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How to assign tasks to team members.

August 1, 2024

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Consider this—you are just two weeks away from a major launch, and the pressure is on. Like juggling balls at a circus performance, you must figure out who’s doing what, especially when your crew is spread across different departments and task requests are flying in from all directions.

The next thing you know, you’ve got three people working on the same task, and precious time is slipping through your fingers. 

That’s why having a structured task assignment system isn’t just a good-to-have —it’s a lifesaver. It’s your roadmap to saving time, enhancing communication, and cranking up your team’s efficiency. 

So, let’s explore how you can turn task assignments into an ingredient for success.

Differentiating between tasks and subtasks

The relationship between task assignment and team productivity, comparing task allocation and delegation, setting clear goals and objectives for tasks, prioritizing tasks based on importance and urgency , delegating tasks to team members with the necessary skills and experience, encouraging team input and fostering a sense of ownership, consistent communication during the task assignment process, implementing follow-ups to ensure task completion, how to use clickup to delegate tasks – step-by-step, tools and features of clickup for task assignment, unique features of clickup that simplify task assignments, assigning tasks to people outside clickup and its benefits, here’s how clickup can help, boosting employee engagement and improving overall team morale through strategic task assignment, assign tasks efficiently with clickup.

Understanding Task Assignment

Assigning tasks to team members, also known as task assignment, means distributing the workload for a project or goal among team members based on their expertise, availability, trust, and roles. This ensures tasks are completed efficiently and on time.

Assigning tasks isn’t just about checking boxes. It is about organizing your work toward the bigger picture. 

Tasks are standalone work items, and sub-tasks are sub-ordinate components that are more granular but essential to completing the larger task. 

Let’s understand this in detail with an example.

For a marketing department, the main goal for a quarter might be to ‘Launch a new social media campaign.’  

Now, this main task needs to be broken down into sub-tasks. The following table shows a list of sub-tasks:

By breaking down tasks into sub-tasks, team members can work more efficiently and ensure that every aspect of the overarching goal is covered.

While understanding the relationship between the two, it is significant to know that tasks and sub-tasks differ from each other on different levels, such as hierarchy, scope, tracking, ownership complexities, and dependencies. 

Also read: How to Keep Track of Tasks at Work

How about being handed a goal to boost your team’s productivity by 50%? Sounds like a frustrating instruction, right? Especially when the instructions are clear as mud and as realistic as expecting your cat to do your taxes.

But here’s the thing—when you assign tasks well, they automatically become a cheat code for team productivity. 

Let’s break it down:

• Workload balancing: It’s not about playing favorites. Spread tasks based on skills, not just reliability. Sure, Karen always delivers on time, but if she’s drowning in work while others twiddle their thumbs, you’re asking for a burnout city
• Clear roles: When everyone knows what each one is supposed to do, half the job is done. Confusion? Gone. Accountability? Through the roof
• Sense of ownership : When you delegate clear tasks that each team member can handle, you can see they own it like a boss. There is less confusion and more motivation
• Adaptability : Effective task assignments should consider changing circumstances and allow for shuffles on the fly. This keeps your team productive even when curveballs come your way
• Collaboration : A good task assignment is like hosting a great party—it gets people talking, which means you can visibly notice your team chatting, sharing knowledge, and solving problems together

Task allocation and delegation are often used interchangeably. They might sound like twins but are more like cousins with very different personalities.

Task Allocation 

Task allocation involves looking at the bigger picture and fitting the right pieces together by matching skills to tasks, balancing workloads across teams, and aligning tasks with project goals. 

For example, you might have multiple tasks to host a successful company event, such as deciding on the venue, catering, and sending out guest invitations. 

These tasks are allocated to different people according to their roles and expertise. The logistics coordinator might handle venue booking, the operations manager could oversee catering, and the marketing team might take charge of guest invitations.

Delegation 

Delegation means empowering team members, developing their skills and confidence, and freeing up your time for larger goals rather than just checking off your to-do list. 

For instance , if you delegate venue booking to the logistics coordinator, you trust them to book the venue and handle negotiations and contracts with the vendor. This approach encourages a sense of ownership among team members because they own the outcome, not just the task.

The best project managers know how to do both effectively. They switch between allocation and delegation with the same goal in mind: creating a high-performing team that crushes goals.

Also read: How to Prioritize Your Work  

Effective Strategies and Tips for Assigning Tasks to Team Members

Effectively assigning tasks to team members is crucial when managing multiple projects with tight deadlines and teams spread across different locations. 

While this process may seem daunting, ClickUp , a project and task management tool , can help bring order to the chaos. It allows you to plan, organize, and collaborate on any project. 

ClickUp Tasks , for instance, gives you a clear overview of tasks, assignments, and progress, helping you keep your entire team aligned and projects on track.

Here’s how you can use it:

• When creating a task, you can assign it to a specific team member directly. Click the plus icon in the upper-right corner of someone’s box and the task will be automatically assigned to them
• Distribute tasks evenly among team members based on their skills and expertise. You can consider deadlines, priorities, and individual capacity to optimize productivity

What’s more? ClickUp Brain provides prompts for assigning employee tasks strategically. 

For example:

• Prompt 1: Create a task assignment plan for a new project, considering each team member’s strengths and availability. Include a timeline and dependencies between tasks
• Prompt 2: Devise a task distribution strategy that balances workload based on skills and expertise
• Prompt 3: Generate a task allocation roadmap for complex projects, outlining responsibilities for each team member

Also rea d: How to Create a Task Dashboard to Manage Tasks

Setting clear goals and objectives is the bullseye for an organization. It keeps your team members on track without distracting them and always keeping them aware of their priorities. 

To simplify this, you can define task assignments using the SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) framework. 

ClickUp’s SMART Goals Template is designed to help you create and track goals for yourself and your team.

With this template, you can: 

• Create custom statuses , such as ‘Crushing It’ or ‘Off Track,’ that speak your team’s language
• Add up to 12 different custom fields to make your goals super measurable. It’s like giving your goals a report card!
• See your goal progress at a glance
• Turn big, scary goals into bite-sized tasks . Suddenly, ‘increase revenue by 50%’ becomes a series of doable steps
• Use the board view to see if your goals are achievable. It’s like a bird’s-eye view of your project landscape
• Set milestones to keep everyone on track and use automation to speed things up. It’s like having a personal assistant for your goals

Not all tasks are created equal. You may need to work on a task because it has suddenly become a priority for the CEO (importance) or because there is an approaching deadline (urgency).  

ClickUp’s Task Management Template helps you effortlessly visualize and organize the tasks based on their priority, status, and department. 

This template organizes your to-dos with three lists: Action items, ideas, and a backlog flagged based on priority . This means you get a clear overview of the main tasks to focus on in the same category without spending too much time. 

ClickUp’s Task Assignment template has all the built-in tools to help teams:

• Categorize tasks by status, priority, or department
• Visualize task progress using intuitive interfaces
• Monitor workflows based on team capacity
• Optimize processes for efficiency
• Seamlessly collaborate with teams to schedule, assign, and complete tasks

Also read: What to Look for in a Task Organizer for Productive Teams

It is important to assign tasks that  align with each team member’s strengths and skills . When  delegating tasks , consider not only their expertise but also their willingness and capacity to perform them.

Look into previous projects or tasks where team members excelled. This will give you insights into their capabilities and how they can contribute to new assignments.   

Pro tip 💡 : While matching tasks to skills is essential, consider delegating tasks that can help team members grow. This can enhance their skill set and prepare them for future responsibilities.

Project management works best when team members don’t work in silos. Everyone should understand each other’s responsibilities and contributions. It’s all about working together towards a shared goal that’s bigger than any individual task.

Give your team tasks they’re excited about and confident in. This helps them feel a sense of ownership and accountability. Be a collaborative leader by encouraging them to step up and provide the necessary tools, like training and resources. This boosts team morale and makes everyone more engaged and productive.

It is necessary to maintain consistent communication throughout the task assignment process. Explain ‌task details, expectations, and deadlines; encourage team members to ask questions and seek clarification. 

Using async collaboration to your advantage is the way to go. Integrating team communication tools with your work management system to boost efficiency is the easiest way. 

To make communication efficient and easy when assigning tasks, use ClickUp Assign Comments .

This feature allows you to instantly assign comments to team members and reassign or resolve them directly within any task workflow. This ensures that all communication related to a task stays organized in one place, preventing essential details from slipping through the cracks.

Most tasks are not one-and-done. A quick follow-up can serve as a regular check-in to review task progress. Other follow-ups might be needed to confirm dependencies are being addressed, ensuring timely completion.

ClickUp’s Reminders make follow-ups easy. To define what needs follow-up, simply set reminders as smaller action items. You can delegate reminders or create your own.

Reminders let you define the time and date you want to be reminded about, even add files related to the task, and customize how and when you would like to be notified, such as:

• On due date
• 10 minutes before
• 1 hour before
• Custom…
• Don’t notify

You can choose to delegate, delete, or mark reminders as done once the follow-up task is completed.

Also read: Lower Stress Levels with Task Batching: A Guide to Staying Productive and Powerful

At the heart of efficient task management lies a solid framework that works across different teams, workflows, and projects. Let’s understand how you can use ClickUp to effectively manage task assignments among team members.

We realized we were lacking an effective way to track tasks and had no clear view of what the product team was doing, so we started looking for a new platform. Then we found ClickUp. The platform was the perfect combination–not too technical and confusing, and not too basic. It gave us the flexibility to create, move, and organize teams and projects in their own way.

Efficient task management involves meticulous planning and seamless collaboration—something that’s hard to achieve with spreadsheets or sticky notes. 

ClickUp Multiple Assignees allows you to assign multiple people to tasks, enhancing collaboration and task management.

Here’s how you can use this feature:

• Enable multiple assignees:
• Admins or workspace owners can enable or disable the Multiple Assignees ClickApp in ClickUp
• Go to the upper-right corner, click the Quick Action menu, select ClickApps, and find ‘Multiple Assignees.’ Toggle it on or off
• You can choose which Spaces to enable this feature
• Assign multiple people:
• In the Task view, click the current assignee
• Select additional assignees from the dropdown menu
• To remove assignees, hover over their avatar and click the ‘x’ icon
• Sort and filter:
• With Multiple Assignees enabled:
• Sort tasks by multiple assignees in List and Board views
• Filter tasks by multiple assignees in Task views

Also read: How to Delegate Tasks at Work: 10 Tips to Delegate Effectively

Whether juggling multiple projects or needing to keep your team on track, ClickUp’s comprehensive task scheduler has everything you need. 

ClickUp Views offers 15 + customizable views to help you visualize your tasks and projects, making it easy to stay on top of your work. Here are the core views you can use:

• List View : Get a clear snapshot of all your tasks by organizing them with flexible sorting, filtering, and grouping options
• Kanban Board : Visualize task and project progress by status, assignee, priority, and more to identify bottlenecks and keep projects moving
• Calendar View : Easily drag and drop tasks to schedule and launch meetings, enabling you to manage your work and team on a flexible calendar

Use ClickUp Custom Fields and ClickUp Custom Statuses to add more details and customization to each task. 

Add tags such as ‘In progress’ or a simple checklist status such as ‘Not done yet.’ Track progress and set priority levels—Identify priority tasks by easily assigning them one of the five different levels running from low to urgent, each color-coded differently.

Pro Tip 💡 : Use these features alongside customizable ClickUp Dashboards that help prioritize tasks, track progress, and improve project performance.

Here are some more features offered by ClickUp that can help with assigning tasks:

1. Collaborative whiteboard

ClickUp’s Whiteboard allows your team members to brainstorm ideas and ideate workflows or roadmaps by simply dragging and dropping objects. 

The best part is your teams can coordinate ‌tasks in real-time.   Everyone can see the activity and work closely as a team. They can add more clarity by adding notes, linking to tasks, files, docs, and more.

2. Automating tasks

ClickUp Automation can significantly enhance your workflow by automating repetitive tasks and streamlining processes. 

Automations can help with the following:

• Status-based automations: Configure ClickUp to perform specific actions when statuses change. For example , Automation can automatically assign a task to the team leader and send them an email when the status changes to ‘Completed’
• Dynamic assignees: Keep your Automations flexible by assigning tasks to the task creator, watchers, or the user who triggered a specific action
• Automate assigning tasks: Post comments, change statuses, move task lists , and just about everything else

3. Email inbox 

We all know how cluttered our mailboxes can get. At any given time, you might see 12,860 emails flashing at you when you open them. The primary, social, and updates tabs aren’t helping. So, do you have to dig through a mountain of unwanted emails to find updates on your tasks? The answer is a resounding NO!

ClickUp’s Inbox simplifies your work and helps you get to the tasks that are at the top of your priority list without hassle. It also offers:

• Centralized hub: All your work communications are in one place, so everything runs smoothly
• Highlight important notifications: A separate inbox that filters out the noise and highlights your most important notifications, allowing you to focus on what matters most
• Contextual workflow: You can view tasks and notifications side-by-side, giving you the context needed to tackle your work efficiently

4. Comprehensive chat

Seamless communication is the backbone of any project’s success. But without context, comments such as ‘What is the update?’ can often throw you off. ClickUp’s Chat unifies communication under one roof, letting you share updates, link resources, and collaborate. 

You can also:

• Assign tasks: Use @mentions to bring anyone into the conversation and assign comments to ensure work is moving without any distractions
• Include links and embeds: Group attachments conveniently within the tasks by embedding webpages, spreadsheets, videos, and links for quick access
• Format easily: Format your comments easily as bulleted lists and banners; you can even use /Slash Command shortcuts to save time on formatting

You can assign tasks to individuals outside the organization who act like external collaborators for a short-term project. This is how it works: 

• Email or messaging:
• Communicate task details via email or messaging platforms
• Clearly outline responsibilities, deadlines, and any relevant information
• Use descriptive subject lines to ensure recipients understand the urgency
• Shared documents:
• Create shared documents (e.g., Google Docs, Microsoft Word) to outline tasks
• Include task descriptions, due dates, and assignees
• Share the document link with external team members
• Task summaries:
• Regularly provide task summaries or updates
• Use concise bullet points to highlight progress, challenges, and next steps
• Ensure external team members receive these summaries promptly
• Collaboration tools:
• Explore collaboration tools accessible to both ClickUp users and external team members
• These platforms allow task assignment and tracking even for non-users

Some of the benefits of assigning tasks to people outside ClickUp:

• Clearly defined tasks ensure that everyone knows their responsibilities. External team members understand their role and can contribute effectively
• Task assignment facilitates communication about progress, updates, and challenges. External collaborators receive timely information via email, messaging, or shared documents
• Proper task allocation prevents duplication of efforts. Resources (time, skills, tools) are used efficiently
• External team members can participate without needing ClickUp access. Collaboration tools bridge the gap between ClickUp users and non-users

Overcoming challenges in task assignment

Assigning tasks to team members can be significant for team leads and project managers. Keeping teams motivated and engaged while ensuring tasks align with each member’s strengths is critical for maintaining a balanced workload and preventing burnout. 

These are some of the common issues faced during the assignment of tasks:

• Miscommunication : A lack of context about the task being delegated can seem  similar to a relay race where the baton must be passed seamlessly
• Over-delegation: It can spread team members too thin, making it challenging to keep up with everything 
• Micromanaging : Leads to a waste of time due to a lot of time spent on follow-ups and managing progress 
• Lack of integration: This means there is no streamlined process to minimize back-and-forth communication
• Task types and categories: ClickUp allows you to define task types and categories. Task types describe specific characteristics of tasks (e.g., ‘Design,’ ‘Engineering,’ ‘Marketing’), while task categories group related tasks together (e.g., ‘Team Building,’ ‘Sales’). By organizing tasks this way, you can avoid miscommunication and ensure clarity
• Priority levels: ClickUp provides five priority levels (ranging from low to urgent) for tasks. Color-coded priorities help you and your team quickly identify and act on tasks that need immediate attention 
• Checklists : Use checklists within tasks to break down complex assignments into smaller steps. You can even assign checklist items to team members, ensuring clear responsibilities and preventing over-delegation
• Track time: ClickUp’s Time-Tracking allows employees to add time entries for each task with notes on their activities. This is especially helpful for freelancers or part-time employees paid by the hour, helping to measure billable hours and productivity accurately
• Integration capabilities: ClickUp Integrations allows seamless communication and data sharing across platforms. This integration helps mitigate the lack of integration challenge

Also read: 10 Free Prioritization Templates to Organize Your Team’s Tasks

Here are some ways you can be mindful of improving employee engagement while assigning tasks to team members: 

• Align tasks with personal growth goals: Talk to your team members about their career aspirations and assign tasks that align with their development goals
• Rotate challenging projects : Do this by distributing work across teams, finding pockets of interest that excite each team member, and seeing how their goals change over time. This can prevent monopolization of exciting work and gives everyone a chance to shine
• Implement peer-to-peer task sharing: Take team collaboration one notch up by encouraging team members to delegate sub-tasks to each other. Pair experienced team members with those looking to develop new skills. This builds trust, encourages collaboration, and develops leadership skills at all levels
• Create cross-functional opportunities : Make a conscious effort to collaborate across departments to broaden perspectives, build empathy, and create a more cohesive company culture
• Allow for task crafting : Make it flexible for team members to organize tasks better to suit their working style or interests within reason. This autonomy can significantly boost engagement
• Transparent task attribution: Ensure individual contributions are highlighted when presenting completed projects. This recognition boosts morale and encourages future engagement

Also read: Project Management vs Task Management – What’s The Difference?

Task assignment plays a critical role in effective project management and team collaboration. You provide clarity and accountability by assigning tasks, ensuring each team member knows their responsibilities.

Efficient task allocation streamlines workflows, optimally balances workloads, and allows for progress tracking. Moreover, it encourages collaboration, enabling team members to share insights and achieve better results.

ClickUp provides the tools and features needed to streamline this process. With features like multiple assignees, custom fields, automation, and real-time collaboration elements, such as chat and comments tools, you can assign tasks and ensure collaboration within your team.

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How to effectively assign tasks to team members to increase productivity?

Picture this: It's Monday morning, and your team is buzzing with excitement, ready to take on the week. But wait! Who’s doing what? Does everyone know their roles and responsibilities? Ah, the perennial challenge of assigning tasks. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. We’ve all been there. Have you ever felt the frustration of mismatched roles, like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? Assigned tasks play a pivotal role in the smooth functioning of any team. And guess what? There are methods and tools that make this process easier. Let’s dive in.

As a leader in the workplace, it’s essential to ensure that everyone on the team receives a fair and appropriate workload. Sometimes it’s tempting to give more tasks to an employee who finishes faster than others, but as a manager, you must remain fair. Learning how to effectively assign tasks to your team members is key.

Although it may seem like a simple management function, assigning tasks to your team can be quite challenging. As Liane Davey, co-founder of 3COze Inc. and author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get Along, and Get Stuff Done , says, you are “juggling multiple interests” in the pursuit of optimal team performance.

Task distribution among various departments can vary from person to person. For efficient delegation, it is crucial to follow certain guidelines when distributing duties to team members.

Tasks that are delegated effectively move your people, projects, and the entire business forward. This process builds trust and accountability between management and staff, refines and teaches new abilities, helps personnel become familiar with different groups and areas of work, and serves as a solid foundation for performance reviews, among other benefits.

How Do You Assign Tasks to Your Employees?

Assigning tasks is often seen as a time-consuming activity focused solely on checking items off a list to keep a project moving forward. However, task assignment should be much more than that. It should be an employee-centered process that requires thoughtful planning and effort to produce the best outcomes. By assigning tasks thoughtfully, you not only help your team get the job done but also foster growth, engagement, and overall productivity.

1. Delegate Positively

Don’t just hand out work without consideration for whether the person is qualified or prepared for that particular assignment. Instead, adopt a proactive and thoughtful mindset. Review your team’s skills and abilities carefully, and consider whether someone else on the roster might be even more suited to complete the task. It’s essential to create a positive environment around task delegation. Employees will be more likely to believe in their ability to complete the task if they feel encouraged and supported by their leader.

If you delegate tasks with doubts about an employee’s competence or without offering any guidance, it can lead to frustration or lack of motivation. On the contrary, a little encouragement can make a big difference, brightening an employee’s day and empowering them to tackle the task with confidence. Positive delegation is key to inspiring your team to do their best work.

2. Set Clear Goals and Objectives

Before you assign any tasks, make sure that both you and your team have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives . Without clearly defined goals, it becomes difficult for your team to understand how their tasks fit into the larger picture, which can lead to confusion and a drop in performance.

Setting clear expectations allows your team to see the big picture, know what is expected of them, and perform their tasks with direction and purpose. Be specific about deadlines, priorities, and outcomes. The more clarity you provide upfront, the more smoothly the assignment process will go.

3. Assign the Right Task to the Right Employee

Matching tasks to the right person is essential for ensuring productivity and success. When deciding who should take on a task, prioritize employees with the most relevant expertise and experience, but be mindful not to overload them with too much work.

It's also important to consider those who are still developing their skills. Assigning tasks to employees who need to build their sense of responsibility or expand their capabilities can contribute to their professional growth. Consider the time available and the employee’s willingness to take on new challenges.

To do this effectively, managers should create a delegation plan that considers each employee’s skill set and matches tasks accordingly. However, if a particular task demands an extraordinary level of skill and there’s a shortage of talent, sometimes the leaders themselves may need to step in and complete the task, especially in emergencies or when there’s no workforce available to handle it.

4. Obtain Input from Your Team and Set Up Meetings if Possible

Engaging your team in the task assignment process can lead to better results. Gather input from your team on what changes they would recommend, who should be involved, and how outcomes should be measured. This can be particularly important in large organizations where you may be managing multiple teams. In such cases, connecting with managers of sub-teams is crucial.

Before assigning tasks, hold a meeting with the entire team to clarify roles and responsibilities. This will give you a clear understanding of who is best suited for each task, while also ensuring that everyone is aligned with the project’s goals. Getting input from team members ensures that they feel valued and invested in the project, which can lead to better outcomes.

5. Conduct Training and Supervision

The successful completion of any project depends on a combination of delegation techniques, team member commitment, and effective planning. To produce a high-performing team, it's important to provide regular training and guidance. Training may include access to resources for skill development, such as online courses through platforms like Upskillist , Udemy , or Coursera .

After the training phase, supervision becomes key. A manager or supervisor should oversee the task execution to ensure that team members are applying the skills they’ve learned. Proper training and supervision before, during, and after task assignment are essential to fostering a competent and capable workforce.

6. Communicate Constantly

Assigning tasks doesn’t end when you’ve delegated them. Constant communication is vital to keep productivity high and ensure that tasks are progressing smoothly. You should collaborate with your team regularly, keeping an open line of communication to track progress and address any issues that may arise.

Checking in on the status of tasks allows you to manage potential obstacles, like stress or pressure, which could slow down the process. Be cautious of micromanaging, as it can lead to employee burnout and lower morale. Instead, follow up casually and offer support where needed, allowing your team members the freedom to manage their own tasks while ensuring they feel supported.

7. Know When to Hand Over Authority and Control

Delegation isn’t just about assigning tasks; it’s also about knowing when to give your team control over their work. Decentralizing authority can free up time for managers to focus on higher-level tasks. Make sure to grant your team members a reasonable level of autonomy when delegating, which can be supported by using management apps like Trello , Asana , Edworking , or Slack .

When employees are empowered with authority, they become more accountable and motivated to complete their tasks successfully. However, too little authority can result in disengagement, while too much control can overwhelm them. The key to success is finding the right balance, giving your team enough authority to make decisions while maintaining oversight to ensure the task stays on track.

8. Assess the Results After the Project

After the project is complete, it’s important to evaluate the results. Ask yourself how you, as the manager, could have supported your team more effectively. Provide constructive feedback to your team members and encourage them to do the same. A healthy exchange of feedback is essential for continuous improvement and team growth.

The task assignment process is one of the most critical steps in completing a project. However, mistakes are often made in delegation, which is why it’s essential to use project management tools to streamline the process. These tools can help with task allocation, time tracking, and employee development, making the process smoother and keeping employees engaged.

By using these guidelines, you can ensure that tasks are assigned effectively, resulting in a productive and motivated team.

Allocating vs. Delegating Tasks

Now that you've learned some tips for effectively assigning tasks, you might be wondering, "What's the difference between allocating and delegating tasks?" While the two terms may seem similar, they actually represent very different approaches to task management, especially in terms of responsibility and employee development.

As Abhinav explained in a LinkedIn article, "The imbalance of responsibility and accountability is the main difference between delegation and allocation." But what exactly does this mean?

Understanding Allocation

When you allocate tasks, you are simply distributing work among your team members. It’s a straightforward process of assigning tasks to individuals without necessarily considering how this will impact their growth or development. Task allocation is more focused on getting things done quickly and efficiently. It often lacks a developmental component, meaning employees are expected to complete the task without any opportunity to enhance their skills or broaden their experience.

While allocation may help keep the project moving, it’s a limited approach because it doesn’t provide opportunities for employees to learn new skills or take on more responsibility. In many cases, allocation can lead to stagnation, as employees might feel like they are just doing the bare minimum without room for personal or professional growth.

The Power of Delegation

Delegation, on the other hand, is much more than simply handing out tasks. It involves entrusting a team member with both the responsibility and the accountability for completing a task. But beyond just getting the job done, delegation offers a real opportunity for your team to upskill, grow, and develop. When you delegate a task, you are giving your team member a chance to take ownership, make decisions, and potentially improve their skills in the process.

Delegation is a more thoughtful approach because it allows you to distribute tasks based on each team member's strengths and areas for development. You’re not just handing off work; you’re fostering engagement, encouraging initiative, and building a more skilled and versatile team. This approach can lead to greater job satisfaction and motivation because employees feel valued and trusted to contribute to the project in meaningful ways.

Key Differences Between Allocation and Delegation

Although both allocation and delegation involve assigning tasks, their key difference lies in the level of responsibility and opportunity for growth:

• Allocation is about dividing tasks among team members with the primary goal of getting the work done. It typically doesn't focus on employee development or increasing responsibility. There is little to no opportunity for the team member to grow their skills, and they may not feel a sense of ownership over the task.
• Delegation not only assigns tasks but also transfers both responsibility and decision-making authority to the employee. It’s a way of empowering team members to take on new challenges, develop their skills, and potentially grow within the organization. It gives them a sense of accountability and ownership, which can lead to higher engagement and job satisfaction.

Why Delegation is Better for Employee Growth

While allocating tasks has its place in keeping a project on track, delegating tasks offers significant advantages for both employee growth and team engagement. When done effectively, delegation provides a range of benefits that allocation does not.

Here’s why delegation is more rewarding for both the manager and the team:

• Upskilling Opportunities : Delegating allows employees to take on new challenges and develop skills that may be outside their current role. This can lead to professional growth and better performance over time.
• Increased Accountability : When you delegate, you're not just giving someone a task—you’re giving them the responsibility and the authority to make decisions. This increases accountability and helps build trust within the team.
• Employee Engagement : Employees who are delegated tasks feel more involved and engaged in their work. This sense of ownership can lead to higher motivation, as they see how their contributions fit into the bigger picture.
• Diverse Learning Experiences : Delegation allows team members to gain experience in various areas of the business, which can make their work more interesting and fulfilling. This diversity in responsibilities keeps employees engaged and encourages them to take on new challenges.
• Better Team Dynamics : Delegation fosters collaboration and communication among team members. As employees take on different tasks and responsibilities, they must learn to work together and support one another, which strengthens team cohesion.

In contrast, simply allocating tasks may meet short-term project goals but misses out on these long-term benefits for employee development and team dynamics.

The Bottom Line

The difference between allocation and delegation comes down to responsibility, accountability, and growth. While allocating tasks can help get things done, delegating tasks delivers more in terms of employee engagement, skill development, and overall team success.

For managers, learning to delegate effectively not only enhances team performance but also creates a more motivated and capable workforce. When done right, delegation can make work more meaningful, rewarding both the manager and the team members as they work together toward shared goals.

Task Tips and Best Practices

To achieve our objectives and SMART goals, we often set daily tasks to keep ourselves on track. However, in the hustle to stay at the top of our game and maintain a competitive edge, we sometimes take on more than we can handle. The pressure to do everything often leaves us feeling overwhelmed, and even though each task may seem urgent, something feels off as we struggle to maintain our composure.

Many of us create long to-do lists with the intent to accomplish everything before a certain age or time. Others may spend so much effort honing one specific skill that, by the time they’ve perfected it, the relevance of that skill has diminished. It’s a common challenge in today’s fast-paced world.

Time management and balancing workload are not just skills required of project managers or senior leaders. These abilities are essential at every level, particularly when working in a team. According to research by Cornerstone, when employees feel like they don’t have enough time to complete their tasks, work overload reduces productivity by a staggering 68%.

So, what strategies and best practices can help you not only allocate tasks but also delegate them effectively?

1. Prioritize: Make a To-Do List Based on Importance

Even though to-do lists are a classic tool, they remain one of the most effective ways to manage tasks. In the past, people used to jot down tasks and ideas by hand, and while that method still works for some, today we have smart to-do list apps and software. These tools go beyond the basic list, offering reminders, notifications, and even the ability to prioritize tasks based on deadlines and importance.

Creating a to-do list with priorities in mind helps ensure that the most critical tasks are completed first, preventing overwhelm and helping you focus on what matters most.

2. Maximize Productivity and Minimize Procrastination

The best way to stay productive is to delegate tasks to the right people—and to do it today, not tomorrow or next week. Procrastination often feels worse than the actual task itself, creating unnecessary stress. If you find yourself constantly procrastinating, it could be a sign that you don’t have an effective task management strategy in place.

Procrastination may not always be about laziness. Sometimes it’s due to a lack of clear priorities or feeling unsure about where to start. By taking the time to organize and assign tasks appropriately, you can prevent delays and maximize productivity.

3. Stay Motivated

Procrastination and a lack of motivation go hand in hand. When you’re not motivated, it’s easy to get distracted and lose focus. To meet milestones and deadlines, you need to stay motivated.

Motivation often comes from understanding the purpose behind your tasks. Regularly remind yourself of the bigger picture—how completing these tasks will help you achieve your goals. Finding personal motivation in your work can boost your focus and prevent procrastination.

4. Delegate Effectively and Stay Involved

The reality of being overburdened can negatively affect productivity if not managed correctly. As humans, we all have unique strengths and weaknesses. Some of us excel under pressure, while others struggle to stay patient or resilient when facing tight deadlines.

The key is to delegate the right tasks to the right people. But delegation doesn’t stop there. As a manager or leader, you need to remain involved in the process. Handing off a task and walking away isn’t enough. Keeping in touch with your team members and regularly following up on the progress of assigned tasks is essential.

Check in periodically to ensure that tasks are on track, but be careful not to micromanage. This approach helps build trust and accountability while ensuring that everyone stays aligned with project goals.

Task vs. Subtask

Tasks and subtasks are quite similar in nature, but the key distinction is that a subtask is a smaller component that must be completed in order to accomplish a larger, more complex task. Essentially, subtasks break down tasks into more manageable pieces, making it easier to track progress and ensure that each aspect of a task is completed efficiently.

What’s the Difference Between a Task and a Subtask?

Think of tasks as overarching objectives, while subtasks are the individual steps required to reach those objectives. Tasks represent the main goal or deliverable, while subtasks are the specific actions needed to accomplish that goal.

For example, let’s say your main task is to increase your company’s social media presence. Achieving this requires several actions, which can be broken down into subtasks. Subtasks for this goal might include:

• Creating optimized posts and content for various social media platforms.
• Scheduling the posts to be published at optimal times.
• Interacting with your audience by responding to comments and messages.
• Monitoring engagement metrics to adjust your strategy as needed.

Each of these subtasks plays a critical role in achieving the larger task of increasing your company’s social media presence. Without completing each subtask, the overarching task would be difficult to accomplish in a systematic and organized way.

Why Are Subtasks Important?

Subtasks are especially valuable when working on larger projects that have a wide range of responsibilities. They allow you to break down a project into bite-sized actions, making the project feel more manageable and less overwhelming.

In many task management tools, you have the ability to create as many subtasks as necessary within the task view. However, it's important to remember that you must first establish a parent task (the main goal or deliverable) before creating subtasks. This helps maintain clarity and structure in the workflow.

Subtasks also make it easier to assign responsibilities within a team. Instead of assigning a vague, broad task, you can assign specific subtasks to different team members, ensuring everyone knows exactly what they are responsible for and how their work contributes to the larger project.

The Role of Subtasks in Task Management Tools

Task management tools such as Trello, Asana , or Edworking provide the functionality to create both tasks and subtasks, enabling users to organize work in a hierarchical structure. When you create a task, you can break it down into several subtasks, each with its own due date, priority level, and responsible team member.

Subtasks allow for better tracking and progress monitoring, ensuring that all necessary steps are completed before the main task is marked as finished. This structured approach enhances productivity by keeping everyone focused on specific, actionable items while maintaining a clear path toward completing the overall project.

Why You Should Assign Tasks Effectively to Team Members

Effective task assignment is a crucial component of successful team management. When tasks are assigned properly, it not only enhances individual performance but also boosts overall team productivity and morale. Here are some key reasons why you should focus on assigning tasks efficiently and the benefits it brings to your team.

Enhance Team Productivity

Efficient task assignment can significantly improve your team’s productivity. When each team member knows their role, understands the expectations, and is well-suited for their tasks, they can focus on delivering high-quality results. Think of your team as a well-oiled machine, where every cog spins smoothly in harmony—this is your team operating at peak productivity!

Here are some key points to consider when assigning tasks to maximize productivity:

• Match tasks to individual skills: Ensure that the tasks you assign align with each team member’s unique skills and expertise. By leveraging their strengths, you can increase both efficiency and quality of work.
• Set clear expectations: Be transparent about deadlines, deliverables, and overall objectives. Clear guidelines reduce confusion and ensure everyone is working toward the same goals.
• Foster collaboration: Encourage open communication and collaboration between team members. When people work together and share ideas, the quality of the output improves, and challenges can be overcome more easily.

Nurture a Sense of Ownership

Assigning tasks effectively also fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility within your team. When team members understand their specific roles and responsibilities, they are more likely to take pride in their work and strive for excellence. It’s similar to planting a seed—with the right care and attention, it will grow into a strong, thriving tree.

Key strategies for nurturing a sense of ownership include:

• Encourage autonomy: Empower your team members to make decisions and take charge of their tasks. This independence helps build confidence and accountability.
• Provide feedback: Regularly offer constructive feedback to guide improvement and celebrate successes when tasks are completed well. Positive reinforcement boosts morale and motivates continued excellence.
• Support development: Invest in your team members’ growth by providing training and development opportunities. When employees feel supported in their career growth, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and responsibilities.

Reduce Work Overload and Burnout

No one wants to feel overwhelmed by an avalanche of tasks. Assigning tasks efficiently can help prevent team members from feeling overworked and burned out. Just as people can’t function properly without rest, your team members need a manageable workload to stay productive and engaged.

To avoid overload, consider the following strategies:

• Balance workloads: Distribute tasks evenly, taking into account each team member’s capacity and workload. This ensures no one is overburdened while others have too little to do.
• Encourage breaks: Promote a healthy work-life balance by encouraging your team to take breaks and recharge. Rest is essential for sustaining long-term productivity.
• Monitor progress: Regularly check in with your team members to assess their workload and stress levels. Adjust assignments as needed to ensure they remain manageable.

Boost Employee Engagement

Engaged employees are both happy and productive. Assigning tasks effectively lays the foundation for increased engagement by ensuring that everyone knows their role and feels a sense of purpose in their work. Think of it as a carefully choreographed dance—when each person knows their steps, the performance is seamless and harmonious.

Here’s how you can enhance employee engagement through task assignment:

• Align tasks with goals: Ensure that the tasks you assign are directly linked to the overall goals of the team and the organization. When employees see how their work contributes to the bigger picture, they feel more connected to their roles.
• Offer variety: Keep things interesting by mixing up tasks. Providing new challenges and opportunities for growth helps prevent boredom and keeps employees motivated.
• Recognize achievements: Acknowledge hard work and accomplishments. Whether it's through public recognition, rewards, or personal acknowledgment, celebrating success is a powerful way to boost engagement.

Improve Overall Team Morale

Finally, effective task assignment can contribute to a happier and more cohesive team. When everyone feels valued, supported, and respected, team morale naturally improves. Picture a choir where each voice blends harmoniously to create a beautiful symphony—that’s a team with high morale.

Ways to uplift team morale through task assignment include:

• Empower decision-making: Encourage team members to contribute their ideas and be actively involved in the decision-making process. When people feel their input is valued, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged.
• Foster a positive atmosphere: Cultivate an environment where communication is open, trust is established, and team members feel supported. A positive work culture makes a significant difference in team morale.
• Celebrate successes: Acknowledge both individual and team achievements. Celebrating milestones together strengthens team bonds and creates a sense of shared accomplishment.

Tools to Simplify Task Assignments in Teams

Assigning tasks effectively can be a challenge, but with the right tools, it becomes much easier to organize, delegate, and track work. Several task management tools can help streamline this process, making it more efficient and collaborative.

Edworking: The All-in-One Remote Work Solution

Edworking is a powerful platform designed to revolutionize how teams collaborate, assign tasks, and manage projects—especially in remote environments. It offers everything from integrated chat and video calls to task management, all in one centralized platform. With features like Kanban and list views for task tracking, customizable AI-powered workflows, and seamless communication, Edworking is an excellent tool for simplifying task assignments and boosting team productivity.

One standout feature is Edworking Brain , an AI assistant that personalizes task management and automates repetitive workflows. Additionally, Edworking integrates advanced search capabilities with Weaviate, a vector-based search engine that offers context-driven insights, saving time and improving efficiency across projects​.

Microsoft Outlook: Not Just for Emails

Yes, that’s right— Microsoft Outlook isn’t just for emails anymore. Beyond its primary function as an email client, Outlook offers a robust task management feature that allows managers to assign work to team members. With Outlook, you can set deadlines, prioritize tasks, and even track progress. It’s essentially a digital task manager built into a platform you likely already use.

How cool is that? By leveraging these features, you can seamlessly incorporate task assignments into your daily email routine, making task management feel less like a separate chore and more like a natural part of your workflow.

Google Docs: Collaboration Made Easy

Google Docs is a favorite for many teams due to its ability to facilitate real-time collaboration. When it comes to distributing tasks, Google Docs offers a simple yet effective solution. You can create a shared document, list down all the tasks, and let your team members view, edit, or comment on the document. This makes it an excellent option for transparent task assignments.

Ever thought of using a shared document as a task distribution board? With Google Docs, it’s as simple as creating a list and allowing your team to collaborate on task distribution and updates in real-time. The flexibility of Google Docs makes it easy to track who’s working on what, and the accessibility ensures everyone can stay informed.

Trello: Visual Task Management

For those of us who are more visually inclined, Trello is an absolute game-changer . Trello operates on a board system, where you can create different boards for various projects or teams. Within each board, you can create lists representing different stages of a project, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Completed." Each task is represented as a card that can be moved from one list to another as it progresses.

It’s like playing with building blocks as a kid—except now it’s digital, professional, and a whole lot more organized. Trello’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to move tasks between lists, track progress visually, and assign specific tasks to team members. Plus, you can add checklists, deadlines, and comments to each card, making it a comprehensive tool for task management.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Assigning Tasks

Assigning tasks effectively is an essential skill that every leader must master to ensure team productivity and employee satisfaction. While understanding the best practices for task delegation is critical, it’s equally important to be aware of the common mistakes that can hinder progress and lower team morale. Avoiding these pitfalls can help you maintain project momentum and create a positive, collaborative environment for your team.

1. Overburdening Skilled Employees

It’s easy to fall into the trap of assigning more tasks to your most skilled or reliable employees because they tend to deliver great results. However, overloading them with the bulk of the work can quickly lead to burnout and, over time, decrease their productivity. Even your top performers need a balanced workload, so ensure that responsibilities are spread fairly across the team.

The key is to distribute tasks based on skills while also considering each team member’s workload. This helps prevent overburdening your strongest employees and ensures that others have opportunities to grow and contribute.

2. Lack of Clarity in Instructions

One of the most common reasons for delays and poor-quality work is a lack of clarity in the instructions provided. Vague or unclear directions can lead to misunderstandings and confusion, making it difficult for team members to complete tasks correctly or on time. Always be specific about what needs to be done, the expected outcome, and any deadlines.

Clear communication is vital for success. Ensure that all team members fully understand their tasks, and don’t hesitate to ask if they need further clarification. Providing examples or a detailed brief can also help eliminate confusion.

3. Micromanaging

While it’s essential to monitor the progress of tasks, micromanaging your team can have a detrimental effect on their confidence and morale. Constantly hovering over their work can create a stressful environment and may indicate that you don’t trust them to complete the job.

Instead, empower your team members by giving them autonomy over their work. Check in periodically to offer guidance and ensure everything is on track, but avoid over-involvement. Trusting your employees to manage their tasks fosters a sense of responsibility and boosts confidence.

4. Failing to Prioritize Tasks

Not all tasks are equally important, and failing to prioritize them can lead to misallocation of time and resources. Without clear priorities, your team may spend too much time on less critical tasks while neglecting those that are essential to the project’s success.

Be sure to communicate which tasks are urgent and which can wait. Setting priorities helps your team focus on the most critical objectives, ensuring that high-priority tasks are completed first and that resources are allocated effectively.

5. Ignoring Team Input

Your team members are often the best source of feedback when it comes to task delegation. Ignoring their input can lead to missed opportunities for improving efficiency or solving potential problems. Engaging your team in the task assignment process not only promotes a sense of inclusion but can also provide valuable insights that lead to more effective delegation.

Encourage your team to offer suggestions on task distribution, deadlines, or improvements. Listening to their input will lead to better decision-making and stronger team cohesion.

6. One-Size-Fits-All Approach

Every team member has unique strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. Assigning tasks without considering these individual differences can lead to ineffective results and frustration among your employees. A one-size-fits-all approach overlooks the diversity of skills and capabilities within your team.

When assigning tasks, take into account each person’s abilities, experience, and development needs. Tailoring assignments to individual strengths allows your team members to work more efficiently and feel more confident in their roles.

7. Neglecting Follow-Up

Assigning tasks isn’t a one-time event—it’s part of an ongoing process. Neglecting to follow up after assigning a task can result in delays and may signal to your team that the task wasn’t important to begin with. Regular follow-ups help track progress, identify potential issues early, and ensure that deadlines are met.

Make it a habit to check in on the status of tasks and offer support as needed. This keeps everyone accountable and signals that the task is an important part of the project’s success.

8. Fear of Delegating

Many managers hesitate to delegate tasks because they believe no one else can complete the work as well as they can. However, this mindset not only increases your workload but also deprives your team members of valuable growth opportunities. By refusing to delegate, you limit their ability to develop new skills and take on greater responsibility.

Delegating tasks is a crucial part of leadership. It allows you to focus on higher-level responsibilities while enabling your team to grow and take ownership of their work. Let go of the fear of delegating, and trust your team to rise to the challenge.

One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to delegate assignments effectively. The key to a manager’s team functioning like a well-oiled machine lies in smart delegation.

By delegating tasks, you save valuable time by allowing others to handle work that they can complete more efficiently. Trying to do everything yourself can quickly lead to burnout, no matter your expertise. Effective task delegation allows you to stay on top of your own priorities while helping team members develop new skills and grow comfortable taking ownership of tasks.

Proper delegation also fosters trust and encourages open communication between managers and their teams. It provides an opportunity for learning, enabling everyone to share feedback and show mutual respect and appreciation.

It’s essential to strike the right balance when attempting to boost team output. Overloading your team with tasks too quickly may lead to burnout, while pushing them too hard can result in disengagement and decreased productivity. Remember, productivity increases when team members are involved in the decision-making and execution processes.

For a smooth and convenient delegation experience, consider using Edworking . This comprehensive management tool allows you to assign tasks, monitor your team's progress, and conduct meetings all in one platform, making task delegation easier and more efficient.

Ultimately, productivity is crucial. With the right approach to assigning tasks, you can maximize your team's efficiency and achieve your organization’s goals and objectives.

What is the best way to assign tasks to team members?

Recognizing and understanding each member's unique strengths and expertise is paramount. Instead of assigning tasks randomly, it's always better to match each job with the individual’s skill set. Consider open dialogue, seek feedback, and ensure the assigned tasks align with both team and individual goals. It's a bit like giving everyone their favorite role in a play; wouldn't they shine brighter?

How do you assign tasks to a team in Teamwork?

In Teamwork, tasks can be assigned effortlessly. Start by creating a task list, then add individual tasks. Within each task, there's an option to 'Assign To.' Simply choose the team member you wish to assign the task to. Think of it as passing the baton in a relay race – each person knows when to run and when to pass it on!

Why is it important to assign tasks to your team members?

Assigning specific tasks helps in streamlining the workflow, ensuring accountability, and reducing overlaps or gaps in responsibilities. It also empowers team members by giving them ownership of their work. Have you ever seen a football team where everyone runs after the ball? Without clear roles, it's chaos!

How do you politely assign a task?

Start by acknowledging the individual's capabilities and expressing confidence in their ability to handle the task. Then, clearly explain the job's scope, expectations, and its importance in the overall project. Think of it as offering a piece of cake, not dumping a plate on their lap!

How do short term goals differ from long term goals?

Short-term goals act as stepping stones towards achieving long-term goals. While short-term goals focus on immediate challenges and tasks (think weeks or months), long-term goals look at the bigger picture and can span years. It's like comparing a sprint to a marathon. One's quick and intense, the other's about endurance and the long haul.

Marbenz Antonio is a skilled content writer for Edworking's blog, producing high-quality articles in English on a daily basis. With a background in education and a passion for writing, he brings a unique perspective to his work, offering valuable insights and practical advice for readers in the education industry. As a Content Writer from the Philippines, Marbenz brings diversity to the Edworking team, helping to establish the brand as a global resource for educators and education professionals. Marbenz excels in task management, ensuring that he consistently meets deadlines and produces content that aligns with Edworking's editorial calendar. He also has experience in project management, adeptly juggling multiple assignments and collaborating with other team members to deliver comprehensive, informative content that drives engagement and supports the brand's objectives.

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How to Give Assignments to Team Members

Table of Contents

The project has been divided into milestones, goals and objectives broken into tasks, and now it’s time to assign them. But as you open the project management platform, you’re faced with the unflattering process of wording the tasks, and choosing whom to assign them to.

Well, in this article, we offer advice on how to make that jumbled first moment a little clearer. There are actionable tips, learning the difference between allocating and delegating tasks, and suggested criteria on how to choose the best person for the job.

For a more precise overview, here’s a table of contents:

How do you assign employees tasks?

We normally think that assigning tasks is a time-consuming process that focuses on clearing out task lists to keep the project going. However, task assignment should actually be a more employee-oriented process that requires additional dedication and effort, which yields incredible results. But what do we mean by that?

Properly assigned tasks push your employees, projects, and the overall company forward. Here’s how.

• They strengthen accountability and trust between managers and employees;
• They help teach new skills and perfect old ones;
• They allow employees to get familiar with other teams and avenues of work;
• It becomes easier to make project estimates;
• Makes for great bases for performance reviews, etc.

The list could go on, but we’ll stop there for now.

Of course, such long-term benefits don’t come without some proverbial blood and sweat in the planning stage. Let’s take a look at the general ideas on assigning employee tasks, and specific steps you can take.

Motivation comes from knowing the bigger picture

When we talk about the bigger picture in project management, we talk about each team member’s task affecting their peer’s down the line. Since all tasks are usually small pieces of the puzzle, it helps to remind employees how their work contributes. For example:

• A high-quality draft can make a great foundation for the final version, and it can be completed more quickly.
• A well-prepared presentation can shave time off unnecessary questions and additional email inquiries.

It comes as no surprise that people work better and are more productive, when they know that their work has an impact on the company level.

And so, when you assign tasks, try to emphasize how they fit in the bigger picture. Simply saying: “ You doing X will help with Y and Z ” and how it reflects on the project as a whole will let an employee know that the task they were assigned is important.

Get your employees excited to commit

Telling people about the bigger picture and showing them what’s possible can only get them so far. It’s enough to ignite the initial spark, but for them to fully commit to the task, you need to define what that task entails.

They should be able to picture how to go about the work, what skills to use, and how to reach the desired result. The clearer the instructions, the more motivated they will be to work.

Simply put, give directions on how the task should be done, and make sure they understand. You can’t read each other’s minds, so it’s important everyone is on the same page.

Ask for task transparency

One of the best practices a company can employ is transparency among coworkers.

This is achieved by having everyone input their tasks for the day in a timesheet. The purpose of timesheets is to get an accurate idea of what everyone is working on at any given time.

When people know who works on what tasks, it’s easier for them to know if a person is available or busy, how far along they are with a task, etc.

So, when you give assignments to employees, label them with deadlines. Alternatively, you can ask for employees’ assessments on how long the work would take them, and use those timeframes.

Source: Clockify team timesheet

Timesheets are a great way to keep an eye on tasks and the people doing them. You get to:

• see who struggles with what (helps assess people’s skill sets);
• who burns through their workload and is available for additional tasks;
• whether your time estimates need correction;
• identify any wasted time.

💡 If your employees are insecure about keeping public records of their tasks, here are a few resources that can help:

• How to create order in your daily work tasks
• How to be more efficient with your tasks

Keep a crystal clear timeframe

While we’re discussing timesheets and deadline transparency, it’s important to mention that the times you set for task completions need to be clear-cut.

As we’ve mentioned, the safest way to assign deadlines is to consult the employees. They are better at assessing how long it will take them due to the tasks’ difficulty, overall deadlines, the standards that need to be met, and the skill required to complete it.

When they get a say in how long they should be doing an assignment, people tend to feel more accountable for the whole process. They will do their best to finish in time, since they actively participated in setting the deadline.

Set very clear expectations

Assigning a task should always include your (the supervisor’s) expectations pointed out. For example:

• Does a logo pitch need as many drafts as possible, or just a few finished pieces?

If you ask a designer to make some drafts for a logo pitch, you must specify the kind of quality you’re looking for. Explain whether you are looking for some sketches and drafts for a brainstorming meeting, or if you want clean, presentable pieces to show.

Additionally:

• How many pieces should the designer do?
• Is there a specific color palette they need to follow?
• How important is the task? Is this the day they finally decide on a logo, or is it still in the brainstorming stage? (decides on the quality of the work itself)

Assigning the task using the above questions, you help the designer understand how much effort precisely they need to invest. They become more motivated with clear instructions, as they know what is expected of them. There’s no fear of having their work criticized for something that wasn’t communicated in the beginning. And on your end, it prevents breached deadlines or subpar results.

Avoid creating dependency by being less involved

It’s not unusual for employees to ask their supervisors for their opinion on a certain task, or their performance.

The problem arises when a supervisor makes themselves too involved with the process. When they feel like the project might fall apart if they don’t have their eyes on every moving part all of the time. And when you have, say, 20 people waiting for that person’s approval, advice, or consultation, the workflow runs into a gridlock.

And wait time is wasted time.

Plus, people lose motivation, patience, and grow frustrated, as they could be doing other things.

So, learn not to jump in every time people call for your aid. Assign reliable people who can address smaller issues, while you handle the big picture. Learn how to expend your own energy where it is needed more.

For example – making a pitch presentation for potential investors keeps getting put off because one person needs you to check a client email they want to send, another wants your signature on a form, and the third wants to ask something about employee feedback that’s coming up.

In order to not be stretched thin, and have your time wasted on menial tasks, here’s where you can start:

How to mitigate the risk of being over-involved when assigning

• Remember that you match tasks to people

Which means that, by matching the right people with the right tasks, your involvement will be minimal. Take time to carefully choose who gets to do what. What is the point of assigning tasks if they can’t be done without you?

• Have a 10-point scale to judge the importance of items

How important are certain aspects of your leadership role? Are you absolutely necessary in every meeting, or during every call? Which tasks need your approval, and which ones can be approved by someone under you?

Rank these items on a scale of 0 to 10, based on their importance to you and the project. Top priority tasks should get your undivided attention. And what can be delegated, should be.

• Analyze your schedule

Your energy and time are needed on a much broader scale. The best way to spot if you’re wasting time being too involved is to look at your schedule. Identify how much time you’ve spent on low-priority items, and assess which issues could’ve been solved without you.

• Take into account priorities and deadlines

Step in only when absolutely necessary. You are in charge of things getting done on time, by people most qualified for assigned tasks. Determine what your priorities are for each project, and concern yourself only with those issues, unless there is a risk of breaching a deadline.

• Formulate a list of dependable people

If you know your employees (or team members) well enough, then you should be able to single out those who are more dependable and ready to take on a little more responsibilities. Write out the reasons how they could help by getting involved on low-priority items instead of you. When the time comes, rally them and present them with the idea, keeping in mind that this solution helps push the project forward. When authority is delegated to several people, there’s fewer chances of a hold-up in the workflow.

This also falls into the realm of task delegation , which we’ll get into later.

How do you decide what tasks to assign to which employees?

1. assign based on priority.

Naturally, some tasks will be more important than others. When you break down a project into tasks , spend some time assessing their priority level.

High-priority tasks should be the first on your list to allocate. Whether it’s because they’re time-sensitive, or require more effort and dedication.

Low priority tasks can be allocated as fillers to the first available person.

2. Assign based on employee availability

Another factor to consider when assigning tasks is who is available at the moment.

As the project moves along, new tasks will be added. You will have to allocate new work, but odds are you won’t always be able to pick who you want. Especially if a deadline is approaching, the person with the smallest workload should be your first choice.

Overloading an already busy individual just because they’re more skilled or you have faith in them the most puts an unnecessary strain on them. It’s cause for frustration, poorer results, and decreased productivity.

And as we’ve mentioned, if you have a timesheet with an overview of all the tasks and employees working on them, it’ll be much easier to spot who is free and who isn’t.

3. Assign based on employee skill level

High-priority tasks should go to employees with more experience in a given field or skill. However, you should occasionally give such tasks to other employees as well, to help them grow and become just as dependable. Giving people challenging tasks that can boost their experience is essential to productivity and morale.

Not to mention you get to have multiple high-skilled employees.

Low-priority tasks can be assigned to anyone, despite their experience level. They’re a good opportunity to practice, pick up new skills, or get smaller tasks out of the way to make room for more important ones.

4. Assign based on preference

Last, but not the least, preference can also play a big part in how you assign tasks.

It’s a given that some employees will prefer certain tasks over others. So it could be good to assign tasks at a meeting with the team. As you discuss priorities, deadlines, and availability, ask them which tasks they would like to work on.

If someone shows interest in a specific type of work, they should (with some consideration), be allowed to take it. After all, people are more productive when they’re assigned to something they find new or exciting.

Note: Apply this rule with caution. Letting people do only the tasks they want can stunt their career growth. Getting out of our comfort zones and occasionally doing tasks that we don’t like is how we develop and learn. So, don’t forget to document assignments as you hand them out, to spot these potential issues early on.

Allocating vs delegating tasks

While semantically similar words, delegation and allocation in terms of tasks are two different things.

When you allocate tasks , you are assigning tasks without giving the employees much authority, challenge, or room to grow. It includes you keeping all of the responsibility – writing out the tasks, making deadlines, providing resources, tools, etc. These are usually recurring tasks that can become repetitive.

When you delegate tasks , you allow for some of that responsibility to fizzle out from your fingers. All you think about are the objectives, while letting the employees figure out the details and means to get there.

However, that doesn’t mean delegation is right and the allocation is wrong.

Task allocation has its own place. It is just as important, as a lot of tasks come down to repeated processes that are still vital to the project progress. Task delegation is just a good opportunity for employees to learn, challenge themselves, and assess their skills and performance.

When should you allocate tasks?

Management and BizDev consultant Artem Albul shared his concept on task assignment, which he dubbed an “algorithm”. He emphasized how these criteria are useful only and only when you wish that employees perform the tasks based on your guidelines and instructions (aka allocation).

Here is how Albul broke down the algorithm:

Source: Artem Albul, TWA Consulting

As we can see, task allocation, while the more “controlling” of the two, also gives in-depth instructions and asks for confirmation on task clarity. A lot of it comes down to everyone being on the same page, leaving little to no room for misinterpretation (but also creative freedom).

How should you allocate tasks?

With all that we’ve mentioned in the previous section, here’s how your task allotment could look like, step by step.

• Break down your project

Detail out the goals, objectives, and some individual tasks (not all, be careful not to start micromanaging). Place the most important deadlines.

• Prioritize tasks and sort them

It’s important to know what tasks need to be done faster/better, to properly allocate your resources and manpower from the start.

• Make a list of teams and team members

Assign team leaders (if you don’t have them), and alternatively, ask for their input on individual employees skills, for a more informed decision on who gets what.

• Schedule a meeting

Make a meeting with the team leads and go through the points above. Assign tasks according to each team’s availability, interest, and skill required to successfully push the project forward.

• As team leads – assign tasks further down the pipeline
• Track task completion and make necessary changes along the way

Whether it’s pushing deadlines, reassigning tasks, or shifting around resources. This is perfectly fine and expected, so long as it doesn’t happen on every task you’ve assigned. Then, it is an indicator of poor pre-planning.

• Offer feedback and write performances

Don’t forget to track the progress and make notes of important details that might help the next task allocation/delegation process. It’s also a useful piece of information for the employees on what they need to improve on.

Allocating tasks is somewhat more complicated than we want it to be. But, this kind of thorough research and preparation will make projects run more smoothly. Employees will also be more satisfied with their work, and there will be less hurdles as deadlines approach.

When should you delegate tasks?

Delegation is a great practice in trust for both the employer/supervisor and the employee. The employer learns how to give away some of their control over the process, while the employee learns how to take more accountability for their work.

This lets you focus on big-picture aspects of your job, since you deal less with assignments that are low-priority for you. You save time and energy, while helping others move up in their careers.

How do you effectively delegate tasks as a leader?

As we’ve mentioned, delegating includes more employee independence. There are some additional components which make this type of task assignment more appealing than allocation, with great opportunities for growth.

Focus on delegating objectives instead of actual tasks

When you delegate, you focus on the objective that needs to be done. You shouldn’t give employees a “color by numbers” instruction on how to complete a task.

Communicate clearly what the end result should be and what expectations you (or the higher-ups) have. Leave the means for reaching that end goal to the employees themselves. Because how you solve a task may be completely different to how they will. And that is perfectly fine, so long as the result is the one you are looking for.

Keep the objectives challenging

When the objectives you’re delegating are too easy, chances are the person will either procrastinate, or feel like you don’t trust them enough. And if they’re too difficult, they get frustrated, anxious, and begin to panic.

It’s a good idea to be aware of an employee’s skill level, so you can gauge how much challenge and responsibility they can take on. For them to be the most productive and achieve great results, they need to enter “the state of Flow”.

Source: Optimal Experience , M. Csikszentmihalyi

💡 We’ve discussed the state of Flow in more detail in an article on time organization.

Encourage discussion and feedback

Let employees voice their opinions on the topic.

They should ask anything about the task, the goals, or the overall impact their work will have on the later stages or others’ workflow. It means they are interested in the task, and getting involved.

And if they aren’t asking questions themselves, you can always nudge them into proactivity.

• Is there something you’d like me to clarify?
• Do you already have any ideas on how to go about the task?
• Is the time we agreed upon enough for you?
• Will you need other resources, tools, or support?
• Do you see any problems or risks?

Questions like these help them feel valued, their efforts acknowledged, and let them know you care about the task and how well they perform. Just be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll start to look like a micromanager.

Give employees free rein, but offer support

Speaking of micromanaging, delegation means you let people problem-solve their way out on their own. There should be no reason for a manager to step in and control or supervise any step of the process, unless absolutely necessary.

However, what you should do is let them know you’re available for any advice should they feel stuck. Just because employees get authority on a certain task, and are left to their own devices, doesn’t mean the project has to suffer until they pull themselves up.

From time to time, ask them if they need anything from you, and make sure they know you’re there for any kind of support, consultation, or mediation. ANother good practice is to also give them additional learning opportunities – such as training, conferences, courses, etc.

Delegate objectives that move people forward

Choose assignments that boost the skills and employ all of their experiences, instead of something that simply needs to be done. For example:

• Tasks that require they brush up on their team communication skills;
• Learning how to allocate smaller tasks;
• Supervising others’ work and doing quality control;
• Learning to work with a new tool;
• Holding a meeting (or more), etc.

Find out which skills your employees may want or need to develop, and then plan your delegations accordingly. You want them to complete the task while having learned something new at the same time.

How to choose who to delegate to

Paul Beesley, senior director and consultant at Beyond Theory proposed a nifty checklist for when you’re choosing an employee to delegate to. It’s meant to simplify and speed up the process.

To successfully complete the delegated task, your chosen employee needs:

S – the skill to perform and complete a task

T – the time to complete the task, and if needed, learn the required skill

A – the authority to handle everything concerning the task

R – the necessary level of responsibility

R – the recognition for successfully completing the task

This list is a set of important criteria that should be covered when you consider who to assign to a specific task. However, depending on your niche, type of service, company size and the project at hand, the criteria are likely to change. And it should accommodate your needs, not the other way around.

Common task delegation mistakes to avoid

With all being said, there are some common mistakes managers and employers make, sometimes without even realizing it.

• Being too vague concerning deadlines (using: as soon as possible, when you get to it, I need it by yesterday). It creates unnecessary pressure.
• Being unavailable for questions and concerns. While you shouldn’t micromanage, you should still be present for support if an employee feels stuck. Ignoring them or handing them over to someone else could cause distrust. However, if you are usually swamped with work, set consultation hours each day or week.
• Having unclear directions. Specifying the allotted time for task completion and expectations should be the bare minimum when delegating tasks.
• Not providing feedback. No feedback is worse than bad feedback. Employees need to be aware when they’re doing good work, as well. In one company I worked for, the mantra was: “If no one is complaining about your work, that means you’re doing good”. And while it sounds like sound logic, it actually caused a lot of frustration. We were left directionless, and simply “floating” from task to task, never knowing if any of them had a positive impact on our performance.
• Not listening to employees. Take into account how they feel about a task or the objective. Let them give you feedback and if there are potential problems from the get-go.
• Assigning other people to the same task. If you notice a person struggling, the first instinct should be to ask them how they’re faring, and if they need any help. Some managers tend to assign other employees to help them without consultation, which leaves a sore taste. The employee will feel even more incompetent and will be less likely to take on a similar task in the future.
• Assuming people will know what you mean. This is one of the biggest problems. When you’re formulating a task, be as clear as possible about the goals and expectations. Oftentimes managers think that these things are implied, but the truth is – no one is a mind reader. To avoid having information misconstrued or misunderstood, communicate clearly and directly.

There could be more mistakes, especially for every different field and industry. If at all possible, identify the most common ones, made either by you or your peers. Note down all the instances where certain tasks weren’t up to par, and see what you could have changed in your assignment process to fix it. Maybe there wasn’t enough time or resources, you were unclear, or the employee wasn’t ready for such responsibility. Use the same procedure in all future task delegations. It’s the only way to learn and make the process quicker.

Use Clockify to assign tasks with ease

Now you’re a master of task delegation — congrats!

But there’s more to it than meets the eye.

In fact, what if you used a digital tool like Clockify to increase the likelihood that each job would be completed on time and on point?

In Clockify, you can easily create highly descriptive assignments that contain information like:

• Start time,
• Billability status,
• Name of the employee,
• Period for getting the assignment done,
• Hours per day to spend on the assignment, and more.

That way, you can plan who works on what, how long, and when.

Similarly, Clockify allows you to create project milestones to achieve results faster.

With the Milestones option, you can select dates for deadlines, allowing you to pin down important events in your projects.

For example, if your client expects you to keep them in the loop about developments, you can inform them promptly on whether your team has reached the agreed-upon milestones.

Refocus on your company’s big picture with a project and time tracking tool.

Marijana Stojanovic is a writer and researcher who specializes in the topics of productivity and time management.

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Task Management: Importance, Best Practices, & Tools

Mandy Schmitz is a consultant and project management expert with 10+ years of experience working internationally for big brands in fintech, consumer goods, and more.

Sarah is a project manager and strategy consultant with 15 years of experience leading cross-functional teams to execute complex multi-million dollar projects. She excels at diagnosing, prioritizing, and solving organizational challenges and cultivating strong relationships to improve how teams do business. Sarah is passionate about productivity, leadership, building community, and her home state of New Jersey.

Struggling to understand how your project tasks contribute to larger project goals? This comprehensive guide will help you understand how to plan, prioritize, and manage tasks. Plus, how to track progress and keep the project team in the loop.

Task management bridges the gap between the goals you documented in your project charter and what work needs to happen for your fledgling project to get off the ground. 

It tends to be a glossed-over capability in project management because, while it sounds simple in theory, it can be trickier to execute in practice (although it’s made much simpler through the use of task management software rather than Excel spreadsheets).

What Is Task Management In Project Management?

Task management is a critical aspect of project management that involves:

• Identifying the tasks necessary to fulfill project goals : Break down project objectives into smaller, more manageable activities that can be assigned to individual team members. Ensure each task is clear, specific, and achievable, with a well-defined purpose and deadline. Unclear guidance may compromise timely, quality task completion.
• Assigning those tasks to team members : Consider the relative priority of each task or deliverable and assign it to the appropriate team member based on their skills and availability. 
• Monitoring and tracking progress towards completion : This involves identifying potential roadblocks, removing impediments to execution, and making adjustments to the project timeline, as necessary.

The ultimate goal of task management is to ensure that each task is completed on time, to the required standard, and within budget.

Task Management vs Project Management

While task management and project management are related, they are not the same thing. Project management involves overseeing the entire project from inception to completion with a focus on key milestones, while task management focuses on the individual tasks and activities that make up the project.

Task management breaks down high-level project goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. Creating a project plan that outlines each task and its associated deadline (and inputting that information into your task management platform) makes it easier to track task progress and identify any potential roadblocks that may arise.

Task management can be simplified when teams apply successful project management techniques to stay organized and efficient.

Why Is Task Management Important?

Task management offers several benefits, including:

• Increased efficiency and productivity. By having a clear understanding of what needs to be done and when, your team members can focus their efforts on completing their tasks rather than wasting time trying to figure out what they should be doing. This means faster turnaround times, increased output, and, ultimately, greater profitability.
• Improved communication and team collaboration. Through the process of breaking down projects into smaller, more manageable tasks, team members share ideas and insights with one another about their work. Gathering cross-functional perspectives leads to better decision-making and more innovative solutions to problems.
• Clearer understanding of project goals and objectives . When team members know what is expected of them and understand how their work impacts project and organizational goals, they are more likely to stay motivated and focused.
• Greater visibility into project progress. By tracking team tasks and monitoring progress, project managers can quickly identify potential issues and take corrective action before they become major problems. This can help to reduce the risk of missed deadlines and scope creep , which can be costly and damaging to a project's success.

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How To Manage Tasks

Here’s a closer look at each step in the task management process:

Step 1: Identify Tasks

The first step in task management is to identify the set of tasks that need to be completed to achieve project goals.

To generate this list, brainstorm what steps you would need to take to execute against project goals and organize those tasks into categories. Consult the project plan, statement of work, project charter , and other foundational project documents to help you. 

For example, if you’re building a website, you would probably include steps for design, development, and QA. You can categorize tasks based on priority, complexity, or the team or individual responsible for completing them.

Validate the task list with subject matter experts and other project team members and compare against prior projects that you or your organization has completed to be sure you don’t miss anything.

Once you have a list of tasks, you can further break them down into sub-tasks to make them more manageable. This will help you to identify any dependencies between tasks and ensure that you have a clear understanding of the work that must be accomplished.

Step 2: Schedule Tasks

Scheduling involves determining the start and due dates for each task and creating a timeline for the project. To do this, you can use a project management tool that allows you to create a Gantt chart or provides a timeline view.

When you are scheduling and prioritizing tasks, consider any task dependencies or recurring tasks. For example, if Task A needs to be completed before Task B can start, you need to ensure that Task A is scheduled before Task B. You also need to consider any constraints, such as internal or external deadlines, resource availability , or budget limitations.

Step 3: Assign Tasks

Effectively managing resources and assigning the project tasks to team members involves understanding each assignee’s skills and abilities and allocating tasks based on team workload and availability.

You can use a project management tool to assign tasks and track their progress. This will make it more interactive and help you to ensure that each team member knows what they need to do and when they need to do it. It will also help flag any potential bottlenecks or issues that may arise during the project.

Step 4: Track Progress

This involves monitoring the status of each task and making any necessary adjustments to the schedule. Task management software can help streamline how you monitor and report progress.

Effective task tracking requires regular communication with your team members. Building trusted relationships with your team gives you insights into any issues or challenges they may be facing when it comes to their project tasks. You can use this knowledge to help remove any blockers they may be facing and ensure tasks are accomplished more efficiently.

Step 5: Complete Tasks

The final step in task management is to ensure that each task is completed successfully. This involves reviewing the work to ensure that it meets the required quality standards and approving the task for completion.

To do this, you can use a checklist or a quality assurance process to ensure that each task meets the project requirements.

At the end of the project, don’t skip the opportunity to collect lessons learned . You can implement these findings to improve your task management process on future projects.

Task Management Best Practices

Best practices for task management include:

• Don’t work in a vacuum! Consult subject matter experts, your project sponsor, and other project managers to validate the activities that you’ve identified, what the work entails, their duration, and how you’ve allocated workload across the team. The better your planning, the smoother things will go in execution.
• Verify that completion of the tasks you’ve identified will help further your project objectives . If a task doesn’t help you do that, be wary of adding it to your project plan, as it may be a sign of scope creep.
• Schedule tasks realistically based on project constraints , like budget, timeline, and resource availability. If your stakeholders want a task completed by a certain date, but there’s just no way, don’t create a schedule that promises delivery by that deadline. Instead, meet with the team to formulate a workaround—whether that’s adjusting the deadline, adding resources, or reducing scope.
• Align team member motivations, capabilities, and availability with assigned tasks , where possible. This reduces the risk that you’ll fail to meet deadlines and/or quality thresholds.
• Document and communicate progress . Make sure you keep your stakeholders apprised of project progress and potential issues along the way, so you can course correct, as needed.

Common Pitfalls Of Task Management

While task management can lead to success, there are also common pitfalls that you should try to avoid:

• Micromanagement , which can lead to decreased motivation among team members. Instead, give team members the information they need to complete tasks but don’t be overly prescriptive about how they execute the work. Set up regular check-ins that you both agree upon at task outset to monitor interim progress
• Failure to prioritize tasks , which can result in missed deadlines
• Failure to provide sufficient detail when assigning tasks, which can lead to confusion and mistakes
• Overloading team members with too many tasks , which can result in burnout and decreased productivity. Instead, consider resource availability and workload when assigning tasks
• Failure to track progress , which can lead to missed deadlines and scope creep.

Benefits of Task Management Software

Task management software is an essential tool for large and small businesses, teams, or individuals that are looking to organize their tasks and projects efficiently. Benefits of task management systems include:

• Easier schedule management with calendar views
• Intuitive designs and templates that align with agile methodologies and sprint schedules
• User-friendly drag-and-drop functionality to reprioritize tasks on the fly
• Customizable task management features based on organizational needs and desired pricing (whether paid plans or free plans)
• Ability to adjust user permissions
• Integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Here’s a list of the 15 best task management software tools available on the market right now.

• 1. monday.com — Best for visual project planning
• 2. Confluence — Best for team knowledge sharing and collaboration
• 3. Productive — Best for agency task management
• 4. ClickUp — Best free task management software for teams
• 5. Quickbase — Best for customizability
• 6. Bonsai Agency Software — Best for integrated task management, time tracking, and invoicing
• 7. Zoho Projects — Best for resource management
• 8. Miro — Best for visual collaboration
• 9. Nifty — Best for milestone tracking
• 10. Kintone — Best for custom workflows

Different Types Of Task Management Tools

Task management tools can help you stay organized when it comes to work management, increase productivity, and foster teamwork. Examples include:

• To do lists. To do lists are an essential tool for managing tasks and keeping yourself organized. Ranging from sophisticated mobile apps like Todoist to analog lists, there are a variety of ways to keep track of tasks, master your workload, and improve efficiency.
• Kanban boards. Kanban boards are a type of task management tool that provides teams with a visual system to manage projects, workflows, and communication. They consist of columns representing different stages of a team’s workflow and cards representing individual tasks. As cards move through the workflow, teams use the board to spot inefficiencies in task progress, limit work in progress, and enhance collaboration.
• Project management software. Project management software (which is slightly different from task management software ) helps plan, organize, and manage projects. Tools typically include features such as task lists, calendars, and project timelines. Some popular project management software includes Asana , Wrike , monday.com , Clickup , and Trello .
• Task management software. Task management solutions help manage individual tasks and to-do lists. It typically includes features such as task lists, notifications, reminders, and progress tracking. Some popular task management apps include Todoist, Wunderlist, and Any.do, which are available for iOS and Android devices.
• Collaboration tools. Collaboration tools are designed to help teams work together more effectively. These tools typically include features such as task lists, project timelines, and communication tools , and are particularly useful for geographically dispersed or remote teams. Project managers can use Trello , Asana, Slack, and other tools for collaboration.
• Time tracking software and integrations. Time tracking software tracks how much time you spend on different tasks, and is useful for individuals or teams who need to invoice clients based on hours logged or automate their tracking of project expenses. It can also help you identify areas where you may be spending too much time (read: budget) and make adjustments to your workflow.

What’s Next?

Looking for more task management tips and best practices? Sign up for DPM membership and join the conversation in Slack with 100s of other digital project managers.

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How to Assign Tasks and Responsibilities to Team Members

As a manager or team leader, it’s important to effectively assign tasks and responsibilities to team members in order to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively.

This can be a challenging task, especially if you have a large team, are working on a complex project, or are leading a team with no experience .

In this blog post, we will provide tips and best practices for assigning tasks and responsibilities to team members in a way that helps your team succeed.

We’ll cover topics such as setting clear expectations, delegating tasks appropriately, and providing support to team members as they complete their work.

By following these guidelines, you can create a productive and collaborative work environment that helps your team achieve its goals.

Setting Clear Expectations

One of the key elements of effective task assignments is setting clear expectations for team members.

This includes outlining the specific tasks that need to be completed, as well as any deadlines or goals that need to be met. It’s also important to communicate the purpose of the tasks and how they fit into the overall goals of the project or organization.

This helps team members understand the context of their work and why it’s important.

To set clear expectations, it’s a good idea to create a written document or task list that outlines the specific responsibilities of each team member.

This can be a simple spreadsheet or project management tool, or a more detailed project plan. Make sure to include details such as the task description, any necessary resources or tools, and any deadlines or milestones.

It’s also a good idea to discuss the task assignments with team members individually, to ensure that they understand their responsibilities and have any questions answered.

By setting clear expectations, you can help team members stay organized and focused as they complete their work.

Delegating Tasks Appropriately

Effective task assignment also involves delegating tasks to the right team members.

This means considering the skills, experience, and workload of each team member, and assigning tasks that are appropriate for their abilities and capacity. Delegating tasks appropriately helps to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively, and helps to avoid overloading any one team member or causing delays due to a lack of resources.

To delegate tasks appropriately, it’s important to have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each team member. This may involve reviewing their previous work or having candid conversations about their interests and capabilities.

It’s also important to consider the workload of each team member and ensure that they are not taking on more work than they can handle.

Another key aspect of effective task assignments is empowering team members to take ownership of their work . This means giving them the autonomy to complete tasks in their own way, within the parameters set by the project plan or task list.

Empowering team members to take ownership of their work can help to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility, and can lead to higher quality work and greater job satisfaction.

Providing Support to Team Members

Effective task assignment also involves providing support to team members as they complete their work.

This includes making sure that team members have the necessary resources and tools to complete their tasks, as well as offering guidance and assistance when needed. Providing support helps to ensure that team members are able to complete their work efficiently and effectively, and can also help to foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration within the team.

There are several ways that you can provide support to team members as they complete their work. This may include offering training or development opportunities, providing access to necessary resources or tools, and offering feedback and guidance as needed.

It’s also important to be available to team members if they have questions or need assistance with their tasks. By providing support and assistance, you can help team members to feel more confident and capable as they complete their work.

In conclusion, effective task assignment is an important element of managing a team or project. By setting clear expectations, delegating tasks appropriately, and providing support to team members, you can create a productive and collaborative work environment that helps your team succeed.

Communicating Task Assignments and Updates

Effective task assignment also involves effective communication with team members.

This includes not only clearly outlining the tasks and responsibilities that need to be completed, but also keeping team members informed of any updates or changes to the tasks or project plan. This can help to ensure that team members are aware of their responsibilities and are able to stay on track with their work.

There are several ways that you can communicate task assignments and updates to team members. This may include using a project management tool or task list to keep track of assignments and deadlines, as well as regularly holding meetings or check-ins to discuss progress and address any issues that may arise.

It’s also important to be available to team members if they have questions or need clarification on their tasks.

Effective communication is key to ensuring that team members are able to complete their work efficiently and effectively.

By keeping team members informed and providing clear guidance, you can help to ensure that work is completed on time and to the required standards.

Assessing and Adjusting Task Assignments

Effective task assignment also involves ongoing assessment and adjustment of task assignments as needed. This means regularly reviewing the progress of team members and the overall project, and making adjustments to tasks or responsibilities as needed to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively.

To assess and adjust task assignments, it’s important to regularly check in with team members and review their progress.

This may involve holding meetings or check-ins, as well as reviewing any project management tools or task lists that you are using to track progress. If you notice that a team member is struggling with their tasks or is unable to complete them on time, it may be necessary to adjust their assignments or provide additional support.

Similarly, if you notice that a team member has extra capacity or is particularly skilled in a certain area, you may want to consider reassigning tasks or increasing their responsibilities.

By regularly assessing and adjusting task assignments, you can ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively, and that team members are able to make the most of their skills and abilities.

Encouraging Team Input and Feedback

Effective task assignment also involves encouraging team input and feedback.

This means soliciting ideas and suggestions from team members and actively listening to their concerns or issues related to their tasks or the project as a whole. Encouraging team input and feedback can help to foster a sense of ownership and engagement among team members, and can also lead to better decision-making and problem-solving.

There are several ways that you can encourage team input and feedback. This may include holding regular team meetings or check-ins, as well as setting aside time for open discussion and brainstorming sessions.

It’s also a good idea to create a culture of open and honest communication within your team, where team members feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas or concerns.

By encouraging team input and feedback, you can create a more collaborative and inclusive work environment that helps your team succeed.

Providing Recognition and Rewards

Effective task assignment also involves providing recognition and rewards to team members who excel in their work. This can help to motivate team members and encourage them to continue performing at a high level, as well as foster a positive work culture.

There are many ways that you can provide recognition and rewards to team members. This may include offering verbal praise or written feedback, as well as more tangible rewards such as gift cards, paid time off, or additional responsibilities.

It’s important to consider the preferences and motivations of individual team members when deciding on recognition and rewards, as different people may respond differently to different forms of recognition.

By providing recognition and rewards to team members who excel in their work, you can show appreciation for their efforts and help to motivate and inspire them to continue performing at a high level.

Wrapping Up

Effective task assignment is an important element of managing a team or project.

It involves setting clear expectations for team members, delegating tasks appropriately, and providing support and assistance as needed.

Effective task assignment also involves ongoing communication and assessment, as well as encouraging team input and feedback and providing recognition and rewards for excellent performance.

By following these guidelines, you can create a productive and collaborative work environment that helps your team succeed.

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12 Best Practices for Successful Task Assignment and Tracking

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1. What are the top 12 practices for successful task assignment and tracking?

Key practices for effective task assignment.

The assignment of tasks should always be done strategically to ensure successful completion. Here are six key practices for successful task assignment:

• Clear and concise instructions: Always provide clear steps on how to accomplish the task. Vague instructions may lead to misunderstandings and poor results.
• Assign tasks based on skills and experience: Certain tasks require special skills. Assign tasks to those who have the skills and experience needed to perform them efficiently.
• Establish realistic deadlines: Set achievable deadlines to prevent unnecessary pressure and poor quality of work.
• Communicate the task's importance: Explain why the task is necessary and how it contributes to the overall project.
• Availability check: Make sure that the person assigned to the task has the capacity to do it.
• Empower them: Give them the freedom to do the work in their own way, as long as they meet the project’s quality standards.

Efficient Task Tracking Methods

Task tracking not only ensures timely completion but also guarantees that the quality of work is not compromised. Here are six efficient task tracking methods:

• Use of tracking tools: Implementing task tracking tools like Trello or Asana can automate the tracking process.
• Regular follow-ups: Frequent check-ins allow early detection of issues and timely resolution.
• Setting Milestones: Break down the tasks into manageable chunks or stages with set deadlines.
• Encourage self-reporting: Ask team members to provide status updates on assigned tasks. This makes tracking easier and instills a sense of responsibility.
• Document progress: Keep a record of task progression to easily identify bottlenecks and delays.
• Feedback session: Constructive feedback sessions aimed at learning can be helpful for future tasks.

Comparison Table for Task Assignment and Task Tracking

2. How can I effectively use these best practices in my daily work management?

Utilizing best practices in daily work management.

Deploying the best practices in your daily work management is all about integration and consistency. Whether you are leading a small team or managing a large project, the successful task assignment and tracking methods will boost productivity and keep everyone on the same page. Here's how you can effectively use these practices:

• Clear Communication: Always communicate task details clearly. Specify the project description, important deadlines, and the expected deliverables. Make use of tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for smooth communication.
• Team Collaboration: Encourage teamwork, brainstorming sessions and ensure everyone contributes their ideas. Collaborative tools like Google Workspace or Monday.com can assist in shared work.
• Prioritization & Scheduling: Prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. Use scheduling tools, like Asana or Trello, to arrange tasks for all team members, ensuring they are aware of their responsibilities.

Implementing Task Assignment Practices

Assigning tasks effectively involves understanding each team member's strengths and weaknesses. The following steps are recommended:

Successful Task Tracking

Tracking tasks helps in maintaining the project's accuracy ensuring that everything is running smoothly. Adopting effective tracking practices can lead to a drop in missed deadlines, an increase in productivity, and a more efficient workflow. Here are some tracking methods:

• Use a Project Management System that offers real-time tracking.
• Conduct regular progress meetings.
• Encourage team members to provide progress reports.

3. Can these best practices for task assignment and tracking be applied to any industry?

Applicability of best practices across industries.

The best practices for task assignment and tracking are versatile, adaptable and can be beneficial to most, if not all industries. This includes but is not limited to the IT, healthcare, construction, education, and manufacturing industries. The principles of clarity, efficiency, and productivity that underscore these best practices are universal needs across business operations.

List of Industries

• Information Technology
• Construction
• Manufacturing

Each of these industries can make use of the best practices in their own unique way. For instance, in the IT industry, these best practices can be utilized to assign and track different coding or debugging tasks. In healthcare, these practices can be used to efficiently assign patient care tasks to different members of a healthcare team. In education, teachers can assign tasks to students and track their progress more effectively. In short, these practices foster a culture of accountability and efficiency.

Tabular Representation of Application in Different Industries

In conclusion, these best practices provide a standard system that is convenient, effective and that can be customized to any industry’s specifics. The consistent theme across all industries is to enhance productivity and optimize resources.

4. What is the first step one should take to apply these practices effectively?

Understanding the task.

The first step towards effectively applying the practices for successful task assignment and tracking is gaining a thorough understanding of the task at hand. To successfully delegate assignments and oversee their completion, you must grasp the task's specifics, objectives, and requirements. The following goals can guide you:

• Determine the nature and scope of the task: Exactly what does this task entail? What are its dimensions and boundaries?
• Identify the expected outcome: What should the ideal result look like once the task is completed?
• Analyze potential problems: What kind of issues may arise during the execution of the task? How can they be addressed proactively?

Establishing Clear Objective and Goals

Once you've comprehended the task, the next step involves establishing clear objectives and goals. These goals should ideally be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). A well-defined goal gives a clear direction to the entire task assignment process. Consider the following points when mapping out your goals:

Identifying the Right People for the Task

Once each task has been clearly defined and its goals set, the next step is to assign the right people to the task. This requires analyzing your team's strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and workload. Here are some factors to consider:

• Skills and capabilities: Does the person possess the necessary skills and abilities to perform the task effectively?
• Workload: Does the person have the necessary time and bandwidth to take on the task?
• Preference: Does the person show an interest in the task? Are they excited about the work they're assigned?

5. Are there specific tools that help facilitate these best practices for task assignment and tracking?

Top tools for task assignment and tracking.

There are numerous tools designed specifically to facilitate task assignment and tracking. They range from simple to-do list apps to complex project management systems. Here are a few popular options:

• Asana: This tool is designed for both individuals and teams. It allows for task assignment, due dates, priorities, comments, file attachments, and progress tracking.
• JIRA: Popular among software development teams, JIRA provides a detailed view of ongoing tasks, project timelines, and allows for personalized workflows.
• Trello: Trello operates on a board-and-card system, allowing for easy visualization of tasks and assignments. It also supports collaboration and progress tracking.
• Basecamp: This is a project management tool that integrates discussions, tasks, files, and timelines in one place. It offers a clear view of who’s working on what.

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Needs

To choose the right tool for task assignment and tracking, you need to consider the size of your team, the complexity of the tasks, and the specific features you need. Equally important is the user-friendliness and cost of the tool. Here's a simple comparison:

Consistent Use of Tools

Regardless of which tool you choose, consistent use is essential. All team members should be trained on how to use the tool effectively. Regular updates and reviews are also crucial to keep everyone aligned and ensure smooth progression of tasks. Remember, a tool is only as good as how you use it.

6. How does clear communication help in successful task assignment and tracking?

Benefits of clear communication.

Successfully assigning and tracking tasks in any business or organization often hinge on clear and effective communication. With effective communication, team members can understand their responsibilities, tasks can be properly tracked, and project deadlines can be met. There are several benefits that clear communication provides:

• Boosts Team Morale: When everyone understands their role in a project, they feel valued, which increases motivation and productivity.
• Prevents Confusion: Clear instructions prevent misunderstandings, ensuring tasks are done correctly the first time.
• Increases Efficiency: When goals and objectives are clear, teams can work more efficiently, saving time and resources.

How to Communicate Clearly

Implementing the right communication strategies can be crucial for successful task assignment and tracking. Here are a few methods to foster better communication:

Elements of Clear Communication

To ensure your communication is clear and effective, consider the following elements:

• Clarity: Ensure the message is simple, direct and that technical jargon is minimized where possible.
• Conciseness: Too much information can confuse. State only necessary details.
• Feedback: Encourage feedback - it helps affirm the message was understood correctly.

7. Why is it important to define expected outcomes when assigning tasks?

Importance of defining expected outcomes.

Defining expected outcomes is a vital step in task assignment and tracking because it sets the direction and provides a clear vision of what needs to be achieved. It helps in setting the standards, improving performance, and ensuring better accountability. The following points will further elucidate its significance:

• Clarity and direction: defining the expected outcome provides clear instructions to the task performer about what exactly needs to be achieved. It gives them a sense of direction and purpose.
• Performance measurement: With a defined outcome, it becomes easier to measure performance. The actual results can easily be compared against the expected results, simplifying performance appraisal.
• Increased Accountability: If expected outcomes are well-defined, it can help increase accountability. Task performers are more likely to take ownership and responsibility of their work, ensuring that they deliver the expected results.

Best Practices When Defining Expected Outcomes

While defining expected outcomes is important, it is equally crucial to ensure they are well drafted. Following are some best practices to consider when defining the expected outcomes:

Defining expected outcomes when assigning tasks is a fundamental step to ensure smooth progress and successful task completion. It not only provides a clear vision of what needs to be achieved but also facilitates performance measurement, leading to improved productivity and increased accountability. Employing the best practices while defining these outcomes can greatly enhance their effectiveness.

8. How can these best practices improve overall team productivity?

Enhancing team productivity through best practices.

Implementing best practices in task assignment and tracking can significantly improve overall team productivity. Effective task assignment ensures that the right tasks are allocated to the right people based on their skills, capabilities, and availability. This eliminates confusion, reduces the chances of mistakes, and improves efficiency. When tasks are tracked effectively, it's easier to identify bottlenecks, improve workload distribution, and ensure timely completion of tasks.

Key benefits include:

• Better task distribution: When tasks are assigned judiciously taking into consideration individual skills and capabilities, it ensures a better distribution of workload. This leads to improved efficiency and higher productivity.
• Proactive problem-solving: Effective task tracking allows for early detection of problems or issues that might arise during the execution of tasks. This allows for proactive problem-solving, ensuring the smooth continuation of work.
• Effective communication: These practices foster better communication within the team as tasks and responsibilities are clear. This reduces chances of misunderstanding or confusion, promoting a more harmonious and productive work environment.

Illustrating Productivity Improvement Through a Table

Here's a simple table illustrating the difference in overall team productivity before and after implementing these best practices:

9. What are some challenges one might face when implementing these best practices and how can they be overcome?

Challenges faced in implementing best practices.

When initiating the best practices for successful task assignment and tracking, several challenges might pop up which could hinder the effective execution of the process. Firstly, resistance to change is a common obstacle that organizations face. Employees might resist the new strategies brought about by these best practices, partly due to their unfamiliarity or because they feel comfortable with the old systems. Secondly, lack of adequate resources such as software and tools for task assignment and tracking can also pose a significant challenge. Lastly, the lack of appropriate training to equip the workforce with the necessary skills can impede the implementation of these practices.

Overcoming the Challenges

The good news is, these challenges aren't insurmountable. Here are a few solutions:

• Resistance to Change: This can be overcome by fostering a culture of open communication where the benefits of the new practices are clearly articulated. Regular feedback forums where employees' concerns can be addressed can also help ease the transition.
• Lack of Resources: For businesses facing this issue, it could be worth investing in project management software or tools which have proven to enhance task assignment and tracking. There are many budget-friendly options available.
• Inadequate Training: Conduct regular training sessions and workshops. Such initiatives would enhance employees' skills, thus boosting their confidence in using new systems.

Considerations for Successful Implementation

10. Can these practices be adjusted for small teams or individuals, or are they only relevant for large organizations?

Adapting practices for different team sizes.

The beauty of best practices for task assignment and tracking is that they can be adapted to suit any team size, from large organizations to small teams and even individuals. Indeed, achieving productivity and efficiency is not merely the preserve of the big players. A small team or self-employed individual can efficiently manage their tasks by adjusting these practices to their unique needs.

• Small teams: Best practices can be refined to a simpler format for smaller teams. For instance, daily huddles could replace full-blown weekly meetings for status updates. Task tracking might also involve a more shared responsibility, with every team member being able to monitor and update their progress. Prioritization is still key, but it takes on a more immediate, flexible form.
• Individuals: For solo entrepreneurs or self-employed professionals, these practices can be tailored to personal task management. Clear objectives and deadlines are just as crucial and can be self-imposed. Tools such as personal to-do lists, digital diaries, or task management software can replace team boards and project management platforms.

Best Practices Table

To sum up, while these best practices were developed with larger organizations in mind, they are certainly not restricted to them. With some adjustments, they can offer immense benefits to the efficiency and productivity of smaller teams and individuals too. Therefore, it is important to experiment with, and adapt these practices to fit the specific dynamics and requirements of your working arrangement.

Best Practices for Successful Task Assignment and Tracking

Successful task assignment and tracking is often the difference between successful and unsuccessful projects. The following are the 12 best practices that can streamline your working process and ensure successful task tracking:

• Clarity: Make certain that instructions are clear and comprehensible.
• Define Objectives: Clearly state the purpose and outcome of each task.
• Relevant Skills: Assign tasks based on individual competencies.
• Priority Tasks: Highlight priority tasks.
• Transparent Communication: Maintain an open communication line to deal with problems quickly.
• Empowerment: Empower your team members in task management.
• Use of Technology: Utilize technology to track and manage tasks efficiently.
• Time tracking: Employ a software to track time spent on each task.
• Regular Updates: Showcase constant updates to keep the team on track.
• Project progress visualization: Represent the progression of the project visually for better understanding.
• Deadlines: Set realistic and flexible deadlines.
• Feedback: Regularly give feedback to promote constant improvement.

In light of the above-mentioned practices, the role of technology in task assignment and tracking cannot be overstressed. Several softwares are available in the market to help you streamline your task assignment and tracking processes but none are more efficient and user-friendly than Retainr.io .

Improve Your Business Operations with Retainr.io

Retainr.io is a whitelabel software that unifies all your task management needs. It enables you to sell, manage clients, orders, & payments with your own branded app, ensuring that all information is kept in one place, thus, making accessibility and tracking easier.

With its vast array of features, it empowers your team members by making task assignment and tracking seamless and efficient. It simplifies project management and enhances transparency in communication. The software's use of visual aids for project progress ensures that all team members have a clear view of where the project stands and what needs to be done.

So, harness the power of Retainr.io to ensure a well-coordinated, proficient, and successful execution of your projects. Start your journey towards efficient task management with Retainr.io today.

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Assigning Tasks: How to Delegate Effectively

There are certain projects that could never be completed if they weren’t broken down into individual tasks, especially those of a certain size and complexity. As soon as your team grows bigger than one or two people, you need to make use of the ability to assign tasks to achieve your goals. 

Last updated: December 21, 2022

8 mins read

There are some customer service superheroes out there who seem to be able to complete all the tasks themselves. But the reality is that most of us need to learn the skill of assigning tasks to others, especially if we are in positions of responsibility in busy customer service teams. This is to ensure that no single person is burdened with the workload, or high-performers are being unfairly assigned a larger proportion of the work available. 

Assigning tasks is essential for high-performing customer service teams that must juggle multiple priorities. 

Anyone who has any experience working in a customer service team understands task assignments, which helps you to get projects completed, customer queries solved and objectives fulfilled. It’s naturally much quicker and more efficient to have multiple employees working on different tasks that make up a project, utilizing their unique skills and experiences to come up with creative solutions. 

Without assigned tasks, projects would never get completed because teams are not working to their full capacity. Some customer problems could never be resolved because they require the contributions of different customer service representatives . Assigning tasks needs to be deliberate since it requires the coordination of multiple members of a team. 

What is task assigning?

Task assigning means allocating and delegating tasks to members of your team for effective project management. The task assigner is aware of the various strengths and weaknesses, skills and experience of individuals and can assign them tasks in pursuit of greater productivity. 

You need to be able to break down projects into component parts so that each individual may contribute to the greater whole. Usually, you will use task tracking or project management tools that can help your team manage their assigned task, and can even offer customer service automations that make assigning tasks easier. 

When assigning tasks is implemented effectively, each team member knows who is responsible for what and when tasks are due. This helps prevent conflicting priorities. Each task must come full circle, with each assignee receiving constructive feedback on how well they have completed the task. 

Even if you assign a task to another team member, they are still reporting into the task owner for approval. 

The importance of efficient task assignments

Efficient task assignment means that customer service teams can work to their full productivity, since each team member understands what they are responsible for. Your task description can break each task down so service reps fully understand the steps they need to take to complete the task, and have access to the resources they might need to be successful. Employees perform better when they are trusted with tasks that help them stretch and grow. 

The entire purpose of a team is to enable different employees to work together effectively and create outcomes that are greater than the individual contributions. Customer service teams that have a plurality of perspectives from multiple people are more creative. A diversity of perspectives contributes to more creative solutions as people with different backgrounds collaborate together. 

Projects are completed much more quickly when you have multiple team members handling all your employee tasks, instead of one person trying to do everything on their own. Task assignment means team members who have both the time and experience necessary to complete the task can all have a role to play. 

Effectively assigning tasks to individual team members gives them a chance to stretch themselves and engage in more professional development. New tasks give more junior customer service reps the opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone, and complete different types of work that may otherwise not come across their path. 

There are many benefits to task assignment, not least because it allows the entire team to share the workload. 

The difference between assignment and delegation

While they might at first glance seem to be similar, there is a big difference between task assignment and delegation. Assignment means you assign tasks to a team member and explain exactly how you want things to be done, with clear-cut instructions. Delegation means you are transferring responsibility for the task to your assignee and giving them more autonomy for how that task gets completed. 

Assigning tasks is often repetitive but it nevertheless contributes to the overall completion of the project. A delegated task is more free and gives your team members the opportunity to grow as they figure out how to produce the desired results. Task delegations are based more on outcomes than specific instructions, with the employee figuring out how to complete the task on their own. 

Although task delegation is more autonomous, it nevertheless still requires support from the manager to ensure that the employee has adequate direction. Delegating a task doesn’t mean the manager no longer has anything to do with it, but simply that they are trusting their assignee to take ownership. 

Choosing whether or not to assign or delegate a task means understanding the complexity of the task to be assigned. 

How to assign tasks to team members

Try to remove yourself from the approval process.

When a supervisor assigns tasks to employees, they themselves can become a bottleneck as service reps turn to them for approval during every stage of completing the task. When multiple team members are waiting for sign-off from the same customer service manager, you find that you haven’t actually reduced your workload and you end up micromanaging your assignees. 

When managers are too involved, projects lose momentum as the individual contributors end up waiting around for approval when they could be spending their time on more productive tasks. Customers are kept waiting as individual queries can’t progress without the authority of a manager. 

In order to avoid this problem, you can select a group of dependable people who are responsible for the approval process. Delegating responsibility means that you can be more hands-off in the task completion process, while being assured that the work is being completed to a high standard. Schedule regular team meetings to go over the progress of each task and keep your eye on the ball. 

Effective teamwork only happens when customer service supervisors feel secure enough to let the task go.  

Make your expectations explicit

Unfortunately, we can all fall into the trap of assuming that other people are mind-readers. In reality though, if you don’t give clear instructions to your team members then you’re unlikely to get the result you want. You need to look at your task titles and outlines from the perspective of an outsider in order to formulate clear instructions. 

If you want to better formulate tasks for your team members, break the task down into steps and give time estimates for each step. The more information the better, if you want to empower employees to complete tasks on their own. When employees are informed, they don’t have to waste time referring back to you for more clarity. 

There’s a fine line between clarity and micromanaging. Once you have assigned the task, don’t keep pestering your service rep to check whether they are doing it right. If you’ve given clear instructions, they should be able to complete the task to the best of their ability. 

At the same time, ensure that your employee knows they can always turn to you for help during the task, to guard against failure. 

Set an objective time frame for completion

When employees are assigned tasks, they need to be made aware of the deadline for completion or the task could run on forever. It’s not enough to vaguely say “As soon as you get to it” because some critical customer issue is bound to come along. 

It’s best to actively involve your customer service reps in their time frame for completion, since they are the ones who know best how long it will take them to finish certain tasks. When employees are involved in setting their own deadlines, they are more accountable and more likely to make an effort to meet it. 

If an employee is aware of a deadline, they can let you know if competing priorities have materialized and whether the deadline may need to be reevaluated. It’s best to flag these issues as soon as possible, before they affect the overall progress of the project. 

Without hard deadlines, projects will never get finished as every step gets continually put off until tomorrow. 

Hold your employees accountable

When assigning tasks to employees, make sure that they can account for their working hours somewhere that is publicly accessible to the team. You can use time tracking software that will help other team members understand exactly how someone is progressing with their task and hold that individual accountable. 

If employees are held responsible for their tasks, the project is much less likely to get derailed since you as the customer service manager can become aware if someone is falling behind. If your employee’s current progress looks like they might not meet their deadline, then you can ask them if they need extra help or support. 

Tracking your team’s performance can also help you identify the high-performers and who might be available for extra work. You might also see when team members are spending time on unnecessary tasks that don’t contribute to the progress of the project. Teams will be more efficient when they know exactly where time is being spent. 

If you don’t track your team’s hours, you won’t have visibility into your projects and their rate of completion. 

Assign tasks to the right person

There are several reasons why you might choose a particular person to assign a task to, starting with their relevant skills and experience. When assigning tasks to someone, you want to know that they have the right capabilities to complete the task without too much support from the manager. 

Secondly, you want to know that the person you assign the task to has enough time to complete the task. It’s no good assigning tasks to someone who is already overburdened with customer tickets and won’t be able to give your task the due care and attention. 

Thirdly, you might consider assigning tasks to someone who is in need of development opportunities. Perhaps there might be someone more skilled for the task out there, but you want to give this service rep a chance to learn new skills. In this case, you can assign the task while offering extra support for their professional development. 

Multiple factors come into play when it comes to deciding which person to assign a task to, so make sure you give each one enough consideration. 

Relate each task to a wider perspective

When an employee is assigned a task, it might seem insignificant and menial which will cause them to lose motivation. In order to keep employees excited about completing tasks, relate it to the wider perspective and explain how it helps to meet overall objectives. No task is too small or you wouldn’t be including it in your project in the first place. 

Showing employees how their work has an impact influences them to become more committed to the task. Employees are more engaged and happier at work when they understand how their contribution has a place, and that they are improving the lives of others in their team or of their customers. 

If you can’t see how each task fits into the bigger picture, then perhaps it shouldn’t be included at all. Every task should advance your goals and contribute to the progress of the project. 

If it’s not clear how a task fits into the broader picture, try to imagine what would happen if that task was left incomplete. 

Offer feedback on tasks

Every customer service rep needs to understand their performance, whether the feedback is positive or negative. If an employee has no feedback, they have no idea how their work has impacted the team or whether their task has been successful. Without feedback, employees can’t improve and become more productive members of the team. 

Providing your service reps with feedback means they can move onto progressively harder tasks that help them with their development. Even negative feedback can provide motivation to improve as the employee understands exactly what they did wrong with the task. 

While providing feedback does take some time on the part of the customer service manager, it’s the only way that your team members can become more effective, able to take on more complex tasks that would normally go to more senior members of the team. 

Be sure to phrase your feedback constructively to avoid demoralizing the team. 

Wrapping up

Customer service teams that master the art of effective task assignment are more productive, more creative, and have better solutions than their counterparts who can’t assign tasks. In an efficient customer service team, everyone should know what is expected of them and how their work contributes to the whole. 

Task assignments should be clear, detailed and accountable, with hard deadlines for completion. 

Effective teamwork means you can accomplish more than you could as individuals, and assigning tasks is a big part of working together. With transparency and accountability, managers can monitor how everyone is adding to the project. 

Catherine is a content writer and community builder for creative and ethical companies. She often writes case studies, help documentation and articles about customer support. Her writing has helped businesses to attract curious audiences and transform them into loyal advocates. You can find more of her work at https://awaywithwords.co.

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Productivity hacks - 8 min read

How to delegate tasks effectively (and why it’s important)

If you've ever watched track relay, you'll have seen the runners make blindly reaching for a baton at 20 mph while staying in their lanes look incredibly easy. But in truth, what they’re doing is extremely difficult. And it’s a lot like delegating effectively.

Delegating sounds easy — and others who do it well can make it look easy — but passing the baton effectively requires a lot of trust, communication, and coordination. Still, if you learn how to delegate — and you do it well — everyone on your team wins.

Why is it important to delegate?

As a leader, delegating is important because you can’t — and shouldn’t — do everything yourself. Delegating empowers your team, builds trust, and assists with professional development. And for leaders, it helps you learn how to identify who is best suited to tackle tasks or projects.

Of course, delegating tasks can lighten your workload, but according to Dr. Scott Williams , professor of management at Wright State University, delegating does much more than just get stuff off your plate.

For one, the people who work for you will be able to develop new skills and gain knowledge, which prepares them for more responsibility in the future.

“Delegation can also be a clear sign that you respect your subordinates’ abilities and that you trust their discretion,” Williams writes.

Why managers fail to delegate

While the benefits of delegating are obvious and plentiful, many managers still fail to delegate effectively. The reality is that there are several myths and misconceptions about delegating that can make some leaders wary of handing off work to others.

They think delegating is just passing off work to someone else

“Delegation is the process of assigning a project or activity to someone else while retaining the responsibility for its outcome,” writes Eli Amdur , Leadership Professor, Business Advisor, and Forbes Contributing Writer. “ That places an added emphasis on the importance of not only delegating, but delegating well, of delegating the right job to the right person at the right time, of following logical steps, of understanding the levels and progress of delegation, and of keeping a close eye on the process – right through to the conclusion of the assignment. ”

Delegation can be a chance to make workloads more manageable, but more than that, it can provide really valuable teaching opportunities for your employees, Mackay notes.

Delegation is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of a strong leader.

They think they can do it better

Scott Welle, Keynote Speaker and Author of the best-selling book, “Outperform The Norm: For Leaders,” writes about the psychology of delegation . In his piece, he describes common psychological traits of leaders who struggle to delegate tasks.

The Type-A personality effect , which is driven by perfectionist tendencies and a misguided belief that no one can do the work as well.

Struggles with teaching and leading teammates , fuelled by a misinterpretation of the adage, “give a man a fish he eats for a day, but teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.” In these situations, the leader decides it’s easier if they do the work themselves.

Lack of self-confidence , and a burning desire to prove they can do the work better than anyone else.

Loving your job too much , taking on all responsibilities instead of prioritizing tasks that ONLY you can do as a leader.

Watch for those biases in your work. They could be a sign that you need to focus on building more trust within your team.

Related: 6 Simple Tips for Effective Team Management

They’re nervous about letting go

Letting go can be challenging, but accepting that you can’t do everything yourself is important.

“Giving up being ‘the go-to expert’ takes tremendous confidence and perspective even in the healthiest environments,” says Carol Walker , president of Prepared to Lead — a consulting firm that focuses on developing young leaders.

Remind yourself that your team wants to do good work and be successful, just like you do. If your employees succeed, you succeed.

“I’ve learned that people will seldom let you down if they understand that your destiny is in their hands—and vice versa,” says Mackay.

They’re worried delegating will take longer than just doing the work

Another common barrier to delegation is that it can take longer to teach someone else how to do a task than to just do it yourself.

And while that might be true the first time you delegate the task, over time, the amount of time you have to dedicate to that task decreases because you won’t have to be involved with it at all.

Imagine that it will take you eight hours to walk someone through a task you have to complete every week. Typically, it takes you an hour to complete the task.

Once eight weeks have passed after you’ve trained someone else to do the task for you, you’ll have recouped the time you spent on training and now have an extra hour each week.

With that extra hour, you can focus on more important work, such as strategy, coaching, or development — the things leaders are supposed to do.

How to determine when delegating is appropriate

Another common barrier to delegation is that leaders aren’t sure which tasks they should and shouldn’t be delegating. In every manager’s workload — particularly new managers —t here are likely tasks that you should do and tasks that you should delegate.

Career and business strategist Jenny Blake recommends conducting an audit of your tasks using the rules below to find out which of your tasks should be delegated:

Tiny: Tiny tasks are little things that only take a small amount of time to complete, but add up over time. These might be things an assistant could do: scheduling meetings, booking flights for business trips, or deleting spam/marketing emails from your inbox.

Tedious: Tedious tasks are mindless tasks, such as copying and pasting lead information from your marketing automation tool to your CRM. Tedious tasks require little skill and can be easily delegated.

Time-consuming: Time-consuming tasks are opportunities to break work into smaller chunks and delegate portions of the work to others. If you perform a task regularly that takes a lot of time, search for opportunities to hand off segments of that task to others.

Teachable: Do you have tasks on your plate that you could easily teach someone else to complete? If a task is entirely teachable — if it does not require expertise that only you can provide — it’s a worthwhile candidate for delegation.

Terrible at: Maybe you have no design skills, so it takes you six times as long to create graphics for your blog posts as it would a professional designer. It’s better to delegate that task to someone who’s more equipped to do the work quickly and well.

Time-sensitive: Perhaps it would be better if you handled all the tasks belonging to a time-sensitive project, but if you won’t have time to complete it doing it all on your own, it’s time to find ways to delegate parts of that task to other members of your team.

Additionally, you may need to consider delegating tasks you love doing but are no longer part of your job.

If you recently moved into a leadership role, you may have pet projects from your days as an individual contributor, but if it’s now someone else’s job to complete those tasks, it’s time to delegate and teach that person how to do it for you.

How to delegate tasks effectively

1. Choose the right person for the job

Part of being a good leader is understanding your employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. If you need to delegate a task that is going to require a lot of collaboration to complete, don’t delegate it to someone who very strongly prefers working alone. Delegate it to someone who prefers collaborating.

If you conducted the audit recommended in the section above, you may have a list of tasks you’re looking to delegate. You may want to consider sitting down with your team, going through the list, and letting people self-select the tasks they’re most interested in taking over.

Letting people choose the tasks they’re delegated is another way to build trust with and inspire engagement among your team.

2. Explain why you’re delegating

If you’re delegating a task to someone out of the blue, it really helps when you provide context for why you’re giving them that responsibility.

“When you select people to delegate to, tell them why you chose them specifically and how you hope to see this help them grow,” says Alex Cavoulacos , founder of The Muse. “Help them see each delegated task as an opportunity to take on more responsibilities or grow new skills.”

3. Provide the right instructions

Every good delegator provides basic and important information without micromanaging. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , suggests that you delegate results rather than methods:

“For example, say, ‘Here’s what we are doing. Here’s what we’re after. I want you to get the sale,’ instead of ‘Follow up on those leads,” Covey says .

Tell employees your goals or the milestones you hope to hit, and let them tackle the problem in their own way. Don’t look for perfection or micromanage; someone else might complete a task differently than you would. As long as you get the result you’re looking for, that’s okay.

4. Provide resources and training

You have to make sure the person tasked with a job or project has the tools and resources they need to be successful.

“A good training rule of thumb is ‘I do, we do, you do’ (i.e. watch me do this, then let’s do it together, now you try),” says Cavoulacos.

Make sure that when you delegate a task, the person has the tools and skills they need to complete the task—or provide a way for them to work on those skills.

For example, if you ask someone to use a specific tool they’ve never used before to complete a task, make sure there’s a plan for them to become familiar with the tool first.

5. Delegate responsibility and authority

You’ve probably been in a situation where you were tasked with something but didn’t feel fully empowered to make decisions. As a result, the work stalls, you end up having to ask for help, and the task takes more time from both the employee and the manager.

“Managers who fail to delegate responsibility in addition to specific tasks eventually find themselves reporting to their subordinates and doing some work, rather than vice versa,” writes Martin Zwilling , founder and CEO of Startup Professionals.

Foster an environment and culture where people feel they’re able to make decisions, ask questions, and take the necessary steps to complete the work.

6. Check the work and provide feedback

There’s nothing worse than a manager who delegates something to an employee and then blames the employee when something goes wrong. Don’t be that manager.

Check the work you delegated to your employees when it’s complete, make sure they did it correctly, and give them any feedback needed to improve when handling the task going forward.

7. Say thank you

When someone completes a task or project you delegated, show genuine appreciation and point out specific things they did right or well.

When you make a note of those specifics, you’re giving people a roadmap for what they should continue to do to be successful.

“This is the simplest step but one of the hardest for many people to learn,” Zwilling says. “It will inspire loyalty, provide real satisfaction for work done, and become the basis for mentoring and performance reviews.”

The benefits of learning to delegate

If you delegate well, you can increase trust and commitment with your employees, improve productivity, and make sure the right people are performing the tasks that best suit them.

So don’t be afraid to pass the baton. It might take some practice to become a great delegator, but if you work at it, you’ll all go further.

Bring teamwork online for good with MeisterTask.

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