One thing I've been find helpful is that maanaging overtime requires balance. Clearly communicate expectations and rotate tasks to prevent burnout. Provide meaningful incentives, like extra time off or bonuses, and encourage regular breaks. Finally, recognize your team’s efforts, as genuine appreciation boosts motivation and strengthens morale during high-demand periods.

1. Plan Work: Prioritize tasks and prepare schedules in advance. 2. Monitor Hours: Track overtime to avoid burnout using tools and set limits. 3. Offer Flexibility: Provide options like staggered shifts or compensatory time off. 4. Communicate Clearly: Explain the necessity of overtime and keep expectations transparent. 5. Recognize Efforts: Reward employees through pay, perks, or appreciation. 6. Support Well-being: Encourage breaks, offer resources, and promote mental health. 7. Optimize Staffing: Hire seasonal workers or cross-train employees to distribute workloads. This ensures productivity while maintaining employee morale and well-being.

Managing overtime during peak season is all about balance. Yes, we compensate fairly, but it’s also about making them feel cared for. If the team is burning the midnight oil, we make sure they’re fed with warm meals and even rent a nearby hotel room so they can take turns freshening up. Once the chaos dies down, we give them a proper break to recharge. It's the little things that show we value their hard work and keeps morale up even during the toughest time ♥️

It's quite simple. I lead the team strategically. If we (they) can't get the work done in logically-appropriate quantities of time at work, we're either not working efficiently enough or the work is truly exceeding our capacity. Both problems are my problems as a leader, and not theirs...and I will not make people who depend on me liable for gaps in strategy or process efficiency. It is my duty to ensure they will not work extra time and put mental health and work-life balance at risk. As such, any perceived failure to perform or execute is my accountability, not theirs.

Managing Overtime is not a easy task though you pay extra to those hard working folks. Apart from paying i would be asking them to take an extra day off later and share a thanking email to them and the senior leadership how important these hours that were covered by the folks