With the new year right around the corner, now is the perfect time to for a Boundary Audit. Check in with your employees (and yourself) to see what boundaries… and therefore, what culture, you’ll be bringing into 2026.
Yeah, I said it.
Your culture isn’t created by the mission or vision statements displayed in your lobby or breakroom. Your workplace culture is shaped by the daily actions you allow and don’t allow in your organization or on your team.
Without strong, healthy boundaries in place, you’re headed toward drama, resentment, burnout, and turnover.
If that doesn’t sound like what you had in mind for 2026, it’s time to complete a Boundary Audit with your team.
Why You Need a Boundary Audit
I’m the incoming president of a professional organization, and a few weeks ago, I sent a text message that sent me down a rabbit hole.
It was a simple question, but it revealed that one board member was doing work I’d assumed was being done by another.
The work was getting done… so what was the problem?
Well, the board member doing the work was getting burned out, resentful, and frankly… fed up. It wasn’t their work to do, and this was on top of their own responsibilities.
I care about my board members, and we are all volunteers, so burnout is extra unacceptable. And left unchecked, this person would probably run screaming from the board while the other continues on, blissfully unaware that they aren’t handling their responsibilities.
And guess what?
Something similar is probably happening in your organization as well.
As a manager or leader, all you know is that the work is getting done. Unfortunately, without a Boundary Audit, you may never know who is doing it.
What Is a Boundary Audit, Anyway?
This doesn’t have to be a huge, formal process that takes months to carry out. In fact, it’s as simple as observing your team’s behavior and then having a conversation with each employee.
Observing
Before you start talking to people individually, it’s important to watch the interactions, take note of emotional states, and identify where processes are breaking down.
You’ll want to ask yourself questions like:
- Who is consistently overloaded?
- Who appears to be frazzled or emotionally distraught? (This could be a boundary issue, or there may be something going on in their personal lives that’s impacting their work. Either way, you want to know.)
- Who seems to be underutilized, bored, or checked out?
- Are there tasks landing on your plate that others should do? (Last week, we discussed doing a self-audit.)
- Is there anything being done simply because “it’s always been done that way?”
Keep an eye on your team for a few days (though ideally, this will become a regular practice). Jot down your observations, so you have behaviors to address when you speak to the individual employees.
Check In
Armed with some data, it’s time to sit down with your team members and get their input. Please note: you are mining for information here, not defending yourself. If employees smell a whiff of negativity to their honesty, I promise you, they will never be honest with you again.
Let’s take a look at some potential questions to ask them:
- How do you feel about your workload?
- Are you clear on what your responsibilities are?
- Are you handling any responsibilities that are outside of your job description?
- Do you have the training, resources, and skills to feel confident about what you do?
- Have you noticed any breakdowns in the process or flow as you go about your responsibilities or projects?
- Are there tasks you’d be more suited to that are currently being handled by other employees?
- What do you need?
Now, I realize that the first question might sound scary to you. After all, wouldn’t everyone like a smaller workload? Surprisingly… no. Employees want to feel a sense of purpose in their work. And many are eager to move up the ladder and take on more responsibilities.
The last question is my favorite and something I ask my board members constantly. It’s open-ended and allows people to ask for whatever they need to do their job better. Will you always be able to provide it? No. But you can definitely try.
To be clear, the goal of this audit isn’t to get them to rat on their coworkers or throw anyone under the bus. The idea is to get them to speak honestly about what is working, what is not working, and how to deal with it.
Boundary Audit Follow-Up
Once you’ve gathered your data and spoken with your employees, it’s time to set some boundaries! (Cue the flashing lights and sirens.)
You may discover (like I did) that one of your employees is picking up slack for another. If this is the case, you’ll need to connect with the other employee to reiterate their responsibilities, assess the need for additional training, and check for understanding.
This doesn’t have to be a punitive conversation. As we discussed earlier, they may not realize they aren’t meeting expectations. This check-in will allow them to learn. What they do with that information will decide their future with your organization.
You may also discover that you’ve got employees looking to increase their skills so they will be considered for promotion. And that… is a wonderful discovery!
Whatever you find, communicate with the employees involved and make agreements on how things will change.
Conclusion
A Boundary Audit isn’t about being strict, embarrassing people, or punishing your employees. It’s about being smart, ensuring your employees live up to your expectations, and preventing them from covering for other employees’ responsibilities.
It’s truly the fairest way to achieve the organization’s goals, while keeping your people happy, healthy, and loyal.
If you’d like to learn more about creating a Boundaried Workplace™ within your organization, let’s chat.
About the Author
Sheryl Green is a speaker, author, and the creator of the Boundary Operating System™, a practical framework that helps leaders reduce burnout, strengthen communication, and build workplaces people actually want to be part of. Sheryl teaches managers and organizations how to protect their time, energy, and well-being so they can lead with confidence—and keep their top talent engaged.
