understaffed — having too few employees or workers to operate effectively

a single chef frantically moves between multiple cooking stations with sweat dripping down his face. He holds a spatula in one hand while reaching for a pot with the other as orders pile up. Multiple stove burners have pans cooking simultaneously while dirty dishes stack high in the sink. Steam rises from overflowing pots as the lone chef struggles to manage everything at once. Two waiters peek through the kitchen door with worried expressions, holding empty trays. a workplace having too few employees to operate effectively