Any team will inevitably have turnover. This is to say that at some point new team members will come on board, and existing team members will leave after varying lengths of time. This could be for many different reasons. New team members may be required due to an expansion in workload, team members could move to another team, leave the organization, the team could have a rotating schedule, or just simply need a break from a demanding environment.

In this video, we will look at scaling the response team and delegation of duties, avoiding exhaustion for team members, and rotating personnel. When an incident becomes too much work to manage for a response team, scaling the team may provide a more immediate resolution and relieve some of the load across the team. Often when a new team member comes on board, there's an acclimation period, especially if that person has never worked with the team.

Let's go over a transition checklist. The new team member should feel welcome and comfortable with the team in order to kickstart the acclamation process. Introducing the team and identifying roles is a good start. Ensure that the new member has a good understanding of what is expected. Make sure the new member knows who to turn to for help with various issues. Key members of the team, such as team leads and team members that the person will work closely with, should spend some extra time with the new member. Spending extra time up front will help get the new member up to speed. Grant the new member the necessary permissions and add the person to the communication channels.

Now that additional team members have been added to the team, it is especially important to have good communication and delegation. Having a larger team can be a detriment to progress rather than bolstering productivity if not managed properly. For each new team member added, the complexity of managing communication and duties is impacted exponentially. For that reason, it is vital that new leadership roles are created if needed so that the reporting chain is more manageable.

It may be necessary to restructure the team roles to balance the team and distribute the workload. No matter how much we love what we do, at some point exhaustion sets in. Recognizing the signs of exhaustion is the first step in heading it off. Most often a person's demeanor changes to a more negative outlook. The person may have a reduced interest in doing a once-loved job, having trouble getting enough sleep, being agitated easily, not being able to feel satisfied, feeling restlessness and anxious. Coping with exhaustion or burnout is vital for the individual team members and for the team. Reduce fatigue by taking scheduled rests or break periods, such as a 15-second break every 15 minutes and a five-minute break every one or two hours.

Exercise is a good way to reduce stress and clear one's mind. Engaging socially can be a welcomed distraction. Reduce stress levels with proven stress relief techniques. If exhaustion gets too severe, a break from the project or immediate duties may be required.

Team members rolling off and on projects is fairly common. Frequent personnel changes can cause productivity to stagnate if not managed properly. Have plans in place for onboarding new members and role changes. Things such as getting new members the proper permissions, making sure they know what their duties are, etc.

When changing a role, if possible, have the person on the way out spend some time with the person rolling into the role. If not possible, have another team member debrief with the vacating team member so that information can be relayed. Good documentation around the role's activities is always warranted.

Lectures

Course Introduction - Role Context and Defining Authoritative Roles - Defining IAM Roles - Defining Groups - Incident and Request Management - Course Conclusion