Employees are always responsible for their own time in some way. Some of them might have more management and oversight than others, but they all have to manage their time to use it in the smartest way. But when they’re left to their own devices, they can fail to use their time as wisely as they should. They might think they’re using their time as effectively as possible, but the reality is that they could be a lot more efficient. Rather than just expecting them to do better, employers can take steps to help employees manage their time more effectively.
Give Them Tools to Manage Their Time
Sometimes all it takes to do something properly is having the right tools to do it. When it comes to time management, giving your employees the necessary tools can really help them track their time and get more done. You can find that employee time tracking systems are useful not just for your business as a whole but for your employees too. They allow your employees to clock in and out more easily, without having to remember to fill out timesheets. They can keep track of their hours more easily, and so can you. It’s also useful if they can track their available PTO, saving time on PTO requests for everyone.
Help with Expectations
When employees aren’t making the most of their time, it can be because they don’t really know what’s expected of them. They don’t have clear deadlines, they have too much on their plate, or they don’t have a good idea of what process they should be following. Setting clear expectations for your employees can make them a lot better at managing their time. You can ensure they know what deadlines they have to meet but also prevent them from burning out by avoiding giving them too much to do.
Encourage Time Audits
A time audit can be a useful way for an employee to work out where their time is actually going. They might think they’re being productive, but then it turns out that a lot of their time is lost to procrastinating, wrestling with emails, or getting pulled away from their work by coworkers. By taking a time audit, they can track what they’re actually doing with their day. It could highlight some of the ways in which they’re losing time and how they could start to correct that.
Build Time Management Skills
Employees might not always have the skills to manage their own time. This is something that needs to be built, and you can help them do that as their employer. There are various types of training and advice that you can provide employees to show them how they can manage their time more efficiently. Whether it’s how to prioritise tasks or the most efficient way to sort through their emails, you can give them the skills required to be more efficient and productive.
If you want your employees to manage their time better, give them a helping hand to make it easier for them.