diff --git a/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/base.html b/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/base.html
index ba29361..7177a6e 100644
--- a/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/base.html
+++ b/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/base.html
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@
     .metric { padding: 14px; }
     .metric .label { color: var(--muted); font-size: 12px; text-transform: uppercase; }
     .metric .value { font-size: 26px; font-weight: 650; margin-top: 4px; }
+    .metric.failed { border-color: #e8b4b4; background: #fff7f7; }
+    .metric.warning { border-color: #e7cf8a; background: #fffaf0; }
+    .metric.running { border-color: #e7cf8a; background: #fffaf0; }
+    .metric.queued { border-color: #b5cdea; background: #eef6ff; }
     .panel { padding: 16px; margin-bottom: 18px; overflow: auto; }
     .panel.highlight { border-left: 4px solid var(--border); }
     .panel.highlight.failed { border-left-color: var(--failed); background: #fff7f7; }
@@ -118,6 +122,23 @@
       cursor: not-allowed;
     }
     .inline-form { margin: 0; }
+    .status-overview {
+      display: grid;
+      gap: 8px;
+    }
+    .status-summary {
+      align-items: center;
+      border: 1px solid var(--border);
+      border-radius: 6px;
+      display: flex;
+      flex-wrap: wrap;
+      gap: 8px;
+      padding: 10px;
+    }
+    .status-summary.failed { border-color: #e8b4b4; background: #fff7f7; color: var(--failed); }
+    .status-summary.warning,
+    .status-summary.running { border-color: #e7cf8a; background: #fffaf0; color: var(--running); }
+    .status-summary.queued { border-color: #b5cdea; background: #eef6ff; color: var(--link); }
     .operator-state {
       align-items: center;
       display: flex;
diff --git a/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/dashboard.html b/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/dashboard.html
index e0299ce..b595b34 100644
--- a/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/dashboard.html
+++ b/src/pobsync_backend/templates/pobsync_backend/dashboard.html
@@ -32,10 +32,46 @@
     <div class="metric"><div class="label">Schedules</div><div class="value">{{ counts.enabled_schedules }}/{{ counts.schedules }}</div></div>
     <div class="metric"><div class="label">Snapshots</div><div class="value">{{ counts.snapshots }}</div></div>
     <div class="metric"><div class="label">Runs</div><div class="value">{{ counts.runs }}</div></div>
-    <div class="metric"><div class="label">Queued</div><div class="value">{{ counts.queued_runs }}</div></div>
-    <div class="metric"><div class="label">Running</div><div class="value">{{ counts.running_runs }}</div></div>
-    <div class="metric"><div class="label">Warnings</div><div class="value">{{ counts.warning_runs }}</div></div>
-    <div class="metric"><div class="label">Failed</div><div class="value">{{ counts.failed_runs }}</div></div>
+    <div class="metric {% if counts.queued_runs %}queued{% endif %}"><div class="label">Queued</div><div class="value">{{ counts.queued_runs }}</div></div>
+    <div class="metric {% if counts.running_runs %}running{% endif %}"><div class="label">Running</div><div class="value">{{ counts.running_runs }}</div></div>
+    <div class="metric {% if counts.warning_runs %}warning{% endif %}"><div class="label">Warnings</div><div class="value">{{ counts.warning_runs }}</div></div>
+    <div class="metric {% if counts.failed_runs %}failed{% endif %}"><div class="label">Failed</div><div class="value">{{ counts.failed_runs }}</div></div>
+  </section>
+
+  <section class="panel">
+    <h2>Operational Status</h2>
+    {% if counts.failed_runs or counts.warning_runs or counts.running_runs or counts.queued_runs %}
+      <div class="status-overview">
+        {% if counts.failed_runs %}
+          <div class="status-summary failed">
+            <span class="status failed">failed</span>
+            <strong>{{ counts.failed_runs }} failed run{{ counts.failed_runs|pluralize }} need{{ counts.failed_runs|pluralize:"s," }} review.</strong>
+          </div>
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if counts.warning_runs %}
+          <div class="status-summary warning">
+            <span class="status warning">warning</span>
+            <strong>{{ counts.warning_runs }} run{{ counts.warning_runs|pluralize }} completed with warnings.</strong>
+          </div>
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if counts.running_runs %}
+          <div class="status-summary running">
+            <span class="status running">running</span>
+            <strong>{{ counts.running_runs }} backup run{{ counts.running_runs|pluralize }} in progress.</strong>
+          </div>
+        {% endif %}
+        {% if counts.queued_runs %}
+          <div class="status-summary queued">
+            <span class="status queued">queued</span>
+            <strong>{{ counts.queued_runs }} backup run{{ counts.queued_runs|pluralize }} waiting for the worker.</strong>
+          </div>
+        {% endif %}
+      </div>
+    {% elif counts.hosts %}
+      <p><span class="status ok">ok</span> No queued, running, warning, or failed runs.</p>
+    {% else %}
+      <p class="muted">Add a host to start tracking backup status here.</p>
+    {% endif %}
   </section>
 
   <section class="panel">
diff --git a/src/pobsync_backend/tests/test_views.py b/src/pobsync_backend/tests/test_views.py
index 64c79f1..5fcaa29 100644
--- a/src/pobsync_backend/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/src/pobsync_backend/tests/test_views.py
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ class ViewTests(TestCase):
         self.assertContains(response, "running 1")
         self.assertContains(response, "warning 1")
         self.assertContains(response, "failed 1")
+        self.assertContains(response, "Operational Status")
+        self.assertContains(response, "1 failed run needs review.")
+        self.assertContains(response, "1 run completed with warnings.")
+        self.assertContains(response, "1 backup run in progress.")
+        self.assertContains(response, "1 backup run waiting for the worker.")
 
     def test_dashboard_renders_backup_trend_summary(self) -> None:
         self.client.force_login(self.staff_user)
@@ -148,6 +153,17 @@ class ViewTests(TestCase):
         self.assertContains(response, "No completed backup runs with stats yet.")
         self.assertContains(response, "growth estimates")
 
+    def test_dashboard_shows_all_clear_operational_status(self) -> None:
+        self.client.force_login(self.staff_user)
+        GlobalConfig.objects.create(name="default", backup_root="/opt/pobsync/backups")
+        HostConfig.objects.create(host="web-01", address="web-01.example.test")
+
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("dashboard"))
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertContains(response, "Operational Status")
+        self.assertContains(response, "No queued, running, warning, or failed runs.")
+
     def test_dashboard_surfaces_retention_warnings(self) -> None:
         self.client.force_login(self.staff_user)
         host = HostConfig.objects.create(