There are two types of business workload issues: either it’s too much, or it’s not enough. Regardless of which direction the scale leans, workload imbalance can destroy a business.

When the workload decreases, employees are the first to worry about the future of their careers. In fact, if you don’t give your team enough to do, you might soon find yourself without a team!

But stretching out your staff productivity and trying to tackle more than they can do may not be the best solution either. Squeezing the best out of your team could appear manipulative and affect the team’s morale. Business owners are aware that heavy workloads can drive high turnover rates. However, you may not realize that things could be even worse if your employees choose to stay with the company.

Heavy Workloads Reduce the Attention Span

The brain needs a break to recharge. The longer a person works without a break, the less attentive they become, and the more likely they are to make mistakes. In an office, mistakes could mean being less productive and having to slow down client orders. But for your team on the road, a mistake could have serious consequences. Overworked drivers struggle to react rapidly and prevent collisions. You’d be surprised to know that if one of your drivers is involved in a collision, the car accident lawyer could put the blame on the company if they discovered the driver didn’t have sufficient break time.

Heavy Workloads Increase Conflict Issues

When your team is stretched out thin to manage heavy tasks, they are likely to experience high levels of stress. High pressure means adding a significant stress burden to the team. Unfortunately, when a person is hyperstressed, they can develop aggressive or angry behaviors. In other words, the more you demand of the team, the more conflicts can occur. A conflict within the office can affect the quality of work, your brand reputation, and customer management. The last thing you want is your audience to walk away because they’ve experienced the negative atmosphere in your business.

Heavy Workloads Don’t Go Unnoticed

Your customers and your competitors can spot the signs that your team is overworked. First of all, your employees talk. More often than not, social media platforms can create a viral post out of someone complaining about tough working conditions. Suddenly an employee venting online could put the company under fire. While you might argue that you could terminate the employee’s contract for mentioning the company on social media, it is unlikely to solve the problem. It could even inflame the situation.

In conclusion, the way you treat your employees can affect your brand, your growth, and your revenues. Heavy workload may seem benign compared to other business issues. However, a company that works employees too hard is likely to come under fire for disregarding employment laws, underpaying productivity, and exploiting workers. In the long term, even if your employees have no choice but to stay with the company, the market may decide to drive your brand down.