When it comes to hierarchies and business structures, it’s the boss who says ‘the buck stops here.’ All managers share part of the responsibility, however, because they are tasked to oversee some of the people and processes.
One major area of accountability relates to productivity. Companies try to achieve more for less, to remain competitive. If it goes well, the company will grow and increase its market share. If not, the opposite will happen. It may be that you are wondering how to better manage your business and make it more productive. This article has been created to help you achieve this goal.
Use All The Help You Can Get
Both small and large businesses have their eyes on Asia. This is because they see the huge potential for financial growth and expansion. When entrepreneurs wonder how to go about incorporating a company in Singapore they often use third parties to register them with ACRA. It’s also possible to pay yearly fees for unlimited access to company secretary services.
By spending less time on their company’s incorporation and paperwork they are freed up to focus on their business.
Harness The Power Of Technology
It’s now possible to track the activities of your field staff and remote workers, discovering their whereabouts and checking on their productivity. This can be achieved using downloadable smartphone apps that use bespoke software. Besides tracking and time management technology, there’s also communication tech. Whether it’s Slack for messaging individuals and groups or Skype for video conferencing, you can quickly contact colleagues to receive progress updates.
It’s also worth reading about Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software such as Salesforce. Imagine having access to a customized dashboard that shows you the work position at a glance, and that enables you to access instant reports at the press of a button. Whilst such technology will cost you, there could be real benefits for both your company and your customers.
Remove Distractions
Although many people thrive in open-plan offices because they can connect with others while they work, it’s unwise to place some people by doors, photocopiers, or drinks’ machines. If someone regularly has time-sensitive (and data-sensitive) reports compiling, it’s better to ensure they can work alone and undisturbed.
Training can be beneficial in this area, helping create a culture where people learn to stay focused. It’s counterproductive for people to open every email the moment it arrives, or to have their phone on all the time. These days technology doesn’t make it hard for people to be briefly unavailable, whether it’s online or by phone. The ability to multitask is a myth – something will inevitably suffer. It’s better for people to perform successive tasks using one program than to have several on the go and to keep flitting from screen to screen.
Be Wise Over Meetings
If you hold a one-hour meeting for seven people, it’s no different from giving one person a day off! Some managers allow standing-room-only for some of their meetings, to help people avoid wasting time. The chair of the meeting needs to be empowered to cut people mid-flow if they are waffling, and to make sure the agenda is achieved within the time allowed. It’s important to limit the people you invite to meetings, rather than including the entire team every single time.
If an email conversation or phone chat will do it, let it replace a meeting. If you videoconference one person but later need to add another, it is possible to invite them to join.
Create Boundaries For Work Time
The phrase ‘work smarter not harder’ is true: the objective is not for you to work long hours, but for you to achieve more in less time. People who are expected to work long hours have the same energy as everyone else, so they often merely pace themselves. Alternatively, they burn out and need time off to recuperate.
Make sure people take their legal breaks. Encourage them to use up their holidays rather than losing or stockpiling them. Research on companies that reduced their working weeks from five to four days showed an increase in productivity and concentration. Whilst you may not choose to do this, you will want your staff to be refreshed each morning and to have a life outside of work.
We have now seen that you can manage and achieve productivity in a variety of different ways. A company can grow and have happy employees at the same time. Both external companies and modern technology can assist businesses as they seek to make themselves more efficient and productive.