Time management is likely the number one thing any person will say they have difficulty with when it comes to their personal life or business. Managing time is essential, but setting realistic goals, deadlines, and productivity quotas are equally crucial. As a small business owner, it is easy to bite off more than you can chew and have time management get away from you. If this is the case consistently with both you and your employees, you need to look at ways to keep everyone productive and able to meet deadlines and quotas without causing burnout. Here are some steps you can take within your business to keep time management under control.
The Value of Timesheets and Production Reports
While it is common for employees to have timesheets to get paid, timesheets and production reports can also show productivity and goals. It can identify potential issues. Timesheets and production reports can be as general or detailed as deemed necessary to show where time is spent and what work is productive and what is not. It can also identify an imbalance in workloads between employees. Even the business owner must keep a record of production to identify areas of delegation. It is common for a business owner to take on the bulk of the work, especially if it is new or struggling.
Scheduling and Production
Scheduling of employees is a common way to make sure there is coverage, but it can also help balance time management tasks. Schedules don’t only have to cover the hours a person works, but there can be a regular schedule of specific checklists or tasks to ensure production is not only optimal but accomplished at the same time every day. The scheduling of the task can be the scheduling of the employee who will take on the task. Production is essential to every business’s success, and focusing the scheduling to have optimal production daily will contribute to all goals being met.
Setting Milestones and Long-Term Goals
Setting long-term goals is a given within any business; however, it is also essential to set up milestones. Though the owner has overall control of a company’s long or short-term goals, every employee must help control time management by being involved in goal setting and agreement on milestones. Having smaller milestones to meet when there is a larger long-term goal will keep production moving forward. Breaking it down in smaller increments will prevent any employee or owner from becoming overwhelmed. It also helps to keep the time manageable, which is essential for productivity towards goals.
Time Management Can Be Taught
While overall time management of the business is the owner’s responsibility, it is also the responsibility of the employees to manage their own time wisely. There should be coaching and training and opportunities for improvement for those with issues with managing their time. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding time management, productivity, and the best interest of the business. Those employees struggling with managing time or productivity may need to temporarily lessen the workload or tasks while they train and improve.
Conclusion
While time is the most precious thing in a business, it can also be a killer if it is not managed correctly. To ensure the overall business has excellent time management, each employee and the owner will need to work together to optimize their time and production. Using timesheets and productivity reports, scheduling and production, and setting goals and milestones and training as needed will ensure that any business is thriving and has the time to be highly productive.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
