Businesses deal with a lot of resources. Money, people, supplies and the like. With these physical resources, taking a hit is bad, but it’s reversible. Losing time, however, isn’t. You can’t afford to have slow days or weeks outside the occasional moment the business is quiet. So you have to use that time better. Don’t let it go down the drain, follow these tips.
Time management
All shifts in the workplace culture begin with you. If you’re not practising proper time management, why should your employees? It all starts with getting organised. Working smarter is about prioritising different tasks, completing that which is most important first. Learning when to delegate is another important part of managing your own time. Set up a system of work requests, so you’re not bombarded with details of tasks you can’t do right now.
Everyone can do more
Have everyone adopt that work request system. Have people prioritise incoming tasks. If a job needs to be done to free up someone’s paused workflow, it should be dealt with. Otherwise, teach them to wait. Take a proper look at the work they’re doing, too. Common work processes should be documented. Then, in a moment of free time, look over that process and the different steps involved. Work with your team to cut steps out using different methods or tools and systemise it. Another way to get people working quicker and getting more done with their day is by measuring it. For example, you can use key performance indicators. This gives you both an objective measure of different goals and helps you catch progress. Just make sure that you’re not making anyone go into a frenzy. There’s a value to improving work rate, but a danger to it as well.
Your tech should speed you up, not slow you down
Glorious IT. In most workplaces, it plays a key role in helping us save time on all sorts of tasks. But that’s only if it’s effectively handled. Old hardware and lacking IT systems can cause more downtime than time-saving. Systems managers like Netstar help many businesses limit that downtime. By being proactive with your IT network, you can ensure it bothers you less and less in future. When that tech becomes entirely inaccessible, that’s just as big a problem. Consider upgrading or replacing hardware for more efficient parts. Look at the continuity plan for your hardware as well. Do you have backup internet connections or generators in case your current system goes down? If not, you should. Similarly, you should always have a backup of the data your business needs to keep functioning.
Even physical layout matters
The office itself plays a big role in the time spent on different tasks. For example, think about how accessible certain resources like supplies are. How does the layout hinder or help physical communication and the passing of work? Even the comfort of the office design can impact motivation and personal work rate. Don’t just think of it as a physical space to host your people. Think about your office as an asset.
Avoid the crunch
We’ve all had those periods of some approaching deadline or the other rushing up to meet us. That’s the truest symptom of a workload gone out of control. But you don’t have to just accept it. Instead, you should be thinking about how you avoid in future. For example, if it’s a big project utilising multiple people, communication is key. Project management software gives everyone an overview of the different tasks in play and who is responsible for it. That means if you spot a problem arising, you can get to the source quicker. No more waiting for the penny to drop when you think it should be done. The business accounts are another common cause of crunch. Sites like Ignitespot recommend using a checklist to avoid that in future. They can be put on a calendar, including vital task like invoicing and payroll. But they also help you compartmentalize those big jobs like tax returns. That way you’re not rushing to get it done all at once.
You, your staff, tech and even the office all have a role to play in dealing with time better. The more you let slip from your grasp, the worse your business will do. Get on the ball and learn how to manage it more effectively. From the completion of single tasks to the overall work rate. Organisation and using the right technological solutions is the key you need.
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