By Louise John, Head of IT Service Delivery at Virgin Active
For IT managers, unexpected projects and changing business priorities are normal part of the job.
You might have spent months planning your team’s workload, but only to be told with little warning that a new software solution needs to be implemented within six weeks.
Whatever the circumstances, the responsibility for delivering these projects often falls on IT teams, even when they have had little involvement in the decisions behind them.
As a manager, this can be particularly challenging because you are expected to deliver results within tight deadlines, while also managing your team’s existing workload, keeping up staff morale while also protecting them from burnout.
So, how can you support your team when unexpected projects land on their desks?
Prioritise and manage expectations
The first thing I would recommend is establishing what actually needs to be delivered and by when.
If a new software implementation has been given a six-week deadline, what are the absolute essentials that need to be completed within that timeframe?
Rather than attempting to deliver everything at once, identify what is achievable and communicate this to senior leadership. Managing expectations upwards is just as important as managing the team responsible for delivery.
It’s also important to involve your team in these conversations. Be honest about what is expected, explain the priorities and ask what they realistically believe can be achieved.
Protect your team’s wellbeing
Unexpected projects inevitably create pressure, particularly when teams are already managing demanding workloads.
As a manager, you need to recognise this and consider what additional support might be required.
Could working hours be more flexible? Can existing projects be paused or reassigned? Do you need additional resources? If employees are required to work extra hours, can they take time back once the project is completed?
It’s also important to establish boundaries and make sure your team isn’t expected to deliver everything simultaneously.
When workloads become overwhelming, it helps to focus on one task at a time rather than worrying about the hundred things still to do.
Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of keeping morale high. Even during the busiest periods, celebrating small wins, recognising people’s efforts and maintaining a sense of humour can make a big difference.
Ultimately, IT managers cannot always control the projects or deadlines handed to them, but they can control how they support their teams through them.
Louise is speaking at DTX + UCX London 2026, taking place at ExCeL London on 14 and 15 October.
Join Louise on Wednesday 14 October, from 12:10pm to 12:50pm, on the Design & Delivery Stage, for a panel discussion titled Caught in the middle: Leading digital change when nobody prepared you for it.
She will be joined by Rebecca d’Orazi Flavoni, Digital Growth and Training Consultant at RDF Training & Consulting; Greg Ferrari, Executive Director of Performance and Transformation at AAT; and Roger Kirby, Senior Enterprise Architect at AstraZeneca.
Together, they will explore how managers can balance pressure from senior leadership, protect their teams from burnout and successfully deliver digital change, even when they haven’t been given the tools or context to do so.
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