Getting the most out of your employees can be a challenge, if when you feel you've hired the right people. There are many aspects that contribute toward efficiency and productivity. It may take some thought and some new initiatives to get the best from each person on your staff. Here are some suggestions for working toward that goal.
Put People Where They'll Perform the Best
This may not be a popular concept for those in your organization. Particularly if they expect promotions based solely on seniority. That's because the best person for a promotion isn't always the most experienced or the best skilled. In fact, promoting your star worker is likely to put a drain on productivity. Try to avoid taking that highest performing individual away from the job in which he functions best. Instead, look for an employee who has demonstrated better leadership skills, who might outperform others in a managerial capacity.
Supply the Best Resources and Tools
There are two types of businesses. Those that force their employees to make do with substandard equipment and those that keep current on new advances to keep their businesses operating at peak efficiency. This can mean equipping your computer system with a GPU database to ensure faster processing or supplying your logistics personnel with new software to improve the efficiency of their tasks. If you're uncertain about what improvements your business needs, talk to your staff. Your managers and lower level employees will all have good ideas for improving productivity. Whether that means obtaining new equipment or implementing new policies, listen to them.
Make Sure Responsibilities are Being Delegated
This goes for yourself, as well as for your managers. By assigning tasks to support staff, you'll give them opportunities to prove their value and you'll be able to hone their leadership and managerial skills. Your managers might have their own ways of doing things, but, get them to delegate those jobs to others. That way, your entire staff will learn more about the organization. One additional benefit to this is that this type of cross-training will help ensure any employee can step into any role with minimal training.
Use Better Communication Tools
Research has recently found that reading emails takes up as much as 28% of an employee's work day, which is unfortunate, because this is how most workplaces communicate. By taking advantage of mobile devices, you can install apps that are specifically designed for workplace communication. By using a phone app, such as Slack, you can communicate more effectively with your employees and you'll be assured that your message will be read sooner.
When Hiring, Consider Workplace Culture
Most organizations hire by traditional standards, simply choosing who they feel is best for the open position with little regard for the new hire's personality. By paying closer attention to the nature of the person and how they'll interact with your other employees, you can maximize efficiency. This doesn't necessarily looking for the same types of people, but looking for those who share a belief in the same principles and practices of your business. By finding individuals who will strengthen the culture within your organization, you'll build a stronger workforce and that will boost productivity.
Consider Allowing Remote Work
This option can benefit your organization's efficiency in a number of ways. The most obvious advantage is that the option will excite employees and boost overall morale. Additionally, it will reduce operating costs. By allowing employees to work from home, when possible, they'll be using their own resources, sparing on the wear and tear of office equipment and reducing the cost of utilities, office supplies, etc. They'll also be providing for their own breaks and lunches, so you'll save money in that way as well. You won't be alone, either. The last poll found that as many as 43% of employees now work remotely from home.
Technology and new management concepts are coming together to help businesses make more efficient use of their employees. By implementing updated practices, you'll be able to boost productivity and workplace morale. This will create a less stressful environment, a more efficiently run organization, and a better trained staff.
Could you use help leveraging your company technology to better empower your workforce? Contact Crucial Point for an overview of our CTO Advisory Services and a free estimate of how we can help.
Brigg Patten
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