As a manager, how do you determine how much work is too much for your employees?

Can you give us a bit more to work with other than “School Question”? It might bring better answers for you.

How do you know when you have too much work?

Have you ever supervised anyone?

In my decades of experience as a manager, I found that an ambitious employee always wants to be given more work, and a less motivated employee always feels she/he is being given too much of it.

It really helps if the manager knows what it really takes to do the jobs her staff is doing. If you grow through the ranks, you manage people who are doing what you have done. I always spent time with my staff part of the time. See how they get through tasks, how they organize themselves. I was not so on top of them that I needed to know every detail though. I was basically available for them to come to me if they were overwhelmed or if they wanted more work. Communication is the best way. Get to know your staff so they talk to you in informal ways. My staff knew how much I repected them and I knew how hard they worked and if they were reaching their limit.

What I usually do is first I do the task myself and check how much time it takes me. Then the next day or next time I do the same to make sure the results are pretty similar. Then I give the task to the employees when I know approximate needed time.

They usually complain very quickly if they feel I am giving them too much work to do. Best is to monitor your staff closely and know their abilities. Some can work harder and others are able to work smarter. You need to know each one personally and they should feel that you care about them. That way you will also be in a better position to get them motivated to do more.