I'd first assess the situation to understand the root cause of the overwhelming support requests. Is it a sudden surge, a recurring issue, or a lack of resources? Then, I'd offer immediate assistance by taking on some of their workload or helping prioritize requests based on urgency and impact. Next, I'd explore ways to improve the support process. This could involve knowledge sharing, creating FAQs or documentation to address common issues, or identifying opportunities for automation. Finally, I'd advocate for long-term solutions, such as additional resources or process improvements, to prevent this situation from recurring.

Give them a chance to express what they’re feeling and where they feel overwhelmed. I would see if I can take on some of their responsibilities or delegate tasks within the team to lighten the load. Sometimes, simply knowing that someone understands can help. Acknowledge their efforts and offer positive reinforcement. Remind them of the importance of stepping away from work to recharge. If the problem persists, it may be worth revisiting their workload or role expectations. By providing both practical and emotional support, you can help your team member feel more in control, regain their confidence, and stay afloat during difficult times.

When a team member is overwhelmed with support requests, start by offering immediate assistance to alleviate their workload. Assess and prioritise the requests, focusing on urgent or high-impact issues first. Delegate tasks to other team members or step in to handle some yourself if possible. Encourage them to set boundaries, such as time blocks for focused work and clear communication with requesters about response times. Provide tools or templates to streamline responses and automate repetitive tasks. Offer emotional support and check in regularly to ensure they feel heard. Long-term, evaluate staffing or process improvements to prevent recurring overloads.

To help a team member overwhelmed by support requests, I would first assess the workload and prioritize the most urgent issues. I’d offer assistance by taking on some of their less critical tasks or troubleshooting simpler problems. I would also encourage them to delegate or escalate complex issues where appropriate, ensuring they focus on high-impact tasks. Additionally, I’d offer emotional support, helping them stay calm and organized, and provide guidance on time management or using automation tools to handle repetitive requests. By fostering collaboration and reducing pressure, I can help them regain control and stay afloat.

By triaging tickets to different team members of the department. Team work is vital to keeping a healthy work place stay afloat.

Another technique to support a team member who is overwhelmed with support requests is to surge other analysts to help with the high priority items in the queue. This will help the overwhelmed analyst to make up time. This includes managers stepping in to help out with the work as well. Once the work is caught up to a sufficient level the team can resume normal operations. Ideally, your ticket management system would be automated to ensure a backlog doesn’t happen. This automation should also focus team efforts on high priority items.

I would first assess their workload and prioritize tasks based on urgency and impact. Delegating less critical tasks to other team members or streamlining processes can help distribute the workload more evenly. Providing them with tools or templates to handle common requests efficiently can save time. Offering additional training or resources to enhance their skills in handling complex issues might also be beneficial. Regular check-ins and emotional support will ensure they feel valued and empowered while we work together to address this challenge.

This is a wider issue than most people think it is and begins with management. Staff should be resolving issues at FPOC where possible. Management should not enforce unachievable goals on handling times upon staff. This inevitably leads to staff not fixing things properly to get people off the phone/chat to meet said unachievable goals. This creates an endless flow of requests due to customers having to contact you repeatedly for simple requests and creates angry customers. Faster isn't necessarily better. If only 1 team member is drowning, then there is clearly an imbalance on request assignment. Scope your requests, then spread these out amongst other team members. Your assignment procedure then needs review.