Every business looks to improve its staff productivity by integrating various training and growth strategies. Time management is an important skill that is not often found in the staff. It is a skill that isn’t essentially innate but instead develops over time with proper management, processes, and training. With so many disruptions occurring in an average workplace environment, focusing on important tasks can become quite tricky. Here are four great ways to improve time management and increase productivity.
Maintaining timesheets
Keeping a record of how and where time is spent on a regular day can provide great insight into how time is being utilized at the office. Maintaining a timesheet will clearly show periods of productive work and areas where time was spent doing work that wasn’t entirely necessary and didn’t bring any value to the business. Even maintaining a timesheet for a few weeks can provide all the information one needs to figure out where time can be better utilized and what activities are consuming too much time that doesn’t benefit the business or its overall goals.
Working on a fixed schedule
A fixed schedule of tasks and activities to be carried out within the day is another method of increasing productivity. Fixed schedules can be a useful tool for time management, but only if the business is well versed in knowing how long each task should take on average per staff. Fixed schedules can be used in the manufacturing sector. Still, it isn’t easy to implement in businesses that are continually changing as such businesses require flexibility in their workforce that a fixed schedule does not allow. Fixed schedules, however, are beneficial to many businesses. It must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Set milestones and objectives
Another way one can improve staffs’ time management skills is by setting fixed deadlines, milestones, and objectives. This helps ensure that staffs know the most critical tasks and how to best divide time to accomplish each task individually in the desired period. This is a relatively autocratic form of management where staff feels empowered to make their schedules long as targets are being met. However, this method can be both a plus point and a drawback depending on staff etiquette and work ethic. If you are in a business that adheres to strict deadlines, this may be an effective way of managing staff as it ensures that no matter what work is being concluded on time.
Coaching, training & business
The best to consolidate time management skills within the staff pool is by training and coaching. Training sessions that outline the importance of effective business and time-saving techniques can improve and enhance staff time management skills. Personal coaching for staff who may be struggling to hit desired targets can also be extremely beneficial. Keeping an eye on staff activities within a workplace environment can explain where and how their time can be better utilized. Teaching staff how to maintain a proper calendar, to-do list, and even a time journal can positively connotate their productivity and output.
Conclusion
Time is the world’s most precious commodity, and it is one of the few things in life that can only be spent, not saved. Effective use of time, both from a professional and a personal standpoint, is of utmost importance to get to a person’s fullest potential. Encouraging staff to practice time management and mandating specific time management procedures like keeping a time log can lead to a more productive and efficient workforce. Staff must be aware of how valuable and useful time management skills can be from a personal and professional standpoint.
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