Strategic HR Technology Investment: A Comprehensive Checklist for Global HR Teams
“Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” – Jim Rohn
Are you witnessing your team rigorously putting in the hours but failing to deliver the results?
If yes, the chances are they are being run by the day and not the otherwise.
If these are a handful count of people, then you might blame procrastination for that. But if it’s a case of consistent underperformance across the entire team, it is a clear-cut indication of your employee time management practice being compromised.
So, if your dream of building a productive workforce seems elusive, it’s time to take action.
But how do you reclaim your team’s productive lost hours and pep them up for the time-secured future?
Below are the nine actionable tips for you to help your team enhance their time management skills.
But before heading straight to the solutions, let’s learn what time management is and its importance.
Time management is gaining strategic control over time spent on specific tasks and activities. It is a skill of organizing, planning, and allocating the right time to the right priorities while managing interruptions.
The practice ensures your time is perfectly coordinated with the tasks available in the pipeline. You can improve your efficiency and productivity by making the best use of available time in your hands. After all, the prime goal is to work smarter and not harder.
Efficient time management is not specific to any role.
Time is really the only capital that any human being has and the only thing he can’t afford to lose. – Thomas Edison.
Be it employees or employers in the workplace; time management abilities bring value to your efforts. But their role in an employee’s performance remains undeniable. Why? Because employees form the basis of business operations.
When employees struggle to manage their time, the entire project cycle gets disrupted. And the consequences?
However, mastery of time management helps employees put their best selves forward. These dedicated efforts then combine to drive organizational success.
Some of the benefits of implementing time management strategies for both individuals and organizations are –
Creating a more productive and efficient work environment is a top-most priority of successful managers. When you invest time in shaping employees’ time management skills, the results go beyond the charts.
The more you do, the better the outcome.
So, here are some time management hacks to strengthen your employees’ skills for maximizing outputs and building a culture of success.
If you want to make good use of your time, you’ve got to know what’s most important and then give it all you’ve got. – Lee Iacocca
Before you keep an eye on your employees’ progress levels, make sure to define and establish clear SMART goals. With that, I mean the goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
A vague task schedule is nothing but a trap you unintentionally set for your employees. But when they clearly understand what is expected of them, they can channel their efforts in the right direction to serve the purpose.
Delegating tasks without considering your employees’ strengths and weaknesses undoes your efforts to square one. Apart from that, workload capacity and availability are the other two factors that should become a part of your consideration stage.
When you assign the right tasks to the right people, you ensure employees are empowered enough to focus on what matters the most. So, make sure not to put too much on their plate that overwhelms them and causes them to be frustrated.
While some individuals are pro multitaskers, others miserably fail at it. Rather than imposing multitasking on your employees, inject adaptability and flexibility into your operations.
Trust in their decision abilities and do not micromanage them all the time. Educate them on prioritization skills, helping them differentiate the thin line between urgent and important tasks. This ensures they plan their schedule better and execute the most critical objectives first.
While you may have more inclination towards the popular belief of consistent work grind, the practice, however, makes an individual less productive. Also, working beyond the actual work hours is a surefire way of draining your energy to the core.
Time-to-time work disconnection acts as rejuvenating shots that keep you running. Encourage your employees to take breaks, quick stretches, and relaxation moments. But do not forget to educate them on being mindful of their break duration. Because too much stretch will sabotage your time management practices.
“Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent return on energy!” ― Brian Tracy, author and motivational speaker
Your employees can’t keep hold on time? Teach them what effective planning can do to their schedule.
A thorough, strategic plan can help your employees extract the most of your time. And cut out redundant efforts spent on trivial and recurring tasks. After all, it is a profitable investment in making smart and informed decisions to get the right things done at the right time.
Apart from capitalizing on your responsibilities, you can consider outsourcing some external assistance for the team. You can host time management training workshops and events in a physical setting or host online sessions.
Moreover, by leading by example, you can set the standard for efficiency for your workforce. Keep your doors open and be approachable to everyone needing help. You can even encourage peer knowledge sharing by hosting group training sessions.
Time management skills are no one-time fix. It is a consistent process of learning and improving. Do not just sit around and expect everyone to turn into a productivity manic the next day.
You need to create an environment that encourages employees to stay informed. By providing courses, books, a knowledge base, and articles, you can ensure everyone stays updated using these convenient sources. After all, it is key to thrive and survive in a fast-paced environment.
90% of individuals admit to wasting time while on the clock, which forces the need to use time management tools. These productivity boosters help employees monitor their activities and stay productive.
With these tools in your arsenal, you can segregate your employee workload and plan tasks accordingly. Also, you get insights into time spent on tasks, time-draining activities, and the areas for improvement. And utilize the data to maximize employee efficiency.
Despite letting your employees struggle and wrestle with time management, encourage open communication and feedback exchange. Allow your employees to be open about their problems and success stories.
You can host feedback exchange rounds and share time management strategies and innovative approaches in meetings. Or you can even address individual-specific issues in one-on-one sessions. This results in helping employees feel more empowered in their time management skills.
Employee time management is a vital skill set.
And as a manager, it becomes your responsibility to address all the potential challenges causing inefficiencies. Be it unclear priorities or constant workplace interruptions, tackling the situation head-on is the first step to boosting their productivity and efficiency levels.
From fostering open discussion to setting clear goals, you need to educate your employees on the importance of time management. And with a firm commitment only, you can help your employees in overcoming obstacles.
