spark-recipe-team-workload

---
name: spark-recipe-team-workload
description: >-
license: MIT
---

# Recipe: Team Workload

Deep audit of how work is distributed across a team. Surfaces per-member assignment loads, items you've delegated, unassigned work, and imbalances.

**Prerequisite:** Read the `use-spark` base skill for command reference and filter syntax.

**Access level required:** read-only.

## Steps

### Step 1: Get the team overview

```bash
spark team "Team Name"
```

Note the member list, shared inboxes, and the assignment summary. This gives you the high-level distribution.

### Step 2: Review per-member assignments

For each team member, pull their current assignments:

```bash
spark emails --filter "assigned_to:alice@co.com"
spark emails --filter "assigned_to:bob@co.com"
spark emails --filter "assigned_to:carol@co.com"
```

Note the count and scan subjects/dates to spot stale items (old assignments that may be stuck).

### Step 3: Check what you've delegated

```bash
spark emails --filter "assigned_by:me"
```

These are items you assigned to others. Cross-reference with per-member lists to see which are still open.

### Step 4: Find unassigned work

```bash
spark emails --filter "assigned_to:unassigned"
```

If the team uses shared inboxes, also check each one:

```bash
spark emails shared@co.com:Inbox --filter "assigned_to:unassigned"
```

### Step 5: Check open vs. done in shared inboxes

```bash
spark emails --filter "is:shared_inbox_open"
spark emails --filter "is:shared_inbox_done"
```

The ratio of open to done gives a sense of whether the team is keeping up.

### Step 6: Present the workload report

Summarize:
- **Per member:** assignment count and any notably old items
- **Imbalances:** flag members with significantly more or fewer assignments than average
- **Delegated by you:** N items still open, any that look overdue
- **Unassigned:** M items with no owner
- **Throughput:** open vs. done ratio across shared inboxes

## Tips

- Run this weekly to catch imbalances before they become problems.
- The `team` command's assignment summary is a quick snapshot; the per-member `emails` queries give the full picture.
- Stale assignments (older than 7-14 days) are worth flagging - they may be stuck or forgotten.
- `assigned_by:me` is useful for managers and leads who delegate frequently.
- Compare this week's numbers to last week's (if you track them) to spot trends.
- Combine with `recipe-shared-inbox-status` for a shared-inbox-focused view, or use this recipe for the broader team picture.
- For large teams, focus on outliers rather than reporting every member - highlight who's overloaded and who has bandwidth.