential between you & the person sharing.
Wait, who should be asking this question?
Depending on whether you’re a manager or an IC, these rating scale conversations might look different.
MANAGERS
These rating scale conversations fold seamlessly into 1:1s with direct reports.
Discuss ratings at a regular cadence – such as quarterly – or as a check in metric if you’re sensing someone might feel overwhelmed.
Quick note: Psychological safety needs to be in place when rolling out this conversation.
To roll out the metric conversation with a direct report:
Include the question on the 1:1 agenda.
Share asynchronously why you’re hoping to have this conversation at regular intervals & that you’ll spend 5-10 minutes discussing it together.
Ensure your direct report understands the question & the rating scale – what 1 means versus 5.
Mention that the metric is confidential. Ideally you’ll note the data in the confidential 1:1 agenda so you can reference change over time throughout 2024.
Share how often you hope to have this conversation – quarterly, etc.
You might explore phrasing the question differently around a variety of metrics: clarity of team goals, understanding of growth opportunities, or cross-functional ambiguity.
During the conversation, be prepared to have a 5-10 minute discussion around better understanding their rating and generating any potential solutions.
Try…
Tell me more about that…
I’m wondering why you rated a 5.
What is contributing towards the rating of a 5?
How might we think about getting you from a 5 down to a 4?
A few important notes:
You might be surprised by their number! That’s ok. An inherent challenge of remote work is that we don’t see each other heads down or racing around the office.
If your direct report shares a 4 or a 5, try to walk away with at least one solution together on how to better streamline their workflow. Generate ideas collaboratively.
If your direct report shares a 4 or a 5, and the team has a quiet workflow at the time, then that insight is equally as important to you as their manager.
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS (ICs)
These rating scale conversations will typically show up in two areas:
1:1s with your manager.
Cross-functional conversations.
📬 Did you read the Manager section above & think WOW, I wish my manager checked in with me like this. Forward them this email! Start the conversation together.
If you have a strong foundation of psychological safety with your cross-functional teams, then you can explore leveraging rating scale conversations together.
You might explore phrasing the question differently around a variety of metrics: clarity of project goals, team workload, or cross-functional ambiguity.
Example in Action
I know we’ve had a lot of changes to our current project scope. I am checking in with a few key contributors. I’m asking folks for a quick 1 to 5 rating on project scope clarity so we can ensure cross-functional alignment – and I’m keeping these ratings confidential! The ratings will help me figure out any next steps as project manager.
On a scale of 1 to 5, how clear is the revised project scope? With a 1 indicating you feel very confused & a 5 indicating a clear understanding.
During this cross-functional conversation, be prepared to have a 5-10 minute discussion around better understanding their rating and generating any potential solutions. Leverage the Try… sentence stems in the Manager section above.
P.S. Feeling overwhelmed yourself? Asana curated an excellent list of strategies.
✅ Your Biggest Challenge
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