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New non-executive directors are often unprepared for the hidden workload that comes with a first board appointment.
Beyond formal meetings, the role involves analysing complex board papers, understanding legacy decisions, navigating board dynamics and staying across emerging risks.
Preparation, continuous learning and clear conversations about expectations can reduce the shock.
For many first-time non-executive directors (NEDs), the biggest surprise isn’t the board meeting itself — it’s everything that surrounds it.
The board pack is thicker than expected, the issues are broader, the accountability is immediate, and much of the work happens outside the formal meetings listed in the calendar.
“Each adds more work because new NEDs may not be prepared for them,” says Lisa Yen GAICD, Chair of Basketball NSW and a former accountant. “That’s not in a bad way. It’s just that they don’t know what they don’t know”.
Mastering the board papers
The workload shock often begins with the arrival of the board pack. These documents can be longer and more technical than expected, with little signposting of what truly matters. Yet NEDs are personally accountable for understanding them, even on day one.
“I've seen good board packs and I’ve seen really bad ones,” says Yen. “Not only do you need to understand the information in them, you’ve also got to understand their context, history and what’s missing.”
Frances Drummond FAICD, an experienced NED and former lawyer, agrees. “In some organisations, there’s just too much information in the packs. In others, it’s not the right stuff.”
Drummond explains that NED responsibilities have expanded significantly, requiring oversight of an ever-widening range of complex issues. “Because board papers try to cover all of these, they’re getting bigger, but not necessarily better.”
Beyond reviewing what is included, she says NEDs must also identify gaps and request further information from management — , adding to the workload.
For many new directors, the breadth of issues is confronting. Executives often come from specialist roles, but as NEDs they must oversee the whole organisation. Even financial statements — familiar in theory — can feel different in practice.
“CFOs will often give you lots of financial information, but you can’t necessarily always see the story from that,” says Drummond. “Many new NEDs would struggle to work out what they’re meant to be finding in that information and what it all means.”
She says the challenge can be greater in smaller not-for-profits without a dedicated company secretary. “You can end up with a lot of paperwork to get through. Some NFPs have got a lot going on.”
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The work between meetings
“The biggest thing for me was the invisible time between meetings,” says Yen, referring to the extra demands not captured on the board calendar, but where much of the governance work now takes place.
“Usually, when you apply for a role, the board will tell you how many hours are expected from you, but you can expect that to be more than just 11 board meetings a year,” adds Drummond. “A lot of ad hoc things happen between meetings, such as committee meetings updates, education sessions and crisis meetings.”
For NFP NEDs, the extra workload could include tapping into your own resources, for example your networks, for fundraising, she says.
Legacy and board dynamics
Yen was also struck by the weight of legacy issues. “I underestimated how strongly past decisions could impact current decisions.”
She says new NEDs may not fully understand the background to past decisions, yet they are accountable for the decisions they make now. That often means investing significant time reviewing the history —adding to their workload.
Beyond the technical aspects, directorship carries a less visible workload — board dynamics.
Yen says she was caught off guard by the “soft side” of governance — unspoken norms, how directors challenge one another and how consensus is reached. These dynamics can shift as new members join or circumstances change. Managing them takes time, awareness and emotional energy.
The cognitive load and lifelong learning
The role does not switch off when meetings end. Much of the mental load happens outside formal settings — monitoring media, regulatory updates and emerging risks. A single news article can prompt the question, “Is our board across this?”
Drummond says the constant mental load can be underappreciated. Namely, much depends on the particular organisation and nature of its business, as well as the NED’s preparation and general understanding of the things that can happen.
Drummond says many new NEDs are surprised by how much ongoing education is required.
“It’s not a set and forget,” she says. “You don’t just do an AICD course and get the basics. You need to keep learning. That’s because the environment keeps changing.”
“A lot of boards will offer education — and also, read as much as you can,” says Drummond, noting many of the professional services firms publish papers and presentations on all sorts of topics.
“Also attend AICD updates and courses. You’ve got to get your CPD points anyway, but you’ve also got to be curious.”
Preparing for the role
Drummond believes it’s impossible to avoid surprises in your first board role.
“It’s the same when you take on an executive role. You don’t know everything when you go in.”
Both she and Yen believe that one of the best ways to prepare for the role is by completing the AICD’s Foundations of Directorship course.
“It’s one of the first things I would do,” says Yen. “It gave me a safe foundation on governance and a basic understanding of financials, risk and legal responsibilities. It also helped me to eliminate some of the surprises. But most importantly, it helped me transition from operations to governance.”
Beyond formal training, both recommend finding a mentor.
“Before joining the board, have a frank conversation with the chair about the expectations around your role,” says Yen. “Also, invest time in understanding the financials, risks and organisational context. The less prepared you are, the more overwhelmed you may feel and the more work you may need to do.”
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