Hidden ways to help your staff use their time more efficiently

Summary

• Time efficiency can help your staff feel more motivated and make them more productive.
• There are several easy ways you can help staff take the first step on their journey to time efficiency.

There are so many little ways to help your employees use their time more efficiently. In fact, it’s something that can be done with very little effort and it can make a big difference to your business.

Check out these hidden tips and tricks that will have your team whizzing through their work in no time at all.

Why efficiency matters

Efficiency is key in the workplace. If your employees are efficient, they get their work done with as little problems as possible and implement processes that allow them to work this way.

Having this dynamic in your office improves work satisfaction and motivation and reduces stress. It’s a win-win for your employees and your bottom line.

An interesting statistic comes from Gallup, who reported that companies lose as much as $7 trillion due to disengaged employees each year. Formstack echoed this research, reporting that companies lose an average of $200 to $300 billion yearly due to lost productivity.

So, how can you increase efficiency in your workplace and make everyone happy? The answer is simple: by helping your employees use their time efficiently.

How to help your employees save time

There are a few ways you can help your employees save time and work efficiently without majorly disrupting your workday. However, note that some of these suggestions may require a little upfront investment.

Nevertheless, they’ll be worth it in the long run if they help your employees work more efficiently. Here are six of our favorites:

Nudge the use of technology

Technology is amazing and can help us do our jobs faster and more efficiently. If your employees are still using paper and pen, it’s time to encourage them to switch to digital.

It might take a little bit of getting used to, but once they’re on board, they’ll be able to work much faster. Some of the ways they can do this are by:

• Digital note-taking
• Using a digital calendar
• Sharing files electronically

Many great applications can help with all of the above. And, if your employees are remote, there are even more options available.

Encourage breaks

You might think that inspiring your employees to take more breaks would make them less productive. But, in fact, the opposite is true.

The National Safety Council says 2/3 or 69% of the United State’s labor force is fatigued. That amounts to roughly 107 million workers in the country. Imagine how much more productive they could be if they weren’t so exhausted.

Encouraging your employees to take regular breaks will help them stay alert and focused on their work. In turn, they’ll be able to get their tasks done more efficiently.

Implement a time-tracking system

If you’re not already using a time-tracking system, now is the time to start. This will help you see where your employees spend most of their time.

From there, you can work on ways to help them be more efficient. For example, if you see that they’re spending a lot of time on social media, you can talk to them about ways to cut down their scrolling time.

Many great time-tracking tools are available, both for desktop and mobile devices. Once you’ve found one that works for your team, train everyone on how to use it properly.

Consider flexible work hours

Flexible work hours doesn’t mean letting staff come and go as they please. Instead, the setup allows your workers to have more control over their time. A full-time hybrid system may also work.

According to Apollo Technical LLC, working from home:

• Increases employee efficiency by 47%.
• Saves workers at least 8.5 hours of weekly commute (408 hours annually).
• Motivates 1/2 of Americans to take a 5% pay cut to have the option to telecommute.

If flexible work hours aren’t an option for your team, you can try something like a compressed workweek. An overall emphasis on work done, rather than the time spent doing it, allows for more flexibility, higher morale and increased efficiency.

Automate parking

If your employees commute to work, chances are they spend a lot of time searching for parking. Doing so is a major time-waster, and it’s easily avoidable. It is also an added stress.

Implementing a parking automation system or last mile automation can lessen these issues. Last mile automation saves your employees a ton of time, makes getting to-and-fro work less stressful, and reduces carbon emissions from all the driving around.

Conclusion

Employers have a laundry list of options to help their employees become more efficient. By implementing some of the tips above, you can make a big difference in your team’s productivity and work-life balance.

If last mile automation caught your attention, check out what we offer here at Wayleadr. We provide management software that makes workplace parking smart, easy, and efficient. In other words, we help your employees save time so they can focus on their tasks.