Every project leader wants to get the most out of their team, but pushing people to their limits is not a sustainable strategy. Overworking may deliver results in the short term, but it quickly leads to stress, missed deadlines, and higher turnover. True optimization is about balance: using resources effectively without draining your team‘s energy.
Strategies to improve resource usage
Optimizing resources is about balancing demand, capacity, and skills. The strategies below show how managers can make better use of resources while keeping workloads fair and sustainable.
Use resource management software for visibility
The first step toward smarter resource usage is visibility. Managers need to see who is available, where tasks overlap, and where bottlenecks could appear. Tools like Birdview PSA provide real-time workload views and utilization reports, making it easier to spot risks early and reassign work before they escalate.
Forecast demand and plan capacity
Forecasting helps you prepare in advance. If you know your consulting team will be at full capacity in the next two months, you can adjust timelines, bring in contractors, or negotiate deadlines with clients. This prevents last-minute crises and protects your team from overwork.
📚 Learn more: Capacity forecasting: How do you forecast your team’s capacity?
Prioritize projects and match skills wisely
Not all tasks carry the same weight. By ranking projects based on urgency, revenue, or client importance, you can direct resources to what matters most. Assigning tasks based on skills ensures efficiency and prevents certain team members from being stretched too thin. For example, giving a highly skilled designer every small task creates overload, while junior team members remain underutilized.
📚 Learn more: Project prioritization. Choosing of model, process, and strategy
Monitor utilization rates and adjust
Chasing 100% utilization usually backfires. A healthy rate is often around 70–80%, leaving room for focused work, problem-solving, and unexpected tasks. Regular reviews and small adjustments, such as reassigning tasks or delaying lower-priority projects, help keep workloads sustainable.
📚 Learn more: Resource utilization: Strategies and calculation
Encourage open communication
Encourage team members to speak up when they feel overloaded or underused. Regular check-ins build trust and allow managers to rebalance workloads quickly before problems escalate.
Optimizing resource usage without overworking your team requires smart tools, clear priorities, and open communication. When balance is achieved, productivity grows, employees stay engaged, and projects are delivered successfully.
