Practice tool: Reviewing your workload strategy

Review your workload strategy regularly to make sure that you are addressing new and emerging issues.

How to use this tool

Use this tool to identify priority actions when reviewing your workload strategy. This can be completed individually or as part of a group review.

Objective	Questions to consider
Fair workload allocation	Are we allocating work fairly so no one is overloaded while others have lighter caseloads?
Workload reviews	Are we reviewing workloads regularly? Do team leaders meet often to assess capacity and allocate cases fairly?
Workload safety	How do we spot when workloads become unsafe?
Caseload review and adjustments	What processes ensure regular caseload reviews and adjustments?
Flexible caseloads	Can we introduce flexible caseloads that reflect case complexity and staff capacity?

Objective	Questions to consider
Data management and systems	Are we using data effectively? How well do our management systems track workload and capacity?
Understanding community needs	Are we using research and data to understand community needs? How can specialist teams help address them?
Wellbeing	How can we balance data-driven insights with a personalised approach that prioritises staff wellbeing?

Data management and systems

Are we using data effectively?

How well do our management systems track workload and capacity?

Understanding community needs

Are we using research and data to understand community needs?

How can specialist teams help address them?

Wellbeing

How can we balance data-driven insights with a personalised approach that prioritises staff wellbeing?

Objective	Questions to consider
Organisational structure	Is our organisational structure helping team leaders manage workloads?
Staff information and capacity	Do team leaders have the right information on staff capacity, experience, professional development, and the complexity of cases?
Contingency planning	What contingency plans do we have? Are we setting and reviewing safe workload limits regularly?
Tools and training	Do we have the right tools and training to support workload management?
Identifying bottlenecks	How do we identify and resolve bottlenecks? Can dedicated teams or review processes help?

Objective	Questions to consider
Specialist team support	Are specialist teams getting the training and support they need? How do we prevent trauma fatigue in those handling the most complex cases?
Administration support	What administration tasks can business support staff take on to free up social workers’ time?
Family support workers	How can we bring family support workers into teams to help with family interventions?

Specialist team support

Are specialist teams getting the training and support they need?

How do we prevent trauma fatigue in those handling the most complex cases?

Administration support

What administration tasks can business support staff take on to free up social workers’ time?

Family support workers

How can we bring family support workers into teams to help with family interventions?

These resources have been developed by Research in Practice in collaboration with DfE.
Published: 24 September 2025
Last updated: 24 September 2025