Things can get chaotic really quickly in a small startup company, especially if you’re dealing with a big workload and not enough staff. However, being busy and being productive are not one and the same and you might be surprised to discover that at the end of a very busy semester your revenue is not as high as you’d hoped. Follow these tricks to work smarter and built a proactive company culture that drives innovation and sets the foundation for future profit:
Be transparent and communicative
In order for your employees to be productive, they need to understand the value of their work and how it contributes to business growth. Instead of leaving them out of important business discussions, involve them as much as possible, explain what your long-term goals are what kind of impact their work has on achieving these goals. The more your employees feel included, the more they will be more productive, because they will treat tasks with more seriousness and show a proactive attitude.
Use automation tools
Although budget constraints are common in small startups, using automation tools is a long-term investment that pays off. By automating processes wherever possible, not only are you reducing the risk of human mistakes, but also clearing out your employees’ schedule and allowing them to focus on more important tasks. Advance Systems has features that include time and attendance management, mobile workforce, workforce scheduling or absence management, and all of these can make your life easier.
Make a daily schedule
Whether you’re a pen-and-paper type of manager or you’d rather use the notes app on your phone, write down your daily schedule somewhere. This will make your day more structured, more organized, and you’ll have a clear overview of what needs to do be done. At the end of the day, you will know if you actually accomplished something or just spent your time on distractions.
Set clear goals
Any task you spend time on must have a certain purpose, otherwise you are wasting time. To make sure your company is not drifting afloat without any direction, set weekly, monthly, trimestral and annual goals. By having a clear objective in mind, both you and your team will be more focused and when the time comes to assess your activity, you’ll know for sure if you are making any progress or not.
Don’t neglect your workspace
The environment where you work has a huge impact on your mood and productivity levels. Make sure your offices have an adequate floor plan, access to daylight, quality work equipment and sufficient areas of recreation. Invest in ergonomic offices and chairs that can offer them a comfortable working environment and don’t neglect the importance of good artificial lighting. When setting up the offices, keep in mind how and when employees will interact with each other and if they have close access to the equipment they need.
Know when to take a break
When running a small startup, you may end up living a chaotic life without knowing so, from time to time, learn to unplug from work responsibilities and allow yourself some time to relax. One week off work or one weekend away will not make a huge dent in your business operations, but you will feel more creative and productive afterward.
