Optimising productivity is a buzz word when it comes to business management, but are you aware of ALL the factors that play a role? You can implement effective marketing and have the best equipment and talent in your company & still not reach those goals set out in your business plan.
Are you simply not meant to achieve the success you dream of for your company in Australia? No. The obstacle in your way may simply be how effective your office is being run.
Why is a Streamlined Office Essential?
Consider this: your secretary takes 10 seconds longer than your competition to relay information to sales representatives or office managers. That doesn’t sound like a lot, right? But a few of these scenarios on a daily basis mean you’re losing out on minutes of work EACH week.
This is only one example of a single worker losing hours of work each year. It can also have repercussions in any department, from the factory to your HR department. And it can happen to any type of worker.
Let’s be clear that it’s not necessarily their fault. Without the tools to streamline their workflow, these obstacles will keep on affecting productivity.
What you want is that tasks are performed effectively and quickly. So, how are the market leaders doing it in the 21st century?
4 Must Know Office Tips
From Paper to Digital
If you’re not on this band wagon yet, where have you been?
The idea of creating paperless offices has been a popular discussion point for quite a few years. Though it’s debatable whether any office will function completely without paper, there’s no question that you’ll fare better, the more tasks you can perform digitally.
This applies to all departments. Imagine how the following can help your team free up time and get more done by the end of the day:
- Saving documents to the cloud instead of filing papers in a cupboard. Everyone will have access instantly, instead of asking secretaries to find the appropriate paperwork. They can also have access no matter where they are, so work can continue after hours if necessary.
- Allow employees to perform HR tasks online instead of filling in forms in the human resources office. They can request leave, view benefit packages and submit updates on personal details, without even picking up the phone. Both HR personnel and employees will save time.
For this type of streamlining you need the right technical support of course. Luckily, IT support services in cities have in abundance, will give you all the insight, hardware and software you’ll need to get it right this year.
What Can You Automate?
You should also upgrade your tech infrastructure to get the benefits of AI. Thanks to machine learning, AI can now perform boring, repetitive tasks much faster than humans can.
No, AI doesn’t have to rob your team of their jobs. It simply frees up their time so they can focus on more intricate, creative work. Imagine how much your office personnel can get done if AI handles the job of transferring client information between different spreadsheets or software programs.
Audit Workspaces
Moving away from the tech aspect in your office, you should also consider the physical obstacles your workers may be facing. How you set up your office may not be conducive to productivity:
- Will some of your workers get more done at standing desks or would a secretary appreciate an ergonomic chair? These changes can prevent physical discomfort, which can help them work faster.
- Do all your workers function optimally in the way your desks are set up at the moment? Some workers prefer privacy, so they can focus on tasks, while others thrive on the energy of group workspaces.
This audit calls for an honest discussion with your team to find out how you can empower them.
Is it Time to Outsource?
The simple truth may also be that your team may simply not be able to keep up the pace. Two reasons often apply: either they don’t have the skills, or they don’t have the time. And if you don’t have the budget to employ a new team member, chances are there’s a company you can outsource a task to.
The ROI in the long term is usually worth the expense and your team will enjoy more work satisfaction because they’re actually reaching the goals you set for them. Everybody wins!
Last Words
Have you had countless talks with your team about improving their productivity, without positive results? Perhaps they need a little nudge and assistance from you to get it right. Empower them and you’ll all enjoy the fruits of an office audit.
