Task Creep refers to a situation when an individual’s task that is critical to a preset objective cannot be completed as planned because other less important task(s) is already started by the individual so the critical task gets slipped and the objective seems to be failed or completed out of the plan. Such a situation is characterized by the process of task creeping which defines the inability to make appropriate priority decisions.
Task creep is usually revealed when some person (e.g. an employee) reviews and updates all tasks that are planned for reaching specific objectives. The key reason for task creep is poor task prioritization. If a critical task goes creeping it means the employee’s priority decision is wrong or inappropriate. The creeping process causes performance bottleneck because the employee no more focuses on the critical task so specific performance objectives fail to be met.
In order to avoid task creeping, it is important to train employees in task prioritization and goal setting. Employees should know how to distinguish between critical and less prioritized tasks and how to focus on tactical objectives to achieve a specific plan.