As a small business owner, you may never have been in the position of managing and motivating employees before. Even if you have, chances are it was in a very different environment to the one you work in now. Managing team members in a large organisation is a totally different kettle of fish to working within a small business, particularly when your personal circumstances rely on the business being a success. Time management, productivity and work-life balance are phrases, which are used increasingly often, with numerous experts claiming to know the secret. We won’t claim to be experts, or to hold the key to the Holy Grail of efficiency, but these simple steps can help you and your workforce to simply get things done.
Common myths about productivity
Before you can encourage and achieve excellent productivity, you need to sort the truth from the myth. There are plenty of myths doing the rounds, and most of us will have believed at least one of them at some point. Here are some of the most common untruths that must be debunked once and for all:
- You must multitask – Not only is this untrue, multitasking doesn’t actually exist. Trying to split your attention between two or more tasks just means nothing is getting your full concentration and, therefore, nothing is done as well as it could be. Multitasking is more likely to lead to mistakes, typos and wasted time doing things over, than it is to lead to fantastic results. Rather than multitasking, encourage your employees to use schedules and to-do lists to map out their day.
- If you take a lunch break, you’re not working hard enough – Again, this is entirely wrong. Taking a lunch break isn’t skiving; it’s refreshing your brain for a productive afternoon. Some time away from your work in the middle of the day will help you to achieve far more over the next few hours. This means no eating lunch as you work too!
- Working from home = shirking from home – Remote working isn’t popular with all bosses, mainly due to the myth that people cannot be trusted to work if you’re not standing over them. If you really think they are that unreliable, why hire them in the first place? In actual fact, working from home means no commuting time, no stress caused by traffic jams and crowded public transport and, ultimately, more efficient staff. Obviously there are some jobs that cannot be done outside of a specific location but, otherwise, it is definitely worth investigating the feasibility of working from home.
Top tips for creating an efficient workforce
The first rule for creating an efficient workforce is that you must provide a good example. There’s no point expecting everyone to “do as I say, not as I do”; be the changes you want to see.
- Communicate – Make sure you’re clear about why efficient is important; whether it’s productivity-related efficiency or energy efficiency. Have a plan in place and make it easy for employees to refer to procedures when they’re unsure about a point. Another aspect of communication, which is key to efficiency, is that which takes place between departments (if you have them) or members of staff. Invest in some training, if required, to ensure that the flow of information is smooth and no unnecessary delays occur, particularly though which involve customers.
- Review – Regular reviews are a great way to foster an efficient workplace. Don’t let them become one-way talks; both sides need to discuss matters and issues in order to iron them out. The structure and formality of reviews will depend on your line of work, but don’t be tempted to just let them slide. Remember that happy staff are far more productive, so listen and make the effort to make them feel appreciated.
- Debunk those myths – The change most likely to make a difference to efficiency and productivity within your business is dispelling those untruths we mentioned earlier. Drill it into your employees (and yourself) that planning is key, there is no such thing as multitasking and everyone takes at least 30 minutes lunch break. It won’t take long to see a positive change!
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