The Biggest Side Effect of Resource Bottlenecks That No One Wants To Talk About

In previous posts, we have explored the main identifiers, causes, risks and results of resource bottlenecks, so now is a great opportunity to explore the biggest side effect of resource bottlenecks that gets very little attention: the human cost. 

When your organization or process experiences a bottleneck, it can have a big impact on the morale of your workforce, causing workers stress and anxiety. Since your workforce is the backbone of your organization, workforce stress and anxiety can have major ripple effects across your departments. This can lead to decreased productivity, an unhealthy workplace environment, and high turnover.

Below, find some of the top reasons for- and side effects of- a stressed-out workforce:

1. Workers are experiencing a lack of resources. 

It can be very stressful trying to complete a task without the needed tools. Imagine trying to...

2. They are bombarded with a massive backlog they have to quickly address. 

If you have ever been a waiter, you know the pain of trying to adequately serve multiple tables that were all seated at the same time.

3. Team dynamics are hurt

If the people who come before and after an employee in the process are always missing due dates or doesn't deliver their part of the process in a timely manner, this can cause trust to diminish among teammates

4. Inability to perform their quality standards

5. They might worry about job security

If a workers performance is suffering for reasons outside of their control, employees can accumulate stress worrying about how they might be evaluated by their superiors on that next evaluation. This can lead to a constant level of anxiety and a tendency to overcompensate (and burn out) or lash out at fellow coworkers.

Don't Sacrifice Employee Morale

Employee morale is a high price to pay for a problem that can easily be resolved. You can read more here to see a deeper look at the steep cost of employee replacement.