How to Delegate at Work (And Why You Need This Skill)

Are you experiencing burnout? Or do you think you could be at risk?

If so, you're not alone. The overwhelming majority of Canadians feel they are at risk of burnout.

There are many ways of addressing burnout, but one, in particular, can be quickly implemented in the workplace: delegating tasks.

Delegating tasks to others who can excel can reduce the risk of burnout, letting your employees focus on the tasks they are best suited for. If you need help with how to delegate or delegate effectively, we'll walk you through the why and how of delegating work.

Why You Should Be Delegating Tasks

First, let's talk about why you need to delegate. Delegating tasks is an essential leadership skill.

When you delegate tasks, you send a clear sign to your employees: you trust and respect them. You expect them to learn, and you want them to develop new knowledge and skills.

It's also a great way to observe and learn what team members are best suited to which projects and tasks. You may have an underperforming employee who excels at their new task. Delegating isn't passing off work. However, it can help lighten your workload.

How to Delegate Tasks Effectively

For starters, don't micromanage. If specific training or authority is required for the employees working on the delegated work, ensure they receive everything they need for success.

Focus on the desired end goal and address any skill gaps required to get your employees there. Don't leave them on their own - establish a clear line of communication. If the person you delegate tasks to doesn't feel comfortable asking your questions or providing progress updates, you've failed as a leader.

Speaking of failure…leave room for failure. Letting your employees learn from their mistakes will enable and empower them. Be patient, too; a task that you may be familiar with may take them longer to do.

When an employee comes to you with a progress update, provide constructive feedback on how they are doing. If that sounds foreign to you, you can learn how to provide effective feedback.

Skills like this are essential soft skills. Not everyone has them, but all leaders should. Fortunately, soft skills can be taught.

Once the tasks are complete, one final, very important step is giving credit where credit is due. Recognize that your team's success is a group effort and give them recognition.

Delegating takes lots of practice, especially if you're a perfectionist or are used to doing everything yourself. However, delegating tasks will help ease your workload and help your employees upskill.

Learn How to Delegate and Other Leadership Essentials with Coursetter

We offer a full range of professional development courses if you're a manager wanting to learn skills such as how to delegate, negotiate, or be a better leader.

You can sign up for individual courses or work with our staff to create a custom training program specifically tailored to your organization.

Check out our complete list of professional development courses.