Managing Overtime Without Burning Out Your Team (or Your Budget)

Deadlines are looming. Work is piling up. And your first instinct? “Let’s just get the team to put in extra hours.”

Sound familiar?

It’s a natural go-to. Sometimes, overtime is unavoidable. But when it becomes the norm rather than the exception, it starts doing more harm than good - to your people and your bottom line.

Here’s what we often ask small business owners and team leads:

“Do you know why your team is working so many extra hours?”

Not just that they are, but why. Sometimes it’s a one-off crunch. Other times, it points to deeper issues: poor planning, unclear priorities, or insufficient resources.

“Do you have a clear overtime policy?”

Many businesses don’t. That means extra hours happen without limits, approvals, or oversight - until costs spike, frustration builds, and burnout sets in. (Pro tip: if someone is logging 15+ hours of overtime a week, that’s a warning sign.)

“Are you leaning too heavily on your star performers?”

We all have that one team member who always saves the day. But if they’re always the one staying late, it’s only a matter of time before they burn out - and then your business feels the impact too.

Practical Steps to Make Overtime Work for You

1. Ask why before approving overtime

Not to micromanage, but to understand what’s driving it. This insight helps you solve problems at the root rather than putting a band-aid on them.

2. Consider flexible schedules or shift rotations

Sometimes it’s not about doing more, just about doing it differently. Rotating responsibilities can help balance workloads without overtaxing anyone.

3. Cross-train your team

Spreading skills across multiple team members ensures no one person carries the weight when things get busy.

4. Encourage time off

It may sound obvious, but it’s worth saying: a rested team is a productive team. Protect their downtime, and you protect your business too.

Overtime isn’t inherently bad. But unmanaged overtime is expensive, stressful, and unsustainable.

At Fractional HR Malta, we help businesses create practical, people-first HR policies that protect both your team and your budget. From setting clear overtime rules to designing flexible work structures, we plug in where you need support most.

If your team is regularly clocking extra hours, now’s the time to take action = before burnout sets in.

Looking for HR Support? Contact our team today.

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