Reflecting on what you and your team accomplish can help you evaluate and revamp your team's efficiency. Suddenly you’ve realized there aren’t enough hours in the day, or no matter how hard you work, some things will always be pushed to the back burner. Increasing your productivity at work can be simple if you can implement new strategies like organization, delegation, and incentivization. So how can you implement them?
Organization
Start with something small, like establishing a file system. Try archiving old records, or even consider uploading papers to a cloud-based storage system to declutter and organize your paperwork. Establishing an organized culture can ensure your team is getting the job done.
Organize your common goals by setting a large goal for your business to accomplish at the beginning of the year, and have each team member contribute to the goal. You can offer incentives to employees by asking them to create a goal monthly, quarterly or semi-annually, to establish a reasonable time frame to accomplish the goal. A great way to make sure your team doesn’t lose sight of goals is to host monthly staff meetings or smaller group meetings frequently and ask for updates often. Engaging your employees will help you stay organized for the bigger picture of your business's future.
Time tracking can also help you and your team evaluate how much time you’re spending on specific tasks. Try keeping an hourly log to see how long it takes you to complete even the most mundane tasks. You can try switching things up to different time slots throughout the week to see if performing certain tasks at different times helps you get them done more effectively. Don’t be afraid to smash your routine in hopes of improving it. You can also ask your staff to do the same and report back to you about it; often, once each person realizes how much time is dedicated to one thing, they can find ways to do it faster and without error.
Delegation
Juggling large workloads can lead to tasks getting left undone. As a boss, you know how to do everything, but you wear a lot of hats; don’t be afraid to delegate work. It can be difficult to let go of certain things, especially when you’ve done tasks for years, but a well-trained staff has your back. Remember to rely on your team when things get overwhelming.
The opposite of delegation is piling large amounts of work on one employee; also consider reflecting on those around you. Do they get their work done? Do things get forgotten? If forgotten, consider expanding your team or adding a new department. Growth can be difficult and often scary, but adding new people on your team can help you produce better service or products if everyone has the time that they need to complete their work.
Incentives
Money aside, there are many ways to incentivize your team. Offer to let your team dress casually if sales are met, or have a catered lunch at your next staff meeting to offer a meal on you. These gestures go beyond a reward and also help you build relationships with your team. You can also offer a pair of concert tickets or tickets to a sporting event to get your crew involved in healthy competition. Incentives, no matter what form they come in, are a great way to boost morale and increase productivity at work.
For more tips about productivity, check out our other articles on BBB's Biz HQ.
