Dear Pratima,
You have written that your company handles the projects but what kind of projects? Are you from software or a company that handles EPC projects? What is the location of the project? What software do you use to execute the project?
Those who handle the project have ups and downs in their work. During the project, they have to work far more and when the project is not there or even during the project also, at the beginning and end of the project, the work is less. This fact could have been made clear to all of them.
However, now the following can be done:
a) The immediate requirement is of communication. Some senior people must communicate with the project personnel. Therefore, some seniors who understand the projects very well must talk to all of them and find out what are the causes of the excess workload.
b) Why is there a sudden increase in the workload in the project cycle? At the beginning of the project, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) of all the activities of the project is done? Is WBS followed actually or it is just on the paper? Was the wrong time duration assigned to a few activities? Is the assignment of the less time responsible for project activities going haywire?
c) Does your company use PERT and CPM techniques to handle the project? If yes, then why are these techniques not working? If the techniques are not used then nothing can be done now. Because these techniques cannot be brought in somewhere during the project. It will create further confusion.
d) If there is an increase in the workload then somewhere something is amiss. Someone must step in to improve teamwork. Therefore, let some senior review how many milestones were there in the project and how many achieved on time. The flaw of teamwork is that sometimes the weakness of a weak member gets hidden because of the skillfulness of others.
e) One of the important measures of performance in the projects is "Starting an activity on time". So find out what % of activities were started on time. Why is there a delay in starting activities on time? Is it because of someone's inefficiency?
f) You have written that "They are not able to involve in our hr activities which we organize for them." What activities did you arrange for them and why is there uninterest? Is it because the members feel that the activities that are conducted have no relation with the actual work? If yes, then this also casts light on the efficacy of the HR activities.
Final Comments: - Today, the project members's motivation needs to be fired up. Having proficiency in a project skill is one thing and execution is another. Therefore, some seniors from your company must step in to improve the motivation of the employees involved in the project.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar