diff --git a/include/dlaf/eigensolver/internal/get_red2band_panel_nworkers.h b/include/dlaf/eigensolver/internal/get_red2band_panel_nworkers.h
index f269232d18..06b2585b1f 100644
--- a/include/dlaf/eigensolver/internal/get_red2band_panel_nworkers.h
+++ b/include/dlaf/eigensolver/internal/get_red2band_panel_nworkers.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 namespace dlaf::eigensolver::internal {
 
-inline size_t getReductionToBandPanelNWorkers() noexcept {
+inline size_t get_red2band_panel_nworkers() noexcept {
   // Note: precautionarily we leave at least 1 thread "free" to do other stuff (if possible)
   const std::size_t available_workers = pika::resource::get_thread_pool("default").get_os_thread_count();
   const std::size_t min_workers = 1;
diff --git a/include/dlaf/eigensolver/reduction_to_band/impl.h b/include/dlaf/eigensolver/reduction_to_band/impl.h
index e3f4befb0e..8e48b8981b 100644
--- a/include/dlaf/eigensolver/reduction_to_band/impl.h
+++ b/include/dlaf/eigensolver/reduction_to_band/impl.h
@@ -311,23 +311,28 @@ void computePanelReflectors(MatrixLikeA& mat_a, MatrixLikeTaus& mat_taus, const
     panel_tiles.emplace_back(matrix::splitTile(mat_a.readwrite(i), spec));
   }
 
-  const std::size_t nthreads = getReductionToBandPanelNWorkers();
-  auto s =
-      ex::when_all(ex::just(std::make_unique<pika::barrier<>>(nthreads),
+  const std::size_t nworkers = [nrtiles = panel_tiles.size()]() {
+    const std::size_t min_workers = 1;
+    const std::size_t available_workers = get_red2band_panel_nworkers();
+    const std::size_t ideal_workers = to_sizet(nrtiles);
+    return std::clamp(ideal_workers, min_workers, available_workers);
+  }();
+  ex::start_detached(
+      ex::when_all(ex::just(std::make_unique<pika::barrier<>>(nworkers),
                             std::vector<common::internal::vector<T>>{}),  // w (internally required)
                    mat_taus.readwrite(LocalTileIndex(j_sub, 0)),
                    ex::when_all_vector(std::move(panel_tiles))) |
       di::continues_on(di::getBackendScheduler<Backend::MC>(thread_priority::high)) |
-      ex::bulk(nthreads, [nthreads, cols = panel_view.cols()](const std::size_t index, auto& barrier_ptr,
+      ex::bulk(nworkers, [nworkers, cols = panel_view.cols()](const std::size_t index, auto& barrier_ptr,
                                                               auto& w, auto& taus, auto& tiles) {
         const auto barrier_busy_wait = getReductionToBandBarrierBusyWait();
-        const std::size_t batch_size = util::ceilDiv(tiles.size(), nthreads);
+        const std::size_t batch_size = util::ceilDiv(tiles.size(), nworkers);
         const std::size_t begin = index * batch_size;
         const std::size_t end = std::min(index * batch_size + batch_size, tiles.size());
         const SizeType nrefls = taus.size().rows();
 
         if (index == 0) {
-          w.resize(nthreads);
+          w.resize(nworkers);
         }
 
         for (SizeType j = 0; j < nrefls; ++j) {
@@ -357,8 +362,7 @@ void computePanelReflectors(MatrixLikeA& mat_a, MatrixLikeTaus& mat_taus, const
           updateTrailingPanel(has_head, tiles, j, w[0], taus({j, 0}), begin, end);
           barrier_ptr->arrive_and_wait(barrier_busy_wait);
         }
-      });
-  ex::start_detached(std::move(s));
+      }));
 }
 
 template <Backend B, Device D, class T>
@@ -632,27 +636,33 @@ void computePanelReflectors(TriggerSender&& trigger, comm::IndexT_MPI rank_v0,
     panel_tiles.emplace_back(matrix::splitTile(mat_a.readwrite(i), spec));
   }
 
-  const std::size_t nthreads = getReductionToBandPanelNWorkers();
-  auto s =
-      ex::when_all(ex::just(std::make_unique<pika::barrier<>>(nthreads),
+  const std::size_t nworkers = [nrtiles = panel_tiles.size()]() {
+    const std::size_t min_workers = 1;
+    const std::size_t available_workers = get_red2band_panel_nworkers();
+    const std::size_t ideal_workers = util::ceilDiv(to_sizet(nrtiles), to_sizet(2));
+    return std::clamp(ideal_workers, min_workers, available_workers);
+  }();
+
+  ex::start_detached(
+      ex::when_all(ex::just(std::make_unique<pika::barrier<>>(nworkers),
                             std::vector<common::internal::vector<T>>{}),  // w (internally required)
                    mat_taus.readwrite(GlobalTileIndex(j_sub, 0)),
                    ex::when_all_vector(std::move(panel_tiles)),
                    std::forward<CommSender>(mpi_col_chain_panel), std::forward<TriggerSender>(trigger)) |
       di::continues_on(di::getBackendScheduler<Backend::MC>(pika::execution::thread_priority::high)) |
-      ex::bulk(nthreads, [nthreads, rank_v0,
+      ex::bulk(nworkers, [nworkers, rank_v0,
                           cols = panel_view.cols()](const std::size_t index, auto& barrier_ptr, auto& w,
                                                     auto& taus, auto& tiles, auto&& pcomm) {
         const bool rankHasHead = rank_v0 == pcomm.get().rank();
 
         const auto barrier_busy_wait = getReductionToBandBarrierBusyWait();
-        const std::size_t batch_size = util::ceilDiv(tiles.size(), nthreads);
+        const std::size_t batch_size = util::ceilDiv(tiles.size(), nworkers);
         const std::size_t begin = index * batch_size;
         const std::size_t end = std::min(index * batch_size + batch_size, tiles.size());
         const SizeType nrefls = taus.size().rows();
 
         if (index == 0) {
-          w.resize(nthreads);
+          w.resize(nworkers);
         }
 
         for (SizeType j = 0; j < nrefls; ++j) {
@@ -685,8 +695,7 @@ void computePanelReflectors(TriggerSender&& trigger, comm::IndexT_MPI rank_v0,
           updateTrailingPanel(has_head, tiles, j, w[0], taus({j, 0}), begin, end);
           barrier_ptr->arrive_and_wait(barrier_busy_wait);
         }
-      });
-  ex::start_detached(std::move(s));
+      }));
 }
 
 template <Backend B, Device D, class T>