They say
“I’m already overloaded.”
Your response
“Let’s look at your current commitments and deadlines. If this task needs to come first, I need to decide what moves rather than simply adding it on top.”
01
First, check this
Do you know what work the employee already owns and what it requires, or are you relying on assumptions about their capacity?
02
Why this works
The response tests the workload claim instead of accepting or dismissing it. Looking at actual commitments gives the manager a basis for deciding whether capacity exists. It also makes clear that prioritization is a management responsibility. This page diagnoses whether overload is real; the next page handles the employee’s more specific request to choose what should be dropped.
03
Don’t say
“Everyone is overloaded right now.”