Efficiency means achieving the most significant results without unnecessary effort. As a business leader, you will go nowhere without an efficient team behind you. You need to gather and organize capable people into groups working together towards a common goal.
However, it’s sometimes challenging to maximize the productivity of your team – especially if you’re managing large groups of people. Here are four ways to make it easier.
Get rid of unnecessary meetings
Meetings are the cornerstone of high-quality, productive cooperation. That’s only the case when there is a clear agenda, and people are ready to contribute. Daily meetings, on the other hand, only hinder productivity. People spend time talking about work instead of doing it.
As a leader, ask yourself if a meeting is necessary. Have your employees send you project updates in digital form. Hold open hours for those who need you for specific tasks instead of having everyone sit there for 30 minutes.
When you do organize meetings, make sure that all people attending have a clear, well-defined role on it. Everyone else should be out, working on tangible tasks.
Educate your staff
Every person you hire should carry a set of useful skills that adds to the productivity of your company. We aren’t saying that you should refuse anyone without a degree in a particular field. Instead, ensure each employee gets training appropriate for their position.
As your company grows and develops, you might start requiring more from your employees than what they did in the beginning.
In that case, send them to courses and conferences for upskilling. It’s a good idea to have them visit such events regularly, for they will bring back useful skills. It may seem like wasting time at first glance, but it makes a positive impact in the long run.
Another scenario that may lead to lost time is when an employee needs to take over the tasks of another. For instance, if you will have a trainee in marketing make spreadsheets, have them take Excel training online.
Give responsibility and autonomy
One of the best ways to demotivate your staff is by not giving them tasks and responsibilities appropriate for their skill level. Leaders often do so either by overloading or underestimating their employees. Try to keep the tasks challenging, but not overwhelming.
You don’t need to always hover over your employees, either. Keep an open line of communication, but give them the flexibility to handle tasks in their form and fashion. Personalities and working styles differ. You will be best off letting your employees choose theirs.
Leverage strengths
As a business leader, spend some time getting to know the strengths and weaknesses of your team. Also, keep in mind the tasks they enjoy and those they despise. Again, this may be difficult for large companies, but a questionnaire would do.
Once you compile this information, assign tasks accordingly. While it’s not always possible, it should be your goal. Letting people do work they find rewarding will lead to higher productivity, as well as an increased level of satisfaction.
The bottom line
Finally, make these practices a part of your everyday work environment.
Your staff needs constant encouragement and help to stay on top of their game. With implementing and sticking to practices that increase productivity, you will see an improvement in your success rates.
