Using Tech to Optimise Productivity Within Your Business.
While there are many ways that you can increase productivity in your office through recognition and flexible schedules, what really affects productivity in 2023 is technology. As tech continues to evolve, we can use new innovations to streamline processes and make employees better at their jobs. If you need a boost at your company, we have some tips that can put you back on track with analytics, automation, and smart computer programs.
This week’s article is written by the wonderful Katie Brenneman. Thank you Katie for writing this for me.
Analytics and Cloud Tech Increase Productivity and Reduce Error.
As a business owner, you want to see your employees kick up their efforts a notch so you can get more done and earn higher profits. However, when your employees are asked to work harder and do more, and they aren’t provided with adequate support, there’s likely to be a lot of errors, and you end up falling behind.
There are many ways that you can reduce human error in the workplace, including analysing your work and setting realistic goals so there’s less room for error, and if that solution makes you realise that you need more employees to do the work, then bring them on. You can also add more managers and oversight so that projects don’t go through the pipeline unless they’re verified to be error-free.
There’s also the opportunity to use cloud technology to optimise productivity and reduce errors. Give your employees access to the cloud system and upload all the forms they need to do their job and the training documents they can look at when they’re stuck and don’t know where to turn. Put the necessary information at their fingertips, and your employees will be more confident with their work, and they’ll accomplish more during the day.
Next, use workforce productivity analytics to take a closer look at the tasks completed daily. Identify the inefficient work processes, error-producing activities, and the helpful apps and software that you currently provide to make the employee’s jobs easier. As you begin compiling this information, you can eliminate the processes bogging things down. Your employees will notice the improvements and they’ll be happier and more engaged with their work.
Make Simple Tasks Easier.
When you really look, you’ll find countless ways to encourage your staff to be more productive at work, including recommending they work the hardest tasks earlier in the day so they don’t have more difficult and detailed tasks looming over their heads all day. Also, ensure that they take breaks throughout the shift, so they can return to work feeling relaxed and refreshed.
Employees may go into the office with the best intentions, but when they get into their work, and they’re faced with a lot of repetitive and monotonous tasks, their can-do attitude can quickly fade away. Once you have used analytics to identify the problem areas, you can make employee’s lives easier by incorporating automation into the work process. One way to do this is to use internet of things technologies, such as self-service machines and kiosks if you’re in the retail industry.
Depending on your company type, you can find technology to automate many repetitive tasks that can bog down your employees’ workflow. Many tasks can be automated, including:
Sending emails
Backing up files
Filling out online forms
Sending reminders
With these tasks out of their hair, your employees can focus on the more impactful work. Plus, when programmed correctly, machines rarely make mistakes, so you can ensure that those monotonous tasks are done right.
Software That Can Increase Productivity.
Various online programs and software packages can make your teams more productive, starting with project management software like Monday.com and Asana. You can use these programs to keep an eye on every aspect of your project and get a bird’s eye view of what each team member is doing and how they’re looking regarding completion dates. You can also get your staff in on the act. Give them a login and allow them to see where they stand and how they’re doing when compared with the rest of the team. It’s a good way to keep them accountable.
It’s also wise to take advantage of cloud programs like Google Docs and Google Sheets, which offer similar capabilities to Microsoft Word and Excel. However, they’re online, which makes them accessible at any time from anywhere, so your employees can work seamlessly and share information with the rest of the team at the touch of a button. Plus, the work completed on these apps is saved automatically, so your employees don’t have to worry or stress about losing their work.
Finally, managers can use time tracking tools to closely examine how long the employees are taking to complete their tasks and make educated adjustments to their workload. Have employees log into their time tracker and complete a predetermined amount of work, then look at the average time it’s taking the team to get through their tasks. If an outlier takes longer than the rest, speak to the employee, ask if they’re struggling, and offer a solution.
There are many apps and tech tools out there that you can use to streamline your workflow and get the productivity numbers you’ve been striving to hit. Take the time to analyse your staff and work out the kinks. It won’t happen overnight, but in the end, you can bring your company to an all-new level.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specialising in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.
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