Cognitive Overload – What is it, how to identify and reduce it?
What is Cognitive Overload? It is when an individual receives too much information or too many tasks to effectively take everything on board to progress in their role.
The added work pressures placed on employees which cause them to experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and/or fatigue can be the result of changes to their existing working infrastructure.
These changes can be brought on by, for example, staff absenteeism through illness creating an overload of work on top of their existing workload pressures. Or their inability to manage change at work due to the introduction of new working practices and systems, which hinder their ability to work in an agile way.
When exploring the reasons behind the individual experiencing cognitive overload, it is equally important to understand a person’s different thinking and behavioural patterns.
Creating wider awareness of cognitive overload. People managers must be able to identify and address the pressures and burden of work overload within their teams (and within themselves). It is crucial that managers implement programmes that address the support available to prevent long-term absences and/or unwanted employee attrition.
The Oakridge Centre offers a wide range of programmes that can be tailored to your organisation’s needs.
Programmes and resources to support your employees' Cognitive Overload and Wellbeing.
- Paying attention to what matters (PDF)
- Engaging Conversations (PDF)
- Coaching skills for Managers
- Human Performance and Error Management
- Introduction to Change Management (PDF)
- Managing Mental Health in the Workplace (PDF)
- Mental Health First Aid
- Managing Sickness and Absence at Work (PDF)
- Wellbeing in Uncertain Times (PDF)
- Cognitive/Neurodiversity - Thinking Differently Together programme (PDF)
- Cognitive/Neurodiversity Blog and Video
What is Cognitive Overload? It is when an individual receives too much information or too many tasks to effectively take everything on board to progress in their role.
