I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels that time goes by faster and faster every year. Whether we’re all just victims of ever-growing to-do lists or if there’s been some sort of flux in the space-time continuum that actually causes time to gradually speed up, one thing is for sure – that I will always use the latter as an excuse if I miss a deadline. Also for sure is that no one ever seems to have enough time to do everything they need to.
Since creating more time requires time wizards (which are hard to come by and arguably do not exist), we’re left with the option of figuring out how to do more with the amount that we’ve got. Below are some ways to keep your operations flowing at a steady pace and increase business productivity.
1. Put information at employees’ fingertips
Productivity is often lost when employees have to spend too much time searching for information or they have to rely on someone else to find it for them – for example, when documents are shut in old filing cabinets or stored in a foldering system only one person understands. Instead, eliminate information silos by making information available to your employees from one (electronic) central location accessible from anywhere. If that information is easy to find and navigate, employees won’t have to lose their momentum to begin the project of locating what they need.
2. Encourage employee collaboration and communication
There’s lots of ways to promote collaboration through the use of technology or company culture. One way is holding team building exercises and office luncheons, as employees who are happier and more comfortable around each other are more likely to work together. Another option is providing software that makes communication and the sharing of information easier, such as an employee portal, instant messaging system, or project management tools.
3. Take advantage of measuring and reporting tools
It’s hard to tell what’s working and where you can make improvements if you’re not analyzing your business processes. Reporting tools make spotting and eliminating bottlenecks in your processes easier and help shed light on where to allocate resources or how projects need to be prioritized.
If time is too tight of a resource at work, it may be a good idea to check out some alternate ways like the ones above to maintain and even increase business productivity. There’s tons of ways to keep your processes moving, whether that be from business process automation, improved information management, or just boosting employee morale. To learn more about how business process solutions can not only boost productivity, but also cut costs and provide a wide range of other benefits, check out our webinar recording below – “What does Paperless Really Mean – 5 Stages of Efficiency.”
