Are you aware of the workload signals HR should track in your business? This is the best-kept secret to keep employees from burning out.
When the economy is tough, companies tend to downsize. Employees are laid off or required to take early retirement. In some cases, the remaining staff is required to pick up the work of the employees who left the company.
The economy is booming, and the company is experiencing rapid growth. As a result, the existing staff is overwhelmed by the increased workload.
In both scenarios, the result is the same. The workforce is overburdened and on the brink of burnout.
1. Number of job openings
The number of job openings at your company is a good indicator of your employees’ workload. If the number is high, it could mean that employees are struggling to keep up with their work, and the company needs to hire more people.
In addition to monitoring the number of job openings, HR should also track the time it takes to fill those positions. If it takes a long time to fill an opening, it can put additional pressure on the rest of the team, leading to burnout. By using call analytics, HR teams can also gain insights into candidate interactions—such as response times, interview call durations, and follow-up efficiency—to identify bottlenecks in the hiring process and improve overall hiring speed.
2. Time to fill
This metric is a key measure of how efficient your talent acquisition team is. Time to fill is the number of days from when a job requisition is approved to when an offer is accepted. The national average time to fill is 42 days.
Most companies want to fill their jobs faster than the national average. A long time to fill can put additional stress on your team, as other employees may have to pick up the slack. It also means you may be losing out on top talent.
If you find that time to fill is consistently high, you may need to reevaluate your recruiting process. You could also consider investing in technology to help automate some of your tasks.
3. Overtime hours
Overtime is a common way to handle the occasional busy period. But, if it becomes a habit, it can lead to burnout and disengagement. Plus, it can be expensive for your company.
You should track overtime hours for individual employees as well as for your workforce as a whole. If you notice a trend of high overtime hours, you may need to bring in additional help or redistribute workloads to keep your team from getting overwhelmed.
4. Employee turnover
Highly stressed workers are 12% more likely to leave their job, according to a study from the American Psychological Association. When employees are overworked, they’re more likely to look for other jobs, which can be costly for your business.
To track employee turnover, HR can use the following formula:
(Number of employees who left in a given time period ÷ average number of employees in the same time period) x 100 = employee turnover rate
The average number of employees is the sum of the number of employees at the beginning and end of the time period, divided by 2. With the help of an employee turnover calculator, you can easily calculate this.
5. Employee engagement
Employee engagement is a measure of how connected, motivated and committed employees are to their work, team and organization. It is a key indicator of overall employee well-being and productivity.
Engaged employees are more likely to be satisfied with their workload, and they are also more likely to be able to manage it effectively. On the other hand, disengaged employees are more likely to feel overwhelmed and burned out.
By tracking employee engagement, HR can get a sense of how well employees are able to manage their workloads. If engagement is low, it may be a sign that employees are struggling with too much work.
6. Employee feedback
If you want to know how your employees are handling their workload, one of the best things you can do is ask them.
This could be done through informal conversations, or you could use a more structured approach, like a survey or employee feedback tools. Some organizations also use AI agents for customer support internally to surface recurring employee issues, analyze sentiment at scale, and flag workload-related concerns before burnout becomes visible.
The key is to ask the right questions. If you want to get a sense of how well your employees are managing their workload, you could ask questions like:
- Do you feel like you have enough time to get your work done?
- Do you feel like your workload is too heavy?
- Do you feel like you have the right skills and resources to do your job effectively?
By asking the right questions, you can get a sense of whether your employees are feeling overwhelmed, or if they’re managing their workload effectively.
7. Absenteeism
Absenteeism is a common problem in the workplace, and it can be caused by many things. In some cases, employees may be absent because they are dealing with an excessive workload. In other cases, they may be absent because they are burned out and need a break.
Whatever the cause, it’s important for HR to track absenteeism and look for patterns. If employees in a certain department or on a certain team are consistently absent, it could be a sign that they are dealing with too much work.
8. Number of projects
It’s not just the size of the projects your employees are working on that matters; it’s the number of projects they are juggling. If an employee is working on several projects at once, it can lead to stress and burnout. It can also make it difficult for them to manage their time and prioritize their work.
Keep an eye on how many projects your employees are working on at once. If you notice that they are taking on too much, have a conversation with them about their workload. You may need to reassign some of their projects or provide them with additional support.
9. Percentage of projects completed on time
HR should also track how many projects are being completed on time by leveraging HR software solutions for performance and productivity insights.. This can be a sign of how efficiently employees are working and how well they’re managing their time. If you notice a decrease in the percentage of projects completed on time, it may be time to reevaluate workloads and deadlines.
If you find that employees are consistently missing deadlines, it may be a sign that they have too much on their plate. In this case, you may need to have a conversation with the employee and their manager about how to better prioritize their work and manage their time.
10. Percentage of projects completed on budget
When employees are overworked, they are more likely to make mistakes. This can lead to a higher percentage of projects going over budget, which can be costly for a business.
By tracking this metric, HR can get a sense of how well employees are managing their workloads. If this number is high, it could be a sign that employees are taking on too much and need help managing their workloads.
11. Percentage of projects meeting goals
As you monitor the performance of your teams and individuals, you should track how often projects are meeting their goals. This shows how well your team is managing their time and resources, and if there are any problems that need to be addressed.
For example, if you notice that the percentage of projects meeting goals is decreasing, it could be a sign that your team is overworked and needs additional support. On the other hand, an increase in this metric could indicate that your team has the capacity to take on more work.
Conclusion
By monitoring these workload signals, HR can take a proactive approach to staffing and resource allocation. Use the right HR software to keep track of employee workloads, and you can help prevent burnout, improve productivity, and keep your teams happy and healthy.