Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
Time remains one of the most underexamined variables in workplace performance. While businesses invest in technology, strategy, and hiring, time management often goes unaddressed until deadlines slip, morale drops, or burnout takes hold.
The problem rarely lies in employees working too little. Instead, it stems from poor alignment between time, priorities, and expectations. For organizations focused on long-term performance, the ability to manage time well must start with leadership.
The Organizational Fallout of Mismanaged Time
Ineffective time use has cascading consequences. Deadlines get missed, output quality declines, and internal trust erodes when expectations are not met.
These outcomes are not always the result of laziness or neglect; more often, they reflect structural issues where priorities are unclear, systems are fragmented, and team members are forced to juggle too many competing tasks.
Brian Smith, a veteran consultant in leadership and organizational psychology, points to a hidden factor.
“Humans are increasingly relying on technology to support their time allocation and management,” he told Allwork.Space. “While this reliance can enhance efficiency, it is simultaneously degrading individuals’ ability to manage their time independently.”
Smith believes that when external systems dictate schedules, professionals risk losing the personal judgment and adaptability needed to make effective choices. Rather than gaining freedom, many become trapped by a pace and precision that feels efficient on the surface but ultimately adds pressure and reduces resilience.
Technology Can Help, but Not Without Limits
Productivity tools and scheduling software are essential in today’s workplace. Used well, they create transparency, support coordination, and eliminate low-value tasks. But there is a fine line between efficiency and overload.
Smith warns that many time management systems are added on top of already busy schedules without changing the core approach.
“Merely layering time management systems on an already overloaded schedule does not address the underlying issue,” he says. “True balance requires both individuals and organizations to recalibrate their approach to workload expectations and focus on meaningful prioritization rather than maximizing output at all costs.”
Elizabeth Bieniek, is a leadership consultant and former Fortune 100 innovation executive, emphasizes the importance of personalization.
“Time management is most effective when it is tailored to the individual style of the person involved,” she told Allwork.Space.
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She believes organizations should offer as much schedule flexibility as systems can reasonably allow. Within well-defined parameters, this freedom to adapt workflows can significantly boost morale, ownership, and performance.
A Cultural Strategy Built on Trust and Focus
Time management troubles can also be a reflection of culture. When leadership signals that every task is urgent, that multitasking is a virtue, or that busyness equals value, employees adjust accordingly.
This breeds stress and inefficiency, but organizations that prioritize focused work, strategic rest, and outcome-based expectations perform more consistently.
“Shifting from time-based metrics to outcome-based goals builds resilience in teams by focusing on achievable and measurable results rather than overburdening employees with rigid schedules,” Stephen Jon Thompson, former VP of Talent at Docusign, explained to Allwork.Space.
He thinks this approach builds trust and ownership across teams and allows people to work more effectively during their most productive hours.
“Resilience thrives when workers can customize their workflows, leveraging flexibility while staying aligned with shared company principles,” he said.
Thompson also underscores the value of ethical automation.
“AI tools act as extensions of human capacity, enhancing resilience by managing cognitive loads and simplifying complex workflows,” he said.
This allows employees to focus on more creative and impactful tasks. However, the presence of AI alone is not enough. “These tools must align with organizational principles such as trust, simplicity, and customer focus,” he cautioned.
Leading by Example with Clear Priorities
Leadership sets the tone for how time is treated. When leaders are reactive, overbooked, and vague about priorities, their teams absorb that culture. To improve time management across the organization, leaders must be proactive about modeling clarity, setting realistic timelines, and protecting time for high-value tasks.
This includes defending deep work from constant interruptions and rethinking how success is measured. Encouraging wellness breaks, promoting singular focus over multitasking, and giving space for thoughtful planning are necessary strategies to ensure sustainable performance.
Productivity strategies that emphasize unity, innovation, and sustainability can make resilience a natural part of company culture.
Time as a Long-Term Asset
Aside from short-term inefficiency, the real cost of poor time management is the lost potential, missed innovation, and declining well-being over time.
As Bieniek puts it, “Deadlines and outcomes need to be clear, but inside of established parameters, the freedom to tailor one’s approach can make a huge difference in happiness and a sense of autonomy.”
Companies that build time management into their values will find their teams more focused, creative, and engaged.
Leaders must drive this transformation by making time visible, intentional, and strategic. When that happens, time becomes less of a stress point and more of a strength.
