An important aspect of running a business is productivity. There are all sorts of productivity strategies out there, but one effective way to improve productivity is by using systems in your business. Systems help increase productivity by facilitating the day-to-day operations of your company.
What is productivity?
Simply put, it is the effectiveness of effort; it refers to how well you work or perform. The goal of productivity should be eliminating unnecessary steps and increasing output (more products/services produced).
To make sure productivity is improving for your business, take note of whether or not you and your team are completing regular tasks quickly and efficiently. If not, then there might be some room for improvement with the system that you are currently using.
Systems are tools that help streamline operations in your business. Examples of systems for productivity improvement include:
Google Docs: to work collaboratively on documents with your team.
Calendar systems: created in Microsoft Outlook or Google to manage appointments.
Productivity and project management software: such as Toggl, Monday.com or Trello, to help you manage and keep a birds eye view on your entire project.
All of these examples facilitate productivity by helping employees complete tasks more quickly and efficiently. Using productivity software is a great way to ensure you and your team are singing from the same song sheet. Pick a product and get everyone signed up, as you don't want multiple people using different productivity apps (e.g., using different calendars, word processes, time trackers, etc.) this is likely cause more confusion along the way and potentially hurt the team's overall level of productivity. Cohesive implementation of a system can ultimately improve your business's bottom line.
Benefits:
There are many benefits to implementing productivity systems into your business . Here are some of the top benefits:
Increased productivity - Employees are able to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time, because productivity systems assist with tasks like time management, planning, and prioritization.
Minimization of human error - These tools eliminate minor mistakes that people might make by improving overall accuracy within a business.
Reduction of effort - Systems can help simplify processes, reducing the overall effort necessary to complete a task.
Less stress - Employees don't have to worry about smaller tasks falling through the cracks during busy periods, as most productivity tools are kitted out with prompts, reminders, priority labels and are often shared with other members of the team. These features ensure they know what is expected of them and when it is expected, creating a reduction in overall stress levels.
Improved team culture and morale - Your employees' job satisfaction and productivity is likely to increase, as the team aren't constantly engaged in tedious tasks; the system gives them the opportunity to spend their time doing more important and rewarding work.
Decreased training time - Implementing productivity systems reduces training time, since new team memebers can clearly see project outlines, timelines and the parties or departments responsible for each task. Plus, these tools often come with user manuals that explain how to use the application, this means very minimal additional time is required from management to get the ball rolling on basic training.
Improved client satisfaction rates - Systems can help speed up processes for clients/customers so they don't have to wait as long for services or products. A good system can also increase productivity by allowing a solopreneur to complete tasks on their own more effectively.
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In conclusion, productivity tools can be an excellent tool for any business to improve efficiency in its daily business operations, as well as the performance of its employees. They reduce unnecessary steps, enabling you to complete tasks more efficiently and give employees the tools they need to perform their duties to a higher standard. Implementing productivity applications within your company, will not only help you work smarter, the addition is bound to increase your bottom line in the long run.
To talk to someone regarding your business ideas, strategies or productivity, feel free to book a free business consultation meeting. Sometimes it's just good to talk.