Resource Leveling Explained: Techniques, Benefits, and Real-World Examples

In project management, resource leveling is a crucial technique employed to ensure that resources are allocated in an optimal and efficient manner throughout the duration of a project. The primary objective of resource leveling is to avoid resource overallocation and ensure that the project is completed on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of stakeholders. Resource leveling is not just about balancing the workload but also about ensuring that resources are used without creating undue stress on the project team or impacting the quality of the deliverables.

What is Resource Leveling?

Resource leveling is a project management technique used to resolve conflicts that arise from overallocation or underallocation of resources. These conflicts typically stem from the project’s schedule, the availability of resources, and their allocation across various tasks. The core idea behind resource leveling is to smooth out these conflicts by adjusting the schedule, workload, and resources to create a feasible plan for the project.

By leveling resources, project managers can balance the demands of the project with the limitations of available resources. This technique typically involves adjusting the start and finish dates of tasks, shifting tasks around, or even changing resource allocation to ensure that no resources are overburdened or underutilized. The goal is to maintain a realistic project schedule while ensuring that employees do not have to work excessive hours or face burnout due to unrealistic expectations.

Resource leveling helps ensure that a project’s timelines are not only achievable but also that the project can be completed without exhausting the team or exceeding the project’s budget. This technique is particularly useful when dealing with projects that have tight deadlines, limited resources, or competing priorities that make it difficult to allocate resources efficiently.

Why is Resource Leveling Important?

Resource leveling plays a critical role in the success of a project. One of the main reasons for using this technique is to prevent resource overallocation. Resource overallocation occurs when a resource is scheduled to work on multiple tasks at the same time, resulting in excessive workload or conflict. This often leads to employee burnout, delayed tasks, and poor-quality deliverables. By leveling resources, project managers can adjust timelines and resource allocation to ensure that each team member has a manageable workload.

Another reason for implementing resource leveling is to improve project efficiency. By optimizing the allocation of resources, project managers can minimize the chances of project delays caused by resource shortages or inefficient task management. Resource leveling also helps prevent the project from exceeding its budget by ensuring that resources are used in a balanced way that maximizes their potential.

Additionally, resource leveling helps project managers create a more predictable project schedule. In many projects, unforeseen delays and resource conflicts can arise unexpectedly. Resource leveling allows project managers to adjust their plans in real-time, minimizing the impact of these conflicts on the overall project timeline. This flexibility helps ensure that the project remains on track, even when unexpected issues arise.

Finally, resource leveling plays a key role in maintaining a healthy work-life balance for employees. By adjusting deadlines, redistributing tasks, and avoiding overworking employees, resource leveling helps ensure that the team can maintain its productivity without sacrificing its well-being. A balanced workload improves morale, reduces stress, and ultimately leads to better project outcomes.

When Should You Use Resource Leveling?

Resource leveling is typically used in situations where the project is at risk of resource overallocation or when resources are stretched too thin. It is particularly beneficial in the following scenarios:

Overloaded Resources

If certain team members are assigned too many tasks, resource leveling can help redistribute the workload to prevent them from becoming overwhelmed. This may involve adjusting task deadlines, redistributing work to other team members, or even acquiring additional resources.

Conflicting Deadlines

If multiple tasks are scheduled to be completed simultaneously and resources are insufficient to meet these deadlines, resource leveling can help resolve the conflict by adjusting task start and finish dates. This helps create a more balanced schedule that is achievable with the available resources.

Limited Resources

When a project has limited resources, such as a small team or specialized equipment, resource leveling can help ensure that these resources are used efficiently. By spreading the workload more evenly and avoiding overburdening the limited resources, project managers can ensure that the project is completed successfully.

Quality Concerns

When resources are overburdened, the quality of work may suffer. Resource leveling ensures that tasks are completed with sufficient time and attention, helping to maintain the quality of deliverables. This is especially important in projects with high client expectations or those that require complex, high-quality work.

Resource leveling is also beneficial when there are competing priorities or changing circumstances that affect the availability of resources. In these cases, project managers must adjust the schedule and resource allocation to maintain project momentum and avoid delays.

Benefits of Resource Leveling

The benefits of resource leveling extend beyond simply managing timelines and budgets. This technique can significantly improve the overall effectiveness of a project, resulting in better outcomes for both the project team and the stakeholders involved. Some of the key benefits of resource leveling include:

Optimizing Resource Utilization

By ensuring that resources are not overburdened, resource leveling allows project managers to maximize the effectiveness of each resource. When tasks are distributed evenly, each team member has the opportunity to work at their full potential without becoming overwhelmed. This leads to a more efficient use of resources and can help prevent underutilization of available skills and talents.

Reducing Project Delays

Resource leveling helps prevent delays caused by overallocation or mismanagement of resources. By adjusting deadlines and workloads, project managers can ensure that tasks are completed on time, even if resources need to be shifted around. This flexibility allows for a more predictable project timeline and reduces the likelihood of delays.

Improving Employee Well-being

Resource leveling helps maintain a healthy work-life balance for employees. By preventing overallocation, reducing overtime, and ensuring that workloads are distributed evenly, employees are less likely to experience burnout. This leads to higher morale, improved job satisfaction, and better productivity.

Maintaining Project Quality

When resources are stretched too thin, the quality of the work may suffer. Resource leveling ensures that tasks are completed with sufficient time and attention, helping to maintain the quality of deliverables. This is especially important in projects with high client expectations or those that require complex, high-quality work.

Managing Budget Constraints

By preventing resource overallocation and optimizing resource utilization, resource leveling can help keep the project within budget. It ensures that resources are used efficiently, minimizing waste and reducing the need for additional expenditures. This can help prevent cost overruns and ensure that the project is completed within its financial constraints.

Understanding Resource Leveling Techniques

Resource leveling involves a range of techniques that project managers use to effectively allocate and manage resources, ensuring that project timelines, budgets, and quality standards are met. The following section delves into various strategies, methods, and considerations for implementing resource leveling in real-world projects.

Resource Leveling Strategies

Different situations in a project may require distinct resource leveling strategies. Project managers need to evaluate factors like the project’s deadlines, resource availability, and task dependencies before selecting the most appropriate method for leveling resources.

Add More Resources and Extend the Deadline

One of the most common strategies for resource leveling is to extend the project deadlines while adding more resources to the project. This method is particularly useful when the project timeline is rigid or when high-quality deliverables are critical.

Adding more resources can reduce the workload on existing team members, allowing them to focus on their respective tasks while additional resources handle the increased demand. By extending the project deadlines, it allows the team to work without undue pressure and ensures the quality of the output remains intact. However, this approach requires approval from stakeholders and often results in additional costs associated with hiring temporary resources or acquiring new equipment.

For instance, if a marketing team is tasked with launching a product and the deadline is too tight, the project manager may decide to extend the timeline and bring in additional personnel, such as graphic designers or digital marketers. This extension allows each member to focus on their core tasks without feeling overwhelmed and provides the project team with enough time to produce high-quality results.

Add More Resources to Meet the Same Deadline

In some cases, the project deadline cannot be extended, but additional resources can be added to meet the same deadline. This approach, known as “crashing,” is often used in high-priority projects or those with non-negotiable deadlines.

Adding more resources typically means increasing the number of team members or procuring additional tools or equipment. However, the primary challenge with this strategy is that the new resources may require training or orientation, which can take away from the time they would spend on actual tasks. Senior team members might need to spend time training new members, thus reducing their own task completion time.

For example, if a software development team is behind schedule and needs to meet a deadline, new developers could be brought on board. However, since these new developers might not be fully familiar with the project, they will need to be guided by the senior developers, leading to a short-term decrease in productivity. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to which tasks these new resources are assigned to avoid affecting the project timeline.

Use the Same Resources and Extend the Deadline

When a project’s resources are fixed and additional personnel cannot be hired, one viable approach is to extend the project deadline. This allows the existing team to complete their tasks without rushing, thus ensuring that the workload is manageable and the quality of deliverables is not compromised.

This strategy is particularly useful when the project team is highly experienced and capable of completing the tasks within the required timeframe, given a little extra time. Extending the deadline, however, requires approval from stakeholders and careful management to ensure the extended time will be used efficiently.

For instance, if a construction team is working on a complex building project, but unforeseen delays cause the project to fall behind, extending the deadline can allow the team to complete the project at a reasonable pace, ensuring the building’s quality and safety standards are met.

Use the Same Resources to Meet the Same Deadline

In situations where extending the deadline or adding more resources is not an option, the only solution may be to scale back the project scope. This involves identifying and eliminating low-priority tasks that do not contribute significantly to the project’s overall objectives.

By focusing on the essential tasks, the project manager can ensure that the project stays within the original deadline. This method often requires significant negotiation with stakeholders to agree on which tasks should be removed or deferred. Reducing the scope does not mean sacrificing quality; it simply involves prioritizing critical aspects of the project and completing them within the given timeframe.

For example, if a product launch is imminent, but a marketing campaign is lagging, the project manager might decide to focus only on the most essential aspects of the campaign, such as the main promotional materials and key messages. This allows the team to meet the deadline while ensuring the critical components are delivered on time.

Resource Leveling vs. Resource Smoothing

While resource leveling and resource smoothing are both techniques used to manage resources effectively, they differ in terms of their focus and application.

Resource Leveling

Resource leveling focuses on balancing the allocation of resources throughout the project by adjusting task durations and deadlines. The objective of resource leveling is to prevent resource overallocation and ensure that the workload is evenly distributed among available resources. This technique may involve extending the project schedule, shifting tasks, or redistributing work to other team members.

Resource leveling is typically used when there are conflicts in resource allocation, such as when team members are assigned too many tasks at once or when resource demand exceeds supply. This technique aims to create a realistic schedule that can be accomplished within the project’s constraints while avoiding overworking the team.

Resource Smoothing

Resource smoothing, on the other hand, focuses on adjusting the project schedule to even out the resource allocation without changing the overall project deadline. The goal of resource smoothing is to balance the workload across resources, ensuring that no resource is overloaded or underutilized during the project.

Unlike resource leveling, resource smoothing does not involve extending the project schedule. Instead, it aims to distribute the workload more evenly within the available time frame. This is typically done by adjusting the start and finish dates of tasks within their available slack time.

For example, if a construction project has a team of carpenters working on various tasks, resource smoothing can be applied to ensure that the carpenters’ schedules are balanced without exceeding the project’s overall completion date. The project manager may adjust the timing of specific tasks, ensuring that carpenters are not overloaded on any given day while keeping the overall timeline intact.

Selecting the Right Resource Leveling Technique

The selection of the right resource leveling technique depends on several factors, such as the project’s scope, deadlines, and available resources. Project managers should consider the following when deciding which strategy to use:

Project Deadlines

If the project has a fixed deadline, resource smoothing may be more appropriate, as it ensures that the project stays on track without extending the timeline. If the project deadline can be adjusted, resource leveling may be a better option, allowing for the addition of resources or adjustments to the schedule.

Available Resources

If there are sufficient resources to meet the project’s demands, resource leveling may involve shifting tasks and adjusting timelines to balance workloads. If resources are limited, adding more resources or extending deadlines may be necessary to avoid overloading the current team members.

Task Dependencies

Projects with many interdependent tasks may require careful planning and coordination to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently. Resource leveling can help resolve conflicts in task dependencies by adjusting schedules and reallocating resources to critical tasks.

Stakeholder Expectations

Project managers should always consider stakeholder expectations when implementing resource leveling strategies. Any changes to the project schedule, scope, or resource allocation should be communicated effectively to ensure that stakeholders are aligned with the project’s objectives and constraints.

Resource Leveling and Its Impact on Work-Life Balance and Productivity

Resource leveling is not only about managing project timelines and resources but also plays a significant role in improving employee work-life balance and enhancing overall productivity. The balance between work demands and personal life is critical for maintaining the well-being of the project team, which directly influences their performance and the quality of the project outcome.

The Role of Resource Leveling in Enhancing Work-Life Balance

In many industries, employees face significant pressure due to tight project deadlines, high expectations, and heavy workloads. These factors can result in burnout, increased stress, and poor mental health. Resource leveling directly addresses these concerns by distributing the workload evenly across available resources, ensuring that no team member is overburdened.

Avoiding Overtime and Overworking

One of the key benefits of resource leveling is the prevention of overwork and overtime. When a project’s timeline is unrealistic, team members often find themselves working late into the night or during weekends to meet deadlines. This can lead to physical and mental exhaustion, which can negatively impact both the employee’s health and the quality of work delivered.

Resource leveling helps alleviate this issue by adjusting deadlines, shifting tasks, or adding more resources, thus preventing the need for extended working hours. By ensuring that no employee is assigned more work than they can reasonably handle, project managers create a healthier and more sustainable work environment.

For example, if a team of developers is working on a software project and several tasks are set to overlap, causing team members to work overtime, resource leveling can be applied. The project manager can adjust the project schedule, reschedule tasks, or distribute the work more evenly, ensuring that the workload remains manageable. This reduction in overtime improves the team’s work-life balance and reduces stress, ultimately leading to better productivity.

Reducing Stress and Preventing Burnout

Overtime and unrealistic expectations can cause significant stress for employees. Stress not only affects physical health but also impairs cognitive function, decision-making abilities, and overall job satisfaction. By leveling resources, project managers can reduce the pressure on team members, ensuring that they can work at a sustainable pace.

Balancing workloads allows employees to focus on high-priority tasks without the constant fear of missing deadlines or falling behind. It also prevents burnout, which occurs when employees are pushed too hard for too long. Resource leveling allows employees to take breaks and manage their time effectively, helping them recharge and remain productive in the long run.

In a practical scenario, if a team of engineers is overworked and has to perform under tight deadlines, resource leveling can provide them with the time they need to recharge by spreading tasks over a longer period. This leads to improved focus, better decision-making, and greater job satisfaction.

Improving Productivity Through Balanced Resource Allocation

While maintaining work-life balance is a primary benefit, resource leveling also plays a significant role in enhancing team productivity. By ensuring that resources are utilized effectively and workloads are balanced, project managers can improve the overall output of the project team.

Efficient Use of Resources

Resource leveling helps maximize the potential of each resource by assigning tasks that match their skill set and availability. When resources are allocated according to their strengths and schedules, the team can work more efficiently, complete tasks on time, and achieve better results. This optimized resource utilization reduces delays caused by overallocation or underutilization and allows the project to progress smoothly.

For instance, if a project requires a team with various skill sets, resource leveling ensures that each member focuses on tasks that match their expertise, avoiding situations where employees are overworked on tasks outside their area of strength. This specialization leads to better-quality work and faster completion times.

Maintaining Consistent Workloads

In addition to resource allocation, resource leveling ensures that the team’s workload remains consistent throughout the project. This avoids periods of intense pressure followed by lulls in activity. When work is evenly distributed, team members can maintain a steady pace, which results in fewer distractions, less stress, and greater focus.

For example, during a marketing campaign launch, resource leveling can ensure that team members are not overloaded with last-minute tasks right before the campaign goes live. Instead, the workload is balanced over several weeks, allowing the team to maintain consistent productivity and avoid any last-minute rushes that could compromise the campaign’s quality.

Resource Leveling and Its Contribution to Team Morale

Employee morale is an important factor in determining the success of a project. When employees feel overworked, underappreciated, or overwhelmed, it can lead to a decline in their motivation and overall engagement. Resource leveling contributes to higher morale by ensuring that team members are not overburdened and that their contributions are recognized.

Building Trust and Engagement

When employees see that their well-being is prioritized and their workloads are manageable, trust in the project management process increases. This trust fosters a positive work environment and enhances team engagement. As a result, employees are more likely to remain committed to the project and deliver their best work.

Moreover, when team members feel that they are part of a supportive work environment where their concerns are heard and addressed, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and contribute positively to the project. This level of engagement can lead to improved communication, collaboration, and innovation, which further drives the success of the project.

Reducing Turnover and Increasing Retention

Resource leveling also helps reduce employee turnover. When employees are overworked and their well-being is neglected, they are more likely to leave the organization in search of better work-life balance and career opportunities. By leveling resources and creating a healthier work environment, organizations can retain talented employees and reduce the cost and disruption associated with high turnover rates.

For instance, a consulting firm that implements resource leveling strategies can reduce its turnover rate by ensuring that consultants are not consistently overloaded with work. When consultants have manageable workloads and can maintain a work-life balance, they are more likely to stay with the firm, resulting in better team cohesion and organizational knowledge retention.

The Link Between Resource Leveling and Project Success

The ability to balance work demands with personal life, improve team morale, and optimize productivity ultimately leads to higher project success rates. Projects that prioritize resource leveling are more likely to meet their deadlines, stay within budget, and deliver high-quality results. Furthermore, they are less likely to experience delays or cost overruns due to overworked employees or inefficient resource management.

Maintaining Project Timelines and Budgets

By leveling resources, project managers can create realistic schedules that take into account resource limitations, task dependencies, and team capacity. This results in more accurate project timelines and budgets, which helps set clear expectations with stakeholders and clients. When resources are appropriately allocated, the project is more likely to stay within the planned budget and timeline, which is a key indicator of project success.

For example, if a construction project manager can balance the workloads of subcontractors and suppliers, the project is more likely to be completed on time and within the expected budget. This also ensures that the quality of the work does not suffer due to rushed tasks or resource shortages.

Enhancing Quality and Deliverables

Resource leveling helps ensure that team members have enough time and focus to complete their tasks to the highest standard. When employees are not overburdened with work, they can give each task the attention it deserves, leading to better-quality deliverables. This is particularly important in projects where high-quality outputs are critical, such as in software development, healthcare, or engineering sectors.

For example, if a team of architects is given adequate time to design and plan a building, the result will likely be a more efficient, innovative, and aesthetically pleasing structure. This is because the team was not rushed, and resources were leveled to ensure that each member could contribute their best work.

Implementing Resource Leveling in Real-World Projects

Resource leveling is an essential practice in project management, particularly when dealing with complex projects that require careful planning and coordination of resources. However, to reap the full benefits of resource leveling, it is important to understand how to apply it effectively in real-world scenarios. This section explores practical examples, tools, methods, and strategies that can help project managers implement resource leveling in various types of projects.

Practical Examples of Resource Leveling

To better understand how resource leveling works in practice, let’s look at some concrete examples. These examples demonstrate the application of resource leveling techniques in different industries and project types.

Example 1: Software Development Project

Imagine a software development team tasked with creating a mobile application. The project involves multiple stages, including design, development, testing, and deployment. Initially, the project schedule looks feasible, but as the project progresses, it becomes apparent that certain developers are overloaded with tasks, while others have too little work assigned.

To level the resources, the project manager reviews the schedule and shifts some tasks to developers who have available time. This ensures that the workload is distributed more evenly. If a developer is tasked with handling a more complex feature that will take longer to complete, the project manager may extend the deadline for that specific task to avoid overallocation.

Additionally, the project manager might bring in additional developers or reassign certain testing tasks to reduce the burden on developers and ensure that the project moves forward at a consistent pace. Through careful resource leveling, the project manager can ensure that all team members are engaged without being overburdened, which helps avoid burnout and delays.

Example 2: Construction Project

In a large construction project, resource leveling is critical due to the number of different trades and specialized workers involved. Suppose a building project requires a series of tasks such as excavation, concrete pouring, and electrical installations. The project manager finds that the electricians are being assigned too many tasks at once, leading to delays in the electrical phase of the project.

To address this, the project manager reviews the task list and reassigns some of the non-critical electrical tasks to later phases of the project. By doing this, the workload for electricians is reduced, and the remaining tasks can be completed on schedule. In this case, the project manager may also decide to extend the project’s overall timeline to accommodate the adjusted tasks and avoid rushing the electricians.

In a construction setting, resource leveling helps ensure that each team member has a manageable workload, and the overall project timeline is adjusted to reflect the shifting priorities.

Example 3: Marketing Campaign

In a marketing campaign project, resource leveling ensures that tasks such as content creation, digital marketing, graphic design, and analytics are appropriately assigned. Suppose the content team is overloaded with blog posts, social media content, and email newsletters, while the design team has fewer tasks assigned.

The project manager might level the resources by redistributing tasks. The project manager could ask the design team to assist with creating templates or mockups for the marketing materials. Additionally, the deadlines for certain blog posts might be extended to alleviate pressure on the content team. By balancing the workload, the project manager ensures that no team is overwhelmed, and the campaign can proceed smoothly.

Tools and Techniques for Resource Leveling

To implement resource leveling effectively, project managers rely on a range of tools and techniques that help streamline the process of resource allocation and scheduling. These tools allow project managers to visualize tasks, track resource availability, and make necessary adjustments in real-time.

Gantt Charts

A Gantt chart is a common tool used in project management to visually represent the project timeline. It shows task start and finish dates, as well as dependencies between tasks. Gantt charts are particularly useful for resource leveling because they allow project managers to see the full project schedule and identify where tasks are overlapping or where resources are being overused.

By adjusting the start and finish dates of tasks on the Gantt chart, project managers can smooth out the workload and ensure that no resources are overburdened. Additionally, Gantt charts can be used to track resource utilization and ensure that the project is progressing according to schedule.

Project Management Software

There are numerous project management software tools available that offer resource leveling functionality. These software tools, such as Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com, allow project managers to allocate resources, track task progress, and make real-time adjustments.

Many of these tools feature built-in algorithms for leveling resources, which automatically adjust timelines and workloads based on resource availability. For instance, if a task is assigned to a resource who is already overloaded, the software can suggest a different timeline or resource allocation to ensure that the project proceeds smoothly.

Project management software also provides a centralized platform where team members can communicate, share updates, and collaborate, helping to avoid misunderstandings and ensuring that resources are being used efficiently.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

The Critical Path Method (CPM) is another useful technique in resource leveling. CPM is a project management tool used to determine the longest sequence of dependent tasks that must be completed on time to ensure that the project finishes on schedule. By identifying the critical path, project managers can prioritize resources for the tasks that are most crucial to project success.

If delays occur along the critical path, resource leveling can be used to adjust timelines or reallocate resources to prevent further delays. This technique helps project managers focus on the most important tasks and ensure that resources are allocated where they will have the greatest impact on meeting project deadlines.

Resource Histogram

A resource histogram is a graphical representation of resource usage over time. It shows the number of resources required at each stage of the project, allowing project managers to identify periods of overuse or underuse. Resource histograms are particularly useful for resource leveling because they allow project managers to visualize the allocation of resources and make adjustments accordingly.

By reviewing the histogram, project managers can determine if certain resources are being overused or if there are periods of low utilization. They can then adjust the project schedule to ensure that resources are allocated evenly throughout the project.

Strategies for Effective Resource Leveling

In addition to using tools and techniques, project managers can adopt specific strategies to make resource leveling more effective. These strategies focus on optimizing the use of resources while maintaining project timelines, budgets, and quality.

Prioritize Critical Tasks

When leveling resources, it is important to prioritize critical tasks that directly impact the project’s success. By ensuring that high-priority tasks are allocated sufficient resources, project managers can prevent delays and ensure that the project remains on track.

For example, if a software development project requires a major system upgrade, the project manager might prioritize allocating the most skilled developers to this task to ensure that it is completed on time. Non-critical tasks can be rescheduled or delegated to other team members who are less busy.

Communicate with Stakeholders

Effective communication is essential when implementing resource leveling. Project managers should keep stakeholders informed about any changes to the project schedule, resource allocation, or deadlines. This helps manage expectations and ensures that everyone is aligned with the new project plan.

For instance, if a project manager decides to extend the deadline to accommodate resource leveling, they should communicate this decision to stakeholders and explain the reasons behind the change. This helps build trust and ensures that stakeholders understand the necessity of the adjustments.

Use Buffer Time

In many projects, unexpected delays or resource shortages can occur. To mitigate these risks, project managers can build buffer time into the project schedule. Buffer time acts as a cushion to accommodate unforeseen issues and prevent delays from derailing the entire project.

Buffer time should be carefully planned and distributed across the project timeline to ensure that it is available when needed. For example, if certain tasks are high-risk or dependent on external factors, the project manager might allocate extra time to these tasks to account for potential delays.

Conclusion

Resource leveling is an essential technique for project managers seeking to optimize resource allocation, meet deadlines, and maintain the quality of deliverables. By applying resource leveling strategies, using the right tools, and adjusting the project schedule as necessary, project managers can ensure that their teams work at a sustainable pace while avoiding burnout or overallocation.

In real-world projects, resource leveling helps balance workloads, improve productivity, and enhance work-life balance for team members. With the right approach, resource leveling leads to more efficient project execution, greater team satisfaction, and better outcomes for both the project and the organization.

In the final analysis, resource leveling is not just a project management technique; it is a vital tool for creating an efficient, healthy, and successful project environment. By mastering resource leveling techniques and applying them effectively in diverse scenarios, project managers can deliver projects that meet client expectations and contribute to organizational success.