Managers: How to Help When Your Employees Feel Overwhelmed

Let’s be real: nothing sinks trust faster than when an employee shares, “I’m overwhelmed,” and the manager replies with some version of, “Yeah, well, we’re all busy right now.” (Ouch.) Not only does that shut the conversation down, but it leaves your employee feeling dismissed, or worse, questioning whether they’re even capable of doing their job.

As a manager, your role isn’t to minimize the weight your people are carrying. It’s to help them navigate it. Let’s talk about how you can respond in ways that actually support your team and strengthen the culture you’re building.

A Real-Life Example

I’m working right now with a small business owner who came to me with a laundry list of things she wanted to accomplish. Her head was spinning with all the tasks—marketing campaigns, new offerings, community outreach, systems setup—you name it. She felt stuck because everything felt urgent.

In our session, we pulled everything out of her head and onto paper. Then we stepped back and asked: What actually moves the needle right this minute? For her, the answer was clear—driving revenue. From there, we prioritized only the actions that directly supported that goal and set aside the rest.

The relief was visible. By the end of the session, she wasn’t overwhelmed anymore—she had a plan.

The same principle applies when your employees feel buried. Sometimes they don’t need more hustle; they need help clarifying what matters most right now.

Start with Real Communication

First off, if someone on your team feels comfortable enough to admit they’re struggling—that’s a win for your leadership. You’ve created enough psychological safety that they’re willing to be honest. Don’t lose that moment.

When an employee opens up, resist the urge to jump straight to fixing or brushing it off. Instead:

• Listen and validate. Say something like, “I hear you, that sounds like a lot to hold right now.”

• Clarify what they need. Sometimes they just want to vent. Other times they’re asking for help lightening the load. A simple, “Do you want me to just listen, or do you want me to step in and help problem-solve?” can make all the difference.

Work Together on Solutions

If they are asking for help, here’s a simple process to try:

1. Brain dump. Have your employee write down every task on their plate.

2. Add feelings. Next to each one, jot a +, – , or X (neutral) to capture how they feel about the task.

3. Prioritize together. As a pair, rank items by urgency: urgent, important, postpone, or remove.

This mirrors what I did with my small business client—the process takes the swirl of “everything is important” and turns it into “here’s what matters most right now.” That clarity itself is often the biggest relief.

As a manager, this might mean delegating, postponing, or even eliminating certain projects. The key is showing your team member you’re willing to adjust, not just pile more on.

And don’t forget the follow-up. Regular check-ins signal that you’re invested in their success, not just doing a one-time triage

Check the Team Pulse

Here’s a tip: if one employee is saying they’re overwhelmed, odds are they’re not the only one. Use this as a chance to scan the team:

• Are deadlines realistic?

• Is the work distributed fairly?

• Do strengths and capacity actually match the tasks at hand?

Redistributing workload and resetting expectations isn’t a sign of weakness - it’s leadership. It builds a culture where collaboration and trust come before burnout.

When employees feel overwhelmed, the worst thing you can do is minimize it. The best thing you can do is listen, validate, and partner with them to find a sustainable path forward. That’s how you keep good people engaged, prevent burnout, and build a culture where people actually want to stay.

And please, for everyone’s sake, let’s retire the “we all have a lot on our plate” dismissal for good.

Want more tools to lead with confidence and compassion? This is exactly the kind of support I offer managers. Let’s connect—I’d love to help you build a leadership style that’s effective and human.

---

Want to be notified when a new blog is published? Sign up here!

Follow Our Podcast to get weekly actionable career advice!