Committee Governance: Managing Volunteer Workload and Engagement

In March 2024, a provincial ministry operating out of Peterborough, Ontario, established a cross-regional employee concerns committee spanning 6 offices across eastern Canada. Each office appointed 4 representatives—2 junior members and 2 senior members—creating a 24-person body tasked with identifying and resolving workplace issues.

Within 3 months, a governance dysfunction emerged. Junior members, eager to demonstrate initiative, generated a steady stream of proposals that triggered cascading email chains, ad hoc meetings, and working groups. Senior members, carrying heavier operational portfolios, grew frustrated with the expanding time commitments. Several experienced representatives who possessed institutional knowledge and practical solutions began withholding input entirely, recognizing that every volunteered idea created additional obligations. The committee's chair now faces a structural question: how to capture senior expertise without penalizing contribution with workload.