Over the last 20 or so years computers and, in particular, the internet have completely revolutionized the modern workplace, allowing vastly improved communication between employees and transforming how we work.
However, despite the improved work environment, there are still some key skills required by managers to keep teams working effectively with one another. Here are just a few ways you can improve your company’s productivity while still keeping your staff motivated and engaged.
Improve communication within the workplace
Making sure your staff members are aware of their responsibilities and keeping up to speed with tasks is vitally important in any company. With the recent rise of homeworking due to the coronavirus pandemic, communication among workers has never been more important, so, as well as maintaining regular contact with employees, you should also consider investing in open source collaboration work platforms where staff can share messages, keep track of progress and work together on documents.
Learn to delegate
While it should seem obvious, delegation is one of the most important skills you can learn as a business owner. Despite this, unfortunately, many company bosses find handing tasks to other staff members difficult, thinking instead that they are the best person for every aspect of their business. In actual fact, learning to delegate is one of the most important aspects of being a manager. Also, keep in mind the concept of matching workers to tasks best suited to their particular skills.
Remember to motivate and, where needed, incentivize employees
Remembering to motivate, encourage, congratulate and thank employees will make them far more likely to work harder and more diligently. This is perhaps more important today than ever due to the increase in homeworking caused by the pandemic, where many employees have complained of feelings of isolation and not feeling connected to their fellow workers. Also, don’t be afraid to incentivize staff if you think it might get you better results. There is considerable evidence that supports the idea that a happy workforce performs more effectively and efficiently.
Invest in your employees by offering extra training and education
No matter how skilled your workforce, employees will always benefit and improve through being offered extra training and education. Take time to work out the skills most required by your staff and address any employee deficiencies by offering extra support. Your team will thank you, your business will operate more efficiently and you’ll benefit from a more content and skilled workforce.
Try to focus on the bigger picture
The value of many things you do in business may not be immediately apparent, so remember to keep a close eye on the bigger picture and think of things in the longer term. For example, investing in HR software might seem a needless expense but, in the wider view, HR apps could vastly improve team motivation – and even help save time on repetitive tasks like payroll or keeping track of employee holiday time, etc. The value of the time or money you spend today might not always be immediately apparent, so always try to take a longer-term view of your company.