Good Systems · public information library

What can I do at work to help someone when they want to make decisions without going over them again and again?

People come here to understand why something in everyday life feels harder, different or more costly than it should — and what might make it work better.

Short answer

Use decision rules that let work move forward.

What this can look like

Repeatedly reopening choices drains time and prevents delivery.

Why it can happen

Set criteria, a decision owner and a review trigger; do not reopen every choice by default. This preserves room for care without making uncertainty the team’s permanent workload.

What might help

Use a decision rule and revisit only when agreed new information appears.

What the research helps explain

Research and public guidance describe perfectionism and overcontrol by their impact on finishing, flexibility, relationships and quality of life. In a workplace, clear standards, proportionate quality controls and fair management are useful without deciding whether an employee has OCD, OCPD, anxiety or another experience.

What can vary

The same behaviour can have different meanings in different work contexts. Do not diagnose employees, request private medical information or make support conditional on disclosure. Focus on task demands, impact and a workable agreement.

For this situation

For you, make “decided unless new evidence appears” a legitimate endpoint.

More info and original sources

Poko summarises the relevance of public original sources and links out for anyone who wants to read more.