“When you’re operating with a small team on a slew of deadlines, it’s easy to default to delegating tasks to the same people over and over,” writes Rebecca Hawk for ASAE. “To prevent burnout in high performers and resentment from less efficient team members, take time to consider how you’re divvying up your staff’s workload.”

Hawk explains four ways to make sure you are balancing your team’s workload.

• Understand your team’s to-do lists. If you don’t know what all your team is responsible for, you might be piling work on the same reliable team members, which can impact their long-term projects.

“To divide up work effectively, set aside some time to get a full picture of the tasks your team needs to complete,” she writes. “Map out the various projects your employees are working on, and then assign priorities to each project and its associated tasks.”

• Delegate according to skill sets. Instead of relying on the individuals who can get high-priority work done quickly, assign tasks that align with your team’s skill sets.

“For example, if one employee wants to develop his data analysis skills, you could assign him to a research project—even if he might not be the most obvious choice for the job,” Hawk suggests.

Then, consider what additional support you may need to provide to ensure he completes the project successfully and on time. "With the right structures in place, staff can rise to new challenges and opportunities in ways that far surpass your expectations,” she writes

• Agree upon your team’s goals. Communicate the overarching goals of your team on a regular basis, and include how tasks and projects are a part of those missions, explains Hawk.

“Additionally, try to praise high-quality work over speed and quantity. Staff members work at different paces and produce different amounts of work,” she writes.

Moreover: “By emphasizing that you place the most value on a high-caliber work, you set a common expectation and a level playing field,” she points out.

• Have regular check-ins. “To keep your team on track and check in on progress, try scheduling frequent, one-on-one meetings to touch base with your team members,” writes Hawk. “Individual check-ins will allow you to confirm that team members understand their roles, and they will provide privacy for critical conversations, if needed.”