Illustrative example · Fictional data
Do we need more staff?
Before asking for more people, try assigning the same 12 staff according to workload. Compare how many requests remain.
Illustration only: service names, figures and processes are fictional, not institutional results.
Requests the team cannot cover this month
- With equal staffing
- 180
- With workload-based staffing
- 30
Illustration: 12 people, each assumed able to complete 60 requests per month.
A calculated difference in this example, not a delivered result.
What changed? Where people work.
People assigned to each service
- New licences420 requests per month4people, equal staffing7people, by workload
- Licence renewals210 requests per month4people, equal staffing4people, by workload
- Temporary permits90 requests per month4people, equal staffing1people, by workload
12 people in both options. No additional staff.
How did we work this out?Calculations and assumptions — optional reading
Why do 30 requests still remain?
In the workload-based option, one person handles temporary permits: capacity for 60 of the 90 requests leaves 30 uncovered. Spare capacity in another service does not transfer automatically.
- Uncovered with equal staffing
- 180
- Uncovered with workload-based staffing
- 30
This is a separate test; the main comparison above assumes 60 requests per person.
Assumes equal effort per request and equal capacity per person. Excludes absence, earlier pending work and skill differences. Staff are allocated in proportion to workload, rounded to whole people. This is not proof of the best possible allocation.
Discuss your institution’s needs
One challenge is enough to begin.
An initial conversation identifies the decision, the current obstacle and the available information. We then agree on a practical next step that can be evaluated.
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