WHAT IS WORKLOAD Workload is the amount of work assigned to a worker in a specified time period.

We might not always have full control over total workload, but we CAN recognize its effects and take some action. Everyone is different in their capabilities, and capability varies with task complexity, environmental factors, and personal behaviors (self awareness, confidence, etc.).

WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT Prioritize Prioritize and schedule tasks effectively. By understanding the priorities in your job, you can focus on important activities and minimize work on other tasks as much as possible. This helps you get the greatest return from the work you do, and keep your workload under control. Delegate Delegate tasks among the crew, checks and corrects appropriately. Expand available time Use time available efficiently to complete tasks. Put off less important tasks until latter; break large tasks up into a series of smaller ones. Follow Procedures Follow procedures appropriately and consistently. Expand available time Use time available efficiently to complete tasks. Put off less important tasks until latter; break large tasks up into a series of smaller ones. Follow Procedures

Follow procedures appropriately and consistently. Optimum Workload Everything works great here!. We're challenged enough to stay awake and alert. Creative, Rational problem solving, Progress change, Satisfaction. Need to maintain so not overburdened to the point where performance breaks down.

Overload Overload occurs at very high levels of workload, when the individuals workload exceeds the ability to cope well. SLOJ (Sudden loss of judgment) Loss Situational Awareness Irrational Problem Solving Poor Decision Making Exhaustion Illness Work faster, try to finish more into a shorter time frame. Error rates may also increase. Overall concept of flight breaks down.
3

Attention reduced, this can make the pilot fixates on one item. Overload also can make the aircrew experiences stress , confusion, failure to prioritize & anger. .

INTRODUCTION
Large caseloads and excessive workloads in many jurisdictions make it difficult for child welfare workers to serve families effectively. The average caseload for child welfare workers often exceeds recommended levels, sometimes by double or more (Alliance for Children and Families, American Public Human Services Association [APHSA], & Child Welfare League of America [CWLA], 2001). The complexity of cases requiring intensive intervention, as well as administrative requirements, further adds to a caseworker's workload. Manageable caseloads and workloads can make a real difference in a worker's ability to spend adequate time with children and families, improve staff retention, and ultimately have a positive impact on outcomes for children and families. Reducing and managing caseloads and workloads are not simple tasks for child welfare administrators. Agencies face a number of challenges, including negotiating budget crises and hiring freezes, addressing worker turnover, finding qualified applicants for open positions, implementing time-intensive best practices, and managing multiple reforms simultaneously (Day & Peterson, 2008). Even the basic determination of what caseloads and workloads currently are and what they should be can be thorny. Nevertheless, States are addressing these challenges and successfully implementing a variety of strategies to make caseloads and workloads more manageable. Approaches range from adding and retaining staff to improving worker effectiveness to implementing system improvements.

Workload management balances the resource consumption of applications running in a data center with meeting business goals and achieving predictable performance all while minimizing resource requirements, especially during peak load periods. In addition to this active management functionality, there is also a monitoring component to workload management that collects data on resource usage as a basis for application profiling, chargeback, and capacity planning.

BENEFITS OF WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT

Caseload and workload management often appear as key ingredients in a State's comprehensive strategy to produce better outcomes for children and families. The benefits of reasonable caseloads and manageable workloads relate to:

Retaining staff and reducing turnover. Heavy caseloads and workloads have been cited repeatedly as key reasons that workers leave the child welfare workforce (Zlotnik, DePanfilis, Daining, & Lane, 2005; U.S. General Accounting Office [GAO], 2003; Gonzalez, Faller, Ortega, & Tropman, 2009; Ellett, A. J., Ellet, C. D., & Rugutt, 2003; Social Work Education Consortium, 2002).

Delivering quality services. High staff turnover resulting from heavy caseloads can have a negative impact on the timeliness, continuity, and quality of services provided by an agency (National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 2006; Strolin, McCarthy, & Caringi, 2007; Flower, McDonald, & Sumski, 2005; GAO, 2003).

Engaging families and building relationships. Essential child welfare processesincluding family engagement, relationship building, assessment, and permanency planningis time intensive and requires frequent workerclient contact. Heavy workloads and caseloads reduce the amount of time available for these processes.
5

Positive outcomes for children and families. Workloads and caseloads have been linked to performance on Federal Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) and achievement of safety and permanency outcomes (Children's Bureau, 2006; GAO, 2003).

CATALYSTS AND MOTIVATING FACTORS

Some States set out specifically to reduce caseloads and workloads; others have reforms imposed on them; and still others arrive at caseload and workload reduction as an unintended effect of other initiatives. The impetus for caseload and workload reduction efforts typically emerges from one or more of the following catalysts:

CFSRs. After the first round of CFSRs, about half the States' Program Improvement Plans (PIPs) noted the need for improvements in workloads or caseloads (Children's Defense Fund and Children's Rights, 2006). States continue to address workloads/caseloads and related issues (e.g., recruitment, retention, training, supervision, and systems reform) in the second round PIPs as a means to improve CFSR outcomes and to achieve compliance with Federal standards.

Legislation. Several State legislatures have mandated State and local jurisdictions to assess workload issues, meet identified standards, implement specific strategies such as hiring additional staff, and report on progress. For examples of existing legislation, see Delaware, Florida, Indiana, and Texas.

Litigation and consent decrees. Class-action litigation across the country frequently resulting from high-profile fatalitieshas brought attention to child welfare system reform and generated workforce improvements (Farber & Munson, 2007). Provisions in settlement agreements and consent decrees often require jurisdictions (for example, Baltimore, MD; District of Columbia; Illinois; and Milwaukee, WI) to meet specific caseload standards.

Staffing needs. In a nationwide survey, State administrators identified reducing caseloads, workloads, and supervisory ratios as the most important

action for child welfare agencies to take to retain qualified frontline staff (APHSA, 2005).

Standards and accreditation. When developing caseload management strategies, some States and localities take into consideration the caseload standards and guidance recommended by the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA); others strive to meet the Council on Accreditation (COA)standards in order to achieve accreditation. States have had varying success in achieving and maintaining these standards.

Systems reform. Currently, some States are engaged in developing new practice models and implementing systemwide reform efforts, such as differential response, family engagement, and system of care initiatives. While caseload/workload reduction may not be a stated goal of these reform efforts, it sometimes is a necessary component or a resultant outcome.

Union negotiations. Unions representing child welfare workers have played an important role in negotiating improved caseload ratios.

WHAT IS DYNAMIC ROUTING?

In a CICSplex or BTS-set, resources such as transactions and programs required in one region may be owned by another. For example, you may have a terminal-owning region (TOR) that requires access to transactions owned by an application-owning region (AOR). You can specify the location of a resource when you are designing your system. Then, requests of a specific resource are always routed to the same region. Typically, the location of the resource is specified in the installed resource definition. This is known as static routing. With dynamic routing, the location of the resource is decided at run time. In CICSPlex SM, the decision on where to run a piece of work is made by the userreplaceable dynamic routing program (called the dynamic transaction routing program in previous releases). The user-replaceable program EYU9XLOP creates the environment necessary for CICSPlex SM-based dynamic routing, and sets up the runtime environment. The dynamic routing program can route:

Transactions initiated at a terminal Eligible EXEC CICS START requests that are associated with a terminal Eligible EXEC CICS START requests that are not associated with a terminal Dynamic program link (DPL) requests that are received using:
o o o o

The CICS Web Interface The CICS Gateway for Java External CICS interface (EXCI) client programs Any CICS client workstation products using the External Call Interface (ECI)

Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) remote procedure calls (RPCs)

o o o o

Open Network Computing (ONC) RPCs Internet Inter-Object Request Block Protocol (IIOP) The Link3270 bridge Any function that issues an EXEC CICS LINK PROGRAM request

CICS business transaction services (BTS) processes and activities Enterprise beans executing in CICS-provided CorbaServers

In CICSPlex SM, dynamic routing is managed by the Workload Manager component of CICSPlex SM. The CICS regions involved in dynamic routing may act as one or more of the following: Requesting region The CICS region in which the work request originates. Routing region The CICS region in which the decision is taken on where the work will run. Target region The CICS region where the request is actioned. For dynamic transaction routing, the requesting region and the routing region are typically TORs, and the target region is typically an AOR. For inbound DPL client requests, the requesting region and the routing region are typically TORs, and the target region is typically an AOR. For EXEC CICS START commands associated with a terminal, the requesting region is typically an AOR, the routing region is typically a TOR, and the target region is typically an AOR.

For peer-to-peer DPL requests, EXEC CICS START commands that are not associated with a terminal, for CICS business transaction services processes and activities, and for Link3270 bridge requests, the requesting region, routing region, and target region are typically AORs. For enterprise bean invocations, the requesting region is typically the external client code (but can be Enterprise JavaBean code in another CICS region) that invokes the enterprise bean, the routing region is a CICS listener region, and the target region is typically an AOR. Dynamic routing models There are two possible dynamic routing models:

The traditional "hub" model The distributed model

10

THE TRADITIONAL HUB MODEL The traditional hub model is shown in Figure 17. This is the model used for the dynamic routing of transactions, EXEC CICS START commands associated with a terminal, and inbound client DPL requests. The request is initiated in the requesting region, typically a TOR, which also acts as the routing region. The request is routed to a target region, selected from the specified target group, where the program is executed. The "hub" model is hierarchical, in which routing is controlled by one region (the routing region, that is, the TOR). Normally, a routing program runs only in the routing region. This model has the advantage of being relatively simple to implement. For example, compared with the distributed model, there are few inter-region connections to maintain. The disadvantages of the hub model are:

If you use only one hub to route transactions and program-link requests across your target regions, the hub routing region is a single point-offailure.

If you use more than one hub to route transactions and program-link requests across the same set of target regions, you may have problems with distributed data. For example, if the routing program keeps a count of routed transactions for load balancing purposes, each hub routing region will need access to this data, which may be maintained in a local temporary storage queue.\

11

DYNAMIC ROUTING USING A HUB ROUTING MODEL

THE DISTRIBUTED MODEL The distributed model is shown in Figure 18. This is the model used for the dynamic routing of EXEC CICS START requests that are not related to a terminal, enterprise bean and BTS activities, and Link3270 bridge requests. Each CICS system in the target group may act as a requesting region, routing region, and target region. A distributed routing program runs in each region. Figure 18. Dynamic routing using a distributed routing model. Note that, for CICSPlex SM, the dynamic routing program EYU9XLOP performs also the distributed routing function.

12

The advantage of the distributed model is that there is no single point of failure. The disadvantages are:

Compared with the hub model, there are a great many inter-region connections to maintain.

You may have problems with distributed data. For example, any data used to make routing decisions must be available to all regions. With CICSPlex SM, this problem is solved by the use of data spaces.

13

WLM FUNCTIONS

CICSPlex SMs dynamic routing program supports:

Workload separation: see topic Workload separation Workload balancing: see topic Workload balancing Intertransaction affinity: see topic Intertransaction affinity

Advantages of WLM CICSPlex SMs WLM function is of particular benefit in those enterprises that are running CICS/ESA on Parallel Transaction Servers (PTSs), because CICSPlex SM can route work throughout the sysplex. With WLM in your enterprise, you have:

The ability to route all types of program link request dynamically to improve the performance and reliability of inbound client and peer-topeer DPLs.

14

The ability to route EXEC CICS START TRANSID TERMID commands dynamically to improve the performance and reliability of the applications using these commands.

The ability to integrate workload balancing for terminal-initiated transactions, non-terminal-initiated transactions, EXCI clients, CICS clients, CICS Web support, CICS Transaction Gateway, IIOP, and started tasks.

The ability to integrate BTS processes and activities fully into the workload separation and workload balancing functions.

The ability to integrate enterprise bean invocations into the workload balancing and workload separation functions.

The ability to perform workload balancing and separation for Link3270 bridge requests.

Optimum performance and response times for a variable and unpredictable workload.

Work routed away from a failing target region to an active target region. Opportunities for increased throughput and improved performance. Reduced risk of bottlenecks Individual target regions taken out of service without impact to the enduser.

15

Less

operator

intervention.

16

PLANNING FOR WLM

This section provides some instructions to help you determine the extent to which you can use CICSPlex SMs workload management in your enterprise. Workload balancing or workload separation? Workload balancing should be used wherever possible because it makes the best use of the available CICS systems, and provides opportunities for increased throughput and performance. Workload separation (by process type, user, terminal, and transaction) should be implemented only where strictly necessary, because it prevents full exploitation of CICSPlex SMs workload balancing functions. If you have defined more than one CICSplex, and have made the division to reflect use of CICS systems by different groups of users, for example, its possible that you will be able to use simple workload
17

balancing rather than workload separation within the CICSplex. For example, if you have separated the CICS systems used by group A from the CICS systems used by group B by defining two CICSplexes, then within each CICSplex you can implement workload balancing. If you havent taken this approach, you might consider it necessary to recognize such groupings by implementing workload separation. There are two major activities in your planning for WLM:

Identifying the workloads in your enterprise Identifying intertransaction affinities and trying to remove them

Identifying the workloads Begin by identifying the workloads processed in your enterprise. These are certain to be apparent in any underlying TOR-AOR-FOR configurations that existed prior to your interest in CICSPlex SM. Next, confirm that the current CICSPlex SM configuration of CICS systems supports the identified workloads. In particular:

Routing regions and target regions from a single workload must be in the same CICSplex. That is, the supplied dynamic routing program cannot route transactions beyond the confines of the CICSplex. (It is possible to route transactions outside of the CICSplex by customizing the supplied dynamic routing program. Customization of the supplied dynamic routing program is described in CICSPlex System Manager Managing Workloads.)

A routing region must be:

o o

A CICS TS region. A local MAS, that is, the routing region cannot be running on an MVS image on which there is no CMAS.

In only one workload, that is, the routing region can be associated with only one active workload specification at a time.

For a BTS transaction, a terminal-related EXEC CICS START command, a non-terminal-related EXEC CICS START command, and a

18

dynamic program link, CICS Transaction Server for OS/390 Version 1 Release 3 and later.
o

For an enterprise bean invocation, CICS Transaction Server for z/OS, Version 2 Release 2 and later.

For a Link3270 bridge request CICS Transaction Server for z/OS, Version 2 Release 3 and later.

A target region can be:

o o o o

a local MAS in multiple workloads any CICS system managed by CICSPlex SM For a BTS transaction, a terminal-related EXEC CICS START command, a non-terminal-related EXEC CICS START command, CICS Transaction Server for OS/390 Version 1 Release 3 and later

For an enterprise bean invocation, CICS Transaction Server for z/OS, Version 2 Release 2 and later.

For a Link3270 bridge request CICS Transaction Server for z/OS, Version 2 Release 2 and later.

19

IDENTIFYING INTERTRANSACTION AFFINITIES

Intertransaction affinities, which require related transactions to be processed by the same target region, prevent optimum workload distribution. In general, they arise either because of the way in which one transaction passes data to another, or because of a requirement to coordinate the processing of two or more transactions. Identifying affinities isnt always easy, but there are some methods you can use. For example, you can review application design documentation or source code; you can run CICStraces; or you can use the IBM CICS Interdependency Analyzer for z/OS . For a detailed discussion of intertransaction affinities and ways of identifying them, see the CICS/ESA publication Dynamic Transaction Routing in a CICSplex. Having identified any affinities in a workload, you should make every attempt to remove them. If you cannot remove them completely, gauge the duration of the affinity and try to minimize it. You can define an intertransaction affinity to CICSPlex SM as lasting:

While the users session is active For the duration of the terminal session While the target region remains active While the workload is active For the duration of a pseudoconversation While the BTS activity is active While the BTS process is active

Be aware that CICSPlex SM must honor an active affinity: if an affinity is active but the target region becomes unavailable, the transaction isnt routed. In the case of a BTS transaction, BTS will wait for the region to start.

20

21

WORKLOAD STUDIES AND OTHER TOOLS

The process of caseload and workload management often begins with workload and time studies. These studies analyze how work is being done and how time is spent, and frequently compare the actual data with estimations of what is needed to deliver quality services and best practices. Workload studies can provide a foundation for:

Determining how many workers are needed to handle cases effectively in different program areas and then setting caseload standards and staff allocations accordingly

Understanding how much time workers spend on providing services to clients, documenting their work, completing other administrative tasks, traveling, etc., and then identifying more efficient processes and practices

Exploring how various case characteristics (such as risk levels, number of siblings, immigrant status) can influence workload and assessing workflow implications (Tooman & Fluke, 2002)

Managing work expectations, which can lead to higher work satisfaction and boost staff morale (Edwards & Reynolds, 2008)

Justifying resource allocations and building stakeholder support for caseload/workload management strategies

Often working with expert consultants, many States and counties across the country have conducted workload studies using various methodologies to address their workforce issues. Several States are now moving from point-in-time studies to periodic and automated tracking of workloads and caseloads to inform ongoing workforce decisions. Analytic tools, like those used in Minnesota and New Jersey, serve as further supports to routinely assess caseload data and their implications for staffing and workflow management. In other States and counties, however, it has not been feasible for cost, time, or other reasons to conduct workload studies. These jurisdictions can still improve their workforce management by learning from other workload study findings to approximate their staffing and workforce needs (Wagner, Johnson, & Healy, 2008).
22

STRATEGIES FOR WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT

Strategies to reduce caseloads and workloads include targeted efforts as well as broader initiatives in three categories:

Staffing Improving worker effectiveness Implementing program and practice changes

Staffing Manageable caseloads and workloads are functions in large part of the number of qualified staff available to handle cases. Caseload/workload strategies related to staffing reflect:

Recruitment of new staff. Agencies are implementing a range of activities to attract qualified applicants, including adopting new outreach strategies, revising hiring practices, offering higher salaries, and providing stipends for bilingual staff or for masters in social work. While adding staff may be the most obvious approach to reducing caseloads and workloads, it often is constrained by available funding and the lack of qualified applicants for open positions. Several States that have added large numbers of new positions (e.g., Delaware, Indiana, and New Jersey) have been supported by legislation or consent decrees.

Retention of existing staff. To reduce turnoverwhich is both a consequence and a cause of high workloadsagencies are introducing employee recognition and reward programs, providing mentoring initiatives, enhancing supervision and support, enabling job sharing and flex time, and offering opportunities for professional development and advanced education. In addition, retention efforts include practices intended to improve the match between the worker and the job through competency-based hiring (Bernotavicz, 2008), internships, and use of videos that provide recruits with a more realistic view of child welfare work (for examples, see Realistic Job Preview Videos from Colorado,Maine,
23

and North Carolina). Many States also are conducting exit interviews to determine why staff leaves and using findings to inform new retention initiatives (Robison, 2006).

Reallocation of staff. In some instances, agencies (e.g., in Maryland and Idaho) have been reallocating staff to more efficiently address workloads and caseload distribution. In making reallocation and case assignment decisions, States may consider not only the number of cases but also the type of case and level of effort required.

Specialized and support staff. Some States develop specialized staff units or positions to allocate workloads more efficiently; others assign support staff to help lessen caseworker paperwork and administrative tasks.

Improving Worker Effectiveness

Agencies also address workload management through practices that aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of workers, so that once in place, staff can handle more cases or work in less time. Strategies include:

Training and professional development. Well-trained staff is able to complete tasks accurately and in a timely manner. In addition, studies suggest that educational programs provide workers with both competencies and increased commitment to their jobs, which are associated with retention (Zlotnik et al., 2005). Agencies are delivering a variety of training initiatives to build competencies and align skills with new practice models. Some States have formed university-agency partnerships that provide training and, in some cases, funding for child welfare staff to pursue graduate social work degrees (e.g., New York's Social Work Education Consortium).

Supervision. Good supervision helps workers gain knowledge and build the skills needed to conduct their work more effectively and efficiently. In addition, research points to supportive supervision as a critical factor in
24

reducing turnover (Zlotnik et al., 2005; Juby & Scannapieco, 2007; GAO, 2003.) Agencies are working to reduce staff/supervisor ratios, build supervisor skills, and improve the supervisor-caseworker relationship through supervisory training,

coaching

initiatives,

mentoring

opportunities,

and

feedback

mechanisms. Design teams. Bringing together staff of every level from frontline workers and supervisors up through managers and administrators, design teams in New York State and elsewhere are used first to identify workforce issues and their causes and then to develop and implement workable solutions.

Tools and technology. Agencies are using current technologies and mobile devices to help workers document casework more efficiently, access information that supports decision-making, and make use of waiting time. For example, workers in parts of Texas, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma take tablet PCs into the field to aid in streamlined documentation; workers in Vermont carry cell phones that not only offer telephone service but also email, scheduling, and modem functions; and workers in Iowa are using SACWIS as a case management tool and resource for decision-making.

Quality assurance. States and localities are implementing case review processes and quality assurance efforts to ensure effectiveness.

25

IMPLEMENTING PROGRAM AND PRACTICE CHANGES

While some States focus on enlarging or enhancing the workforce, others approach caseload/workload management by reducing the "work," i.e., decreasing the number of children and families who enter, reenter, or remain in the system.

Prevention and early intervention. Agencies seek to reduce the number of cases entering the child welfare system through in-home and other prevention services as well as differential/alternative response initiatives. Arizona and Idaho are among the States that recognize prevention and early intervention as part of their workload/caseload management strategies.

Permanency initiatives. Other States and jurisdictionsfor example, Suffolk County, New York (Levy Credits Foster Care, 2009)focus on the backend of the system, employing initiatives related to kinship care, adoption, and other avenues to permanency as a means to reduce caseloads.

Other systems reforms. While systemwide reforms such as new practice models and systems of care may not always be identified as caseload/workload management, they can, nevertheless, yield significant results in reducing caseloads and workloads. Some argue that such efforts will not be effective without attention to caseload and workload (Children's Bureau, n.d., slide 15).

26

WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT & YOU

A workload analysis process is necessary for Allied Health Professionals to ensure that time available to perform required activities is consistent with the time available. A continuous cycle of analysis and planning is necessary to ensure time is available for all activities and that the workload is 'balanced'.

Brainstorm all the roles, responsibilities and activities necessary as part of your job (activity and demand). Sort them into the four activity clusters identified above.

Discuss with your manager the percentage of time that should be allocated to each cluster (and if possible each role).

Reflect on your capacity to do the required work/activity. Is there a balance? Discuss with your manager or supervisor strategies to cope with an imbalance between demand/activities and capacity.

27