How to convince your boss it's a two-person job

To convince your boss it's a two-person job, you need to make a list of reasons, identify risks and consequences, and give your boss evidence that backs up your reasoning. Here are some details on these steps and others you can take to convince your boss it's a two-person job:

• Make a list of reasons

First you need to make a list of reasons why you think your assignment or project is a two-person job. You should seek to create a document, email, or presentation that contains your reasons and all of the information we'll discuss. For your reasons you might include items like:

• The complexity of the task, project, or assignment

• The amount of work involved

• The amount of time you estimate the work will take solo, and then the amount of time you think the work will take with two people

• If there is a need for any specialized expertise, skills, or knowledge

Try to keep your list of reasons concise. A good idea is to create a numbered or bullet-point list. You might order this list in terms of priority.

• Identify risks and consequences

Next, you should include any potential risks or consequences related to the work being done solely by you. This should not degenerate your own abilities, but highlight the ways in which having this assignment done by one person could result in bad outcomes. For example, if your assignment has a tight deadline, you might experience burnout or the work could suffer.

• Give your boss evidence that backs up your reasoning

You should try to provide your boss with evidence or data that supports your argument. This might include data gleaned from similar projects that were completed by just one person, feedback from coworkers who have had similar assignments, or research you cite concerning best practices for completing the work.

• Propose and outline a two-person plan

Now, in a new section of your document, you should propose your two-person plan for the assignment and outline how it will work. Do your due diligence with this section as it is the one that has the possibility of convincing your boss. It should include:

• Detailed information on the roles and responsibilities of each person involved

• A timeline for task completion

• Any additional resources that might be needed

• The benefits of the two-person approach, such as increased efficiency, better work quality, less chance for errors, etc.

You might even consider finding the second person you want to be involved with first, so you can propose this and tailor it with that employee in mind.

• Schedule a meeting with your boss

If possible, you should schedule a meeting with your boss to give them this presentation or go over your document with them. An in-person approach is likely to have a better chance of your request being granted. After your meeting with your boss, if you still don't have a firm answer, you should email them the document so they can review it again.