Our poll reveals that 80% of teams are flying blind without a resource management strategy. Here's what it means, why it matters, and how to fix it.
What’s the real cost of not having a resource management strategy? For 80% of teams, it’s lost time, missed opportunities, and burned-out people.
According to data from Runn’s Resource Management Strategy Fundamentals webinar, just one in five teams say they have a resourcing strategy in place – and only 7% review and update it regularly. That means most teams are running on gut instinct when it comes to allocating their most valuable asset: their people.
Read on: Resource Management Statistics: What the Numbers Reveal
When we say that 80% of teams don’t have a resource management strategy, we’re not suggesting they aren’t planning or trying. Most teams are – they’re assigning work, juggling projects, and doing their best to meet deadlines.
The difference is that without a strategy, planning happens reactively rather than intentionally.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Without a strategy, resource allocation usually happens on the fly – whoever’s available gets the work.
In short: decisions are based on urgency, not on strategy.
Teams without a resourcing strategy often can’t answer questions like:
That lack of forecasting and visibility makes planning impossible – so teams end up reacting to problems instead of preventing them.
Read on: The Difference Between Reactive & Proactive Resourcing
A true strategy connects people → projects → outcomes. Without one, resource planning happens in isolation: project managers book people, finance tracks costs, HR monitors burnout – but no one’s working from a shared framework. This creates silos, duplicated effort, and misalignment.
Strategic teams regularly review utilization, workload balance, and project performance – and they use that data to refine their approach. Teams without a strategy? They’re stuck in survival mode. Every week feels urgent, but nothing changes long-term.
Related: The Quality Question: How to Improve Resource Data Management
When resources aren’t managed strategically, the cracks show up fast. Projects overrun. Talent gets stretched thin. High performers get frustrated, while others end up underutilized. You can’t forecast with confidence, and decisions become reactive instead of proactive. In short, you lose control.
The good news? A resource management strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. It starts with visibility – knowing who’s doing what, when, and why. From there, it’s about connecting capacity to demand, and making that process repeatable, measurable, and adaptable as things change.
The 20% who do have their strategy together aren’t just more organized – they’re more profitable, resilient, and ready for growth. They can spot risks early, plan smarter, and say yes to the right opportunities.
If you’re in the 80%, it’s time to change that. Start by defining your strategy, even if it’s imperfect. We've got a few resources to help you to get started:
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