Half of paraplanners say they do not have time to do their job each day, our latest parameters report shows.
52% were struggling in this respect against 43% who said they were able to handle current workloads. 43% also said they were never able to clear their inbox.
The majority of respondents, 92%, said they felt overwhelmed by workload on their desk or in the pipeline, either regularly (28%) or sometimes (64%).
Also concerning was the figure of 38%, who said they felt they didn’t have enough time to tackle each case to the best of their ability.
We asked: Would you say you have enough time to do your job each day?
Yes 43%
No 52%
Not sure 5%
Commenting on the lack of time to do their job, many paraplanners reported that the demands of their role have grown significantly, leaving them feeling unable to complete their work within normal working hours.
As one paraplanner put it, “volumes are through the roof,” while another stated, “in the last two years I have seen an increase in number of clients and work – and increasing complexity – and not enough hours in the day!”
Regulatory pressures also play a major role. The continual evolution of rules and compliance requirements means that tasks take longer than they once did, paraplanners said and “the amount of regulatory paperwork required… means that the work simply cannot be done in the regular 9 to 5 anymore.”
Some feel that understaffing and unrealistic expectations make the workload unmanageable: “If the department is not fully staffed, or the output expectations are unrealistic, then paraplanners feel there is not enough time.”
System inefficiencies were said to compound the problem. Some paraplanners describe the tools and processes they rely on as “archaic… and a time-consuming,” slowing them down further.
Delays and poor administration from providers also drain valuable time. “Time is often taken up due to incompetency and deficiencies in provider administration that require phone calls to chase and organise.”
In addition, daily interruptions made it harder to maintain momentum. “Distractions, distractions, distractions!” one person exclaimed, while another added, “Tasks can take much longer due to constant interruptions.”
Those who felt they did have enough time credited good planning, encouraging realistic adviser expectations, supportive structures, and balanced workflows as their means to stay ahead.
We also asked how often paraplanners were able to clear their email inbox.
At the end of the day 33%
At the end of the week 14%
Monthly 10%
Never 43%
Reasons for inboxes never being cleared included volume of work, juggling of priority cases, while some said they didn’t clear their inboxes deliberately so they could refer back to old cases and/or for compliance purposes and ongoing tasks.
Case work quality
Asked if they felt they had enough time in the day to tackle each case to the best of their ability, 38% of respondents felt that they didn’t.
Yes 44%
No 38%
Not sure 18%
Although taking pride in producing high-quality work, paraplanners cited a number of reasons for not being able sometimes to give cases the consideration they would have liked to have given them.
The recurring theme was the sheer volume of tasks. Many paraplanners feel that “too many tasks [are] ongoing” and that they are “always having to rush to keep on top of the workload”.
Several individuals noted that while quality remains paramount, timing pressures dominated their workload. “I feel there is more rush to get the work out than spend more time on them,” one said. “If we had more time and less pressure, we could probably service our clients better, and with more depth and detail.”
“It feels like I’m just trying to get it done to move onto the next thing without much time to sit and think,” another commented.
Having to seek out more “soft facts”, as well as the need to challenge advisers when information is unclear or when a better solution exists, also added to the pressure of deadlines, paraplanners said.
Several paraplanners said that the only way they were able to maintain quality was to work late: “I do work beyond my usual working hours to ensure things are completed to my standard,” said one, while another admitted that focussing on cases “to the best of my ability” meant they ran out of time in the day – “hence the backlog”.
Frequent interruptions and reactive tasks were also raised as issues that reduce paraplanners’ ability to concentrate on complex work.
Despite the pressures, paraplanners consistently emphasise their commitment to quality. Comments included: “I always work to the best of my ability but I never have enough time to do so.” “I make the time – because if you rush, mistakes will come back to bite you.” “When I do a task, I will do it to the best of my ability – even if the timescale might not be achieved.”
Across the responses, paraplanners expressed a desire for more realistic timeframes and protected focus time. They also highlighted that training and knowledge can improve efficiency.
Overall, the survey showed that paraplanners want to produce high-quality work and often go above and beyond to achieve this. However, high workloads, tight deadlines, incomplete or unclear case information, interruptions, and the complexity of the role mean they frequently do not have sufficient time to tackle each case to the standard they believe is possible. The commitment to quality is evident—but so is the strain.
Workload overwhelm
Bearing in mind the results and comments above it is perhaps not surprising that 92% of respondents said they had feelings of overwhelm, either regularly or on occasion.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the workload on your desk or in the pipeline?
Yes – Regularly 28%
Yes – Sometimes 64%
No 8%
Asked how they cope with workload overload and overwhelm, many develop practical and sometimes creative strategies to cope with the feelings that inevitably arise.
The theme that stood out was the importance of prioritisation. Many paraplanners emphasise that the only way to stay in control is to “tackle one task at a time,” “break it down – urgency, deadline etc,” and “put things in a logical order and prioritise.”
For many, lists, calendars, and shared spreadsheets are essential tools. As one paraplanner put it: “Daily to-do lists and spreadsheets… combined with periods each day to clear the quick tasks.”
Collaboration was another key coping strategy highlighted. Paraplanners regularly turn to one another and to advisers for clarity, shared workload, and reassurance.
For others, coping with overload often means stretching beyond contracted hours. “Working in my evenings to try to get the work done,” one paraplanner admitted. Others echoed similar experiences: “Often working additional hours to complete the workload.” “I try to set aside time to catch up and work into the evenings.” While this reflects dedication, it also highlights the ongoing pressure within the role.
Despite the demands, paraplanners also recognised the importance of self-care and mental reset. Some take short breaks – “I take a walk,” “I stop and make a coffee,” “I pause and take a deep breath” – while others emphasise the value of switching off: “When I finish work I leave it at my desk and go for a run to clear my head.”
A positive mindset also plays a role. One paraplanner noted: “Any sense of feeling overwhelmed I know will not last – I just need to stay calm, plan carefully, and prioritise.”
A few were candid about the reality that coping isn’t always perfect. Some admitted they “ignore it and carry on,” “just get on with it,” or simply “keep working hard”. For others, the feeling of overwhelm is persistent: “Some times are better than others… I don’t feel very supported.”
This honesty underscores that while paraplanners are resilient, the pressure can take its toll.
Overall, paraplanners said they cope with overload through a combination of prioritisation, organisation, communication, teamwork, and personal coping strategies. Whether by writing lists, managing expectations, asking for support, taking breaks, or working additional hours, they continuously find ways to keep delivering quality work under challenging circumstances. Paraplanner resilience is evident, as is the need for ongoing support and more realistic workloads.
In this frame, we asked paraplanners about the support they were receiving from their management.
Have you raised workload issues with your manager?
Yes – and they took action to help 41%
Yes – they listened but nothing changed 30%
Yes – but they were dismissive 3%
No 26%
Do you feel your firm has enough paraplanners or administrators given the volume of work coming through?
Yes 41%
No 43%
Not sure 16%
How amenable are your management to recruiting new paraplanners/administrators, in general?
Very amenable 13%
Moderately amenable 33%
Slightly amenable 26%
Not amenable 15%
Not sure 13%
As can be seen the support provided by management was mixed and would point to more needing to be done to help many paraplanners cope with the workload coming through if advice firms wish to deliver the best in service for clients.
There is no doubt that AI, as it becomes more prevalent in the advice market, will take some of the heavy lifting out of the paraplanning role, which hopefully, will ease feelings of overwork and overload, and deliver the space and time all paraplanners need to ensure they are doing their best on every case they work on.
There were clear positive signs to be noted also, in that 43% of paraplanners said they did have the time needed to do their job each day, 47% cleared their inboxes at least weekly, 44% felt they had the time each day to tackle each case to the best of their ability, and around 40% had managers who were willing to help tackle the issues through actions and staff recruitment.
What’s needed, clearly, is for that to be the case for the majority if not all of paraplanners. The next time we undertake this survey, let’s hope the numbers reflect that positive progression.
