Ten Ways to Improve Team Efficiency and Productivity
No matter how efficient and productive your team is, there are always ways that you can help to make it even more productive and efficient. But, you need to do things in a way that is going to show your team that you care about more than just the bottom line, and that you care about them as well. Here are some effective ways to improve team efficiency and productivity.
1. Delegate responsibility
Don’t be afraid to have other team members take care of certain jobs when you have a busy schedule. Let them utilize their talents and take on some tasks that you would normally do.
2. Communicate effectively
While sending out emails is the traditional form of office communication, there are many more applications that allow employees to communicate and collaborate more efficiently. Check out these business communication tips.
3. Know their strengths and weaknesses
Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses at work. The more you know about your employees, the easier it will be for you to match the right employees with certain tasks. For instance, if you have an employee who likes to think outside of the box, let them use their creativity to pitch new ideas to clients.
4. Give them incentives
Everyone works better when they know that there are extra incentives involved. Sure, it may be a part your role but it is nice to be rewarded for a job well done once in a while. Offering incentives will help increase productivity.
5. Eliminate excess
When employees have small, tedious tasks to take care of, they don’t spend enough time or thought on the more important tasks. Try not to give them a lot of small tasks that aren’t really necessary and give them time to focus on the important tasks.
6. Be a good example
As you lead your team, it is important to set an example and show them that you are ultimately a member of the team. Don’t be afraid to take on the little jobs that you might want to assign to others. Do the work, get your hands dirty, and your employees will respect your hard work.
7. Hold stand-up meetings
We spend far too much time sitting all day at work, so a stand-up meeting is a great way to stretch out those stiff limbs. These meetings are basically a huddle and act as a quick moment to update the team.
8. Let employees work from home
You may think that working at home allows people to procrastinate but a study has shown that employees are often more productive when working from home. The occasional work day outside of the office can refresh anyone’s busy work week.
9. Set realistic goals
Business goals should be realistic and attainable. If employees think that they are never going to reach your goals, they are not going to be interested in working hard. They need to know what the goals are, and that those goals are realistic.
10. Integrate technology
As a team leader, you need to take advantage of the latest software, hardware, and information technology. The more tools you have, the easier it is going to be to be productive and efficient.